The "Kill Dot"

[Wrench13]

A lot of lures have them, a lot don't. Can anybody here enlighten me as to the purpose of them or a good description of what they're imitating with them?

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

[Manxfishing]

Shad

[Paul H]

Shad - and some other bait fish. Back when I hand painted a lot of lures I usually added it, even in oddball colors I'd add a dot (say green/yellow/red and add a red dot.) I don't remember where I heard the idea, bit I was a believer. I'd also add some red, bleeding gill color. FWIW - most of this was bass fishing.

[Chad]

Lots of fish/bait have a dot. Redfish, shad, etc...

Speaking of the color red....I have heard two totally opposite comments regarding the color red.

One guy uses red hooks because the color red disappears in shallower water than any other color.
Another guys says that it imitates blood/wounds.

[KPKyllo]

I've always thought the dot just gives a fish an aiming point. I may be wrong on that.
As far as red, I do think it imitates blood. It may not look like the red color that we associate with blood when it's underwater, but if red is the same color that we associate it with above water, it should be the same color that fish associate it with under water.

[Custom Eyes]

I usually add them because it makes the swimming action more distinctive. Bulky, rocking bass baits toward the front where the movement is. Longer stick type baits, I add it on the back third where all the action is on those. Just depends on the scheme. Lots of schemes work fine without one.

[Wrench13]

Thanks for all the responses. I have had great success with the "bleeding" patterns, it seams to really set things off sometimes. The Thin Fin dracula and rapala's bleeding hot olive are two patterns that come to mind. I had never thought about the kill dot bringing out the action of a lure before but it makes sense. I think the dots tend to show up more on plain patterns that may not have details on them such as ladder backs to highlight the action. The lake I will be spending most of my fishing hours on this year has alewives as the predominate baitfish. Which I don't think have the dots on them. I'm thinking maybe this season I'll test identical baits side by side, only difference being a kill dot or none. May not matter but we'll see, it'll be fun either way.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2