colored hooks

[Tony]

Is there an advantage to using colored fishing hooks for walleye? If so, is chartreuse the safest bet? And in what situation would one prefer to use a non-colored hook?

[FJH1]

I don't know if there is truely an advantage or not, however, I don't use non-colored hooks any more. My go-to color is the Northland glow/pink two-tone hook. Probably mainly psychological. My "confidence level" is higher when using colored hooks over traditional, maybe this makes me fish an area harder and more thoroughly, and this may be the reason that I feel like I catch more fish on colored hooks over traditional.

Best Regards,

FJH

[Waterfowler]

I was on Mille Lacs last Saturday and I tried both orange and chartruese hooks off and on all day never getting a bite. I switched to red and started catching fish. Was it just dumb luck, I don't know. I do know I caught the biggest eye of my life and the red kamakatsu #6 tied in a crawler harness. I think it may make a difference if the fish are finicky. I know chartruese worked best for me on opener.

[Suzuki]

My friends and I have put a lot of thought and experimentation to this subject on the St. Croix river over the past 3 years. Color has definitely made a diffence there on many occasions. Our go-to color is orange however sometimes pink or red or purple or chartruese work better. Both of us have been stubborn many times in the beginning and not changed colors only to watch the other guy catch all the fish. Not anymore. We use different colors at all times until one works. Sometime they all work. We did have 3 occasions this year that were perplexing. I caught the vast majority of the fish 3 times out even though my partner changed all tackle to match mine exactly. My only conclusion was it must have been the action from the rod. Mine was medium light and his was medium heavy. Other than weird luck that's the only thing I can think of.

[Dunn]

Colored hooks for me are something that have added effect to something already productive or is not producing. I have spent all day trolling harness that have produced fish and then switched the same harness' over to colored hook rigs and still produced just the same. However, I have also had many instances where the bite was tough and switched to colored hooks and had a sudden improvement in producing fish.

I can't say for sure they help or not, but I know it's one more weapon to add to the arsenal.
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Marshall J. Dunn
OffShore Release
Bluewater Research, Inc.
N.P.A.A. # 701

[Chuck Pederson MN]

I think it was like the last weekend at party central I wore my multicolored party shirt, I was ready for action and not one girl paid attention to me. Came off the lake this weekend wet and sweaty and I was the guide of the year- Go figure.

[LindyRigger]

I have fallen in love with red hooks for my lindy rigs and crawler harnesses. I have not tried other colors though. It was mentioned that two were fishing the same rigs and one was catching fish and the other was not...I have had this happen to me with my dad. One thing I think that has played a part in this is when one of us has pumped the gas and also hooking the trailer onto the boat with some oils on the tongue of the trailer. I am a firm believer that these odors are offensive to walleye and definitely deter the fish. Gas is almost impossible to get off your hands even when washed. This is just my opinion.

LindyRigger

[Larry L.]

I used chartruse a lot and pink sometimes. The one color that has proven to me to work almost every time is the white glow hook. I really like it ice fishing.

[Kevin/CO]

I use colored hooks to match my spinner and add a lil contrast. Like if i am using a green spinner with two floats the top float will have some red on the top half and then i'll use a green hook then a red hook as the loose one normally the back hook gets hamared or the whole spinner does. I think the contrasts with the red makes it look like its bleeding so the strikes are more aggressive since it looks like its dying???? I don't always out catch on my riggs with colored hooks but I beat out the boat on size 99.9% of the time. Maybe its cause the painted hooks are a better quality hook I don't know but I am sticking with it. Just some food for thought.

[Chad]

I think the colored hooks are mostly there to catch fishermen. Do I use them, Yes. Do I think they make a difference? Very little. Why do so many people buy them? Nobody has proven they dont work.

[Chuck Pederson MN]

Colored hooks are kind of like deer whistles but I'd use the hooks before you would catch me with those things on my bumper.

[Stormsearch]

Went through last year on Lake Erie trying out the different colors of hooks. All colors caught more fish, especially the trash fish (white perch/white bass/goebies/sheephead). I ended sticking with the blood red Gamakatsu hooks and seem to catch more walleye but no more trash fish than normal. Good luck.