[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Feb-14-06 AT 04:23PM (EST)[/font][p]I agree Danny, its always been my experience that muddy warmer warms a whole lot faster than clear. Besides the darker color all the particles absorb the heat as well. Now when it comes to a cold, nasty rain with cold muddy water entering the lake, forget it!

The rip rap thing is right on too. Those rocks, I dont care what color they are, absorb some of the warmth of the sun, by the middle to the end of the day the water right around the rocks is just that little bit warmer, coupled with the algea growth, plankton, shore minnows, etc. gets the whole food chain going and that equals some good fishing in the early spring. I can't count the times that a rip rap section later in the day has saved my day in the early spring.

After 2 years of experimenting with red hooks, this year I have changed the front hooks on all my topwaters and cranks that dive 10ft or less to red. I was the original doubting Thomas with the whole red phenomena, but over the past 2 years I am certain the cranks with the front red hooks have produced better.

Look how long the red rattle trap has been a heavy hitter on the Texas lakes, particularly Fork and Rayburn. They have long been known to produce, to the point that about every time there is a spring T there nearly every pro will one at least tied on to one rod. Logically that should carry over to the use of red hooks. Even if it just gives you a little edge it better than no edge.

But I still don't buy into the red line thing, at least not yet.