Middle Ground

[Bryon Anderson 0]

I agree 100% with everyone that's posted in favor of barbless. They hook better, they hold just as well as barbed if you play the fish properly, and they are exponentially easier on the fish when it comes time for the release, not only because they don't tear the fish's mouth (or whatever part is hooked) up, but because they facilitate release with far less handling of the fish. Many, if not most, can be released without touching the fish at all.

 

I don't see this as a shades-of-gray issue. If I'm going to release a fish, then I'm doing so because I want to fish, but I want the fish I catch to survive. If that's the case, I should be doing everything I can reasonably do to ensure the fishes' survival. That means using barbless single hooks, using tackle that's heavy enough to land the largest fish I'm likely to catch on a given day with the shortest fight possible, and releasing the fish with a bare minimum of handling, and if possible without touching them at all.

 

Giving the fish the most sporting chance possible (short of not fishing at all) is what makes me a better angler. I would rather catch one fish that way than catch twenty by stacking the deck in my favor more than nature already has done.

[Peterjay 0]

Just smash 'em down flat and don't worry about it. Sooner or later, you're gonna impale yourself and you'll be glad you did. (trust me, I know only too well) If you're any kind of fisherman, you're not gonna lose any fish because of it.

[mikechell 0]

So, according to many of the people on this site, I don't know how to play the fish, or I am just a lousy angler.

Mikechell I don't know, dude. I really doubt it was the barbless hook which lost you 90% of the fish. It might just have been your confidence factor.

If you're any kind of fisherman, you're not gonna lose any fish because of it.

Gee, and I thought I was joking when I made my comment ... but I see people really DO look down upon people who use barbed hooks. I guess that whole thread on snobbishness isn't about fly fishing vs. other types ... it's all about barbed vs. barbless.

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

I tie most flies with barbs but the ones I fish the barb gets crushed not because its easier to get out of the fishes mouth but because its easier to get out of me PERIOD point blank I don't care if I lose a hundred fish because my barb is crushed its still better then having to go to the ER to get a damn hook out of your head

[tctrout 0]

I tie most flies with barbs but the ones I fish the barb gets crushed not because its easier to get out of the fishes mouth but because its easier to get out of me PERIOD point blank I don't care if I lose a hundred fish because my barb is crushed its still better then having to go to the ER to get a damn hook out of your head

I prefer barbless hooks (or pushing barb down prior to fishing). I got started with this habit when, as a beginning tyer, one teacher instructed us to debarb the hooks prior to tying. This ensured that if the hooks was tempered incorrectly, they would break in our vise versus after tying a pattern. I have had few hooks actually break due to the tempering over the last 20 years, but I feel that this is good practice, especially when attempting to get a hook out of something (or even someone!).