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Hook Color on Streamers
Post 24 Mar 2023, 10:03 • #1 
Master Guide
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Location: Georgia
I’m interested to hear your opinions on hook colors, specifically on streamer patterns. I almost always use black hooks on streamers, but that’s partially because I use Gamakatsu B10S hooks on so many of my patterns. Most of my streamers are fairly big - most common hook sizes are 1, 2, 4, and 6.

Do you think there’s any truth in the opinion that fish may be less likely to be spooked by a black hook than a bronze or nickel hook?


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Post 24 Mar 2023, 12:41 • #2 
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I like dai riki 710s which seem impossible to find these days .I tie lots of little minnow imitations in 10 and 8.They are a light gray matte color and to my eyes the hook is not very visable under the fly dessings.Just my opinion.Looking for a similr color in 3x streamer hooks myself.Shiny nickel would be fine also.I like black for spiders poppers dries etc.Bronze seems ok for most everything else.


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Post 25 Mar 2023, 17:19 • #3 
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I’ve not noticed that hook color makes much difference. This is simply opinion, I’ve nothing to back it up with.


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Post 25 Mar 2023, 18:03 • #4 
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No. The fly pattern is the deception. Just as fish can "see" a leader, they can "see" the hook. They don't notice it because they are looking at the fly.

I guess you could answer for yourself by fishing identical patterns with identical hooks except for their finish/color. Other than that, the most important element in selecting a hook for a streamer pattern is its size, length, and wire gauge--all affect, if slightly, the way the fly swims so the fish notices it the way it expects to see the prey it is mistaken for.


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Post 25 Mar 2023, 19:28 • #5 
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all about the action...

All of my big fish streamers are on either Ahrex TP series or Gami B10S so I guess I'm not going to really be able to compare vastly different hook colors. That said, I did just pick up some Gami spinnerbait hooks for some musky stuff and they're silver in color so I guess we'll find out. I'm guessing it'll go a little like this: "wow, they don't eat that just as much as they don't eat the other stuff..." :lol :lol :lol


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Post 25 Mar 2023, 19:45 • #6 
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I really don't know either but anecdotally we have several times seen red hooks outfish other hooks when baitfishing with minnows on several occasions.When your fishing with a couple others in a boat sometimes subtle differences such as hook color line test etc can make difference.Moving water fish have less of a chance to study the offering.Still water fish can be maddening at times as they refuse one bait/lure/fly and eat another with abandon.Red mono was a "thing" for crappie fishing in the past.Supposedly it disapears below a certain depth.I think red hooks may be the same thing.I too choose from whatever hooks i have that i think will fish the way i want it to for the pattern.


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Post 26 Mar 2023, 13:36 • #7 
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In shallower water where most of the ambient light penetrates, maybe the red hooks suggest blood/gills. Some streamer tyers I know like a bit of red, typically around the gill area.


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Post 26 Mar 2023, 16:34 • #8 
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Red is going to look red down to about 15' (assuming the predator in question has the appropriate amount of cones in their retinas).


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Post 26 Mar 2023, 20:35 • #9 
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Joined: 02/02/16
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Location: Georgia
Great input all around - thanks guys! The original question stemmed from my inability to find Daiichi 2461 black hooks, but I did find 2460’s which are the same style in bronze. I’m going to order the bronze hooks and let the great side by side experiment begin.

The red hook idea is interesting. I like to add some red or rust accents on my streamers to imitate gills or blood coming from a wounded fish. I think it acts as a trigger sometimes and I’ve had more success on a few patterns after adding the red accent.


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Post 28 Mar 2023, 10:50 • #10 
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I have seen fish that absolutely will spook at a silver hook in the crab patterns, while taking the bronze or black hook version..
those are the spotted grunter, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomadasys_commersonnii
A very fussy fish, fly-wise..

But, given that most streamers are fish-imitating, I like a silver hook for those patterns anyway. I'd be startled to find any difference between bronze and black hooks, except maybe when imitating forage species that are themselves black or bronze..


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Post 02 Apr 2023, 10:19 • #11 
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El Duderino wrote:
Great input all around - thanks guys! The original question stemmed from my inability to find Daiichi 2461 black hooks, but I did find 2460’s which are the same style in bronze...

Maybe there's a reason you can't find 2461's as in, "they didn't sell because it doesn't matter..." ;)

FWIW - With the exception of some stainless hooks I use for big Clouser Minnows and some nickle plated hooks I use for crayfish patterns, all of my streamer hooks are bronze.


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