OK i have been thinking about something for a while now .. I understand the whole bleeding bait concept . and i think maby at times i has its place in the tackle box. Well it has been proven that red is the first color to disappear underwater so doesn't that negate the red on the hooks.How dose a fish see the red for it to look injured? And when using a spinner bait you use the gold blade on cloudy days because the gold has a more intense flash . Using the logic on the red hooks and red disappearing and the gold putting out a more intense flash . this would lead me to believe that a gold hook would be your best bet .....any opinions

I believe this topic was just locked yesterday but I will chime in until it gets locked again.

Let's talk gold and not red.   I use gold hooks for catching my saltwater bait.  You can buy a rig called Sabiki(spelling) that is basically a gold hook with a small imitation feather attached to it.  I use plain gold hooks though because its's cheaper and work just as good.  The baitfish are attracted to the gold flash.  You can try using bronze or silver hooks but won't have the same succes.

Opinioned out. Next question.

Depth and speed are first. Then comes size, action, and ....finish/color somewhere down on the list. This is all AFTER location and position are worked out.

Great quote from Mike McClelland:

It's like the trunk of a tree. Magic baits, secret lure colors, stuff like that are the tiny outside branches of the tree. Most fishermen dance on branches."

I've heard a similar one attributed to Al Lindner, (possibly this is the origin), describing presentation as a tree, in terms of levels of importance: Speed and depth control are the trunk, color is out at the very tips of the twigs.

Unless you have the trunk understood, and in control, the tips don't weigh in. And hook color is hangin' out at the very-most tip of those branches.

I've tried hard over the years to rid myself of superstitions -a waste of energy and simply confusing the issues. I try my best to focus on what's really important in a given scenario.

As to the red marketing gimmick presently out there (or has it passed yet?), I got bored last winter and posted this poem on another fishing site. Interestingly, my poem ended up on a poetry site from Japan. Thought that was cool.

Seeing Red...a poem...Ahem...

Red is an apple ripe on the vine.

Red is of Kool-Aide, grapes, and wine.

Red is of tumescence, lipstick, lingerie, and high, high heels.

Red's pretty important to people.

Tackle manufacturer's see Green when they offer Red!

Makes me see Red.

I much pefer these eagle claw hooks over standard colors  

this would lead me to believe that a gold hook would be your best bet .....any opinions

Raul 's opinion: do not overthink it.

Raul 's reason to make that opinion: Raul has been fishing for bass for over two and a half decades, Raul has fished with gold/bronze, black/gunmetal blue, nickel/silver and red hooks and has not found any evidence that either hook color is better than the other. Only thing Raul cares about hooks is how good and sharp they are.

Raul 's advice: use whatever hook color tickles your fancy as long as it is quality made and razor sharp.

I am not a believer but a friend showed me that it can make a difference. He was throwing a Speed Trap for smallmouth on the Columbia River. He ran one red treble on the front and a black nickel on the back. Every smallie he caught on the front hook. I tell him no big deal they are hitting the head of the bait. So he switches the hooks and places the red hook on the back. After that every smallie was hooked on the rear hook. So go figure...time and place for everything I guess.

To this day I still only run red hooks on my craw colored cranks.  

I don't buy into the whole red hook thing. I think it a ploy from the tackle companies to get people to buy stuff they already have and don't need. Every fisherman goes into the tackle shop, see's something he does not have, and talks himself into needing it. My opinion. Its been me on the other end of talking myself into needing some different that I don't have a million times.

oddly enough and I am not kidding or exaggerating but whenever I throw a red hook t-rigged whatever I get less bites than with just a black one. Maybe its just me or psychological but it is what it is.

I am not a believer but a friend showed me that it can make a difference. He was throwing a Speed Trap for smallmouth on the Columbia River. He ran one red treble on the front and a black nickel on the back. Every smallie he caught on the front hook. I tell him no big deal they are hitting the head of the bait. So he switches the hooks and places the red hook on the back. After that every smallie was hooked on the rear hook. So go figure...time and place for everything I guess.

To this day I still only run red hooks on my craw colored cranks.

That's a cool observation. With smallies I can (almost) believe it, for one particular reason: Smallies are more apt to be biters, than engulfers. It's why they can be hard to hook sometimes -that sharp bite, set the hook, and nobody home! >  Reminds me of trout sometimes. Someday someone will work out a better hooking arrangement for these times. A small treble trailer? A red one??