Entry 133-2
Denny Brauer on Strike King’s New Baits
Scoop on the Red
Editor's Note: Denny Brauer of Camdenton, Missouri, fishes in all kinds of weather and under many varied water conditions. Since he must know how to catch bass year-round, he's especially excited about Strike King's new offerings for 2005.
Question: Denny, what's the truth about the Bleeding Bait Series? Is all this talk about red hooks, red spots on the lures and the color red in general just a gimmick to get fishermen to buy more baits, or do you really believe that the color red on lures causes more bass to bite?
Brauer: Personally I think you can look at the Bleeding Bait Series and the red hooks in four different ways. Some people probably feel that the red is a gimmick and that it has no effect at all on the bass. However, you have to think back to what you're buying. You know that Strike King produces quality lures, so even if the red hooks don't work to get bass to bite better, you haven't lost anything by buying the Bleeding Bait Lures. Besides that, everyone knows that red is a good color for bass. So, you have a quality lure with a good color for bass in the Bleeding Bait Series.
The third thing is the Bleeding Bait Series of lures makes the bait look different. Every fisherman knows that if you can give the bass a different-looking bait that the bass are more likely to take that bait than if you're fishing with the same color bait that everyone else is using. A red hook looks totally different coming through the water than a brown hook or a black hook does. If you don't believe that statement, then take the lures out to a swimming pool. Fish a Bleeding Bait Lure, and watch how it comes through the water. Then fish another lure, and look at it. Or, better yet, swing two lures side by side, and look at the difference in the Bleeding Bait Lure. You quickly can see that the Bleeding Bait Lure is definitely different.
Another factor that you have to consider is that any predator is triggered to attack by blood, and the color of blood is red. Using red on a lure is not really something different. For years, pro fishermen have used Magic Markers to put red gills on crankbaits and do different things to add a touch of red to our lures.
I think finally Strike King realized that the fishermen who were make their livings catching bass believed in the red color and were putting red on their lures to solicit more strikes. When fishermen began to put red hooks on and believed the red hooks caused them to get more strikes, Strike King came out with Bleeding Bait Series. I think the real proving 
point for the Bleeding Bait Series occurred for me and will happen for you when you put a red hook on your crankbait.
If you'll start paying attention to which hook the bass you catch on that crankbait are hooked on, I think you can prove for yourself whether the red hooks are a gimmick or actually solicit more strikes. I proved this to myself, and I think this way you can test any new idea in fishing. If you don't want to believe the fishermen who have to make a living catching bass about the color red, then go through the same testing procedure that we go through before we endorse a new product or a new lure. Test it for yourself. I did, and I know that the Bleeding Bait Line of lure is catching more bass for me now than the other lures did. But before you decide what you think about the Bleeding Bait Series, especially if you're skeptical of it, then do what I've done - give it a fair test. Then I think you'll be convinced like me that red does get more bites.
Contents:
- Part 1: A Bitsy Bit Better
- Part 2: Scoop on the Red
- Part 3: Why the Bleeding Bait Tube
- Part 4: The Family at El Salto
- Part 5: I'm Going to Catch Some Bass on This One
