barbless or not

[Alex C. 0]

QUOTE(OLB @ Apr 21 2006, 03:49 PM) *

 

After reading/ participating in this topic, I don't think I'll ever use a barbless hook, unless the law dictates otherwise

 

 

I'm curious, what specifically about this thread made you come to that conclusion

 

I'll give an explanation later today, it'll be kinda long winded

[Dble Haul 0]

QUOTE(OLB @ Apr 21 2006, 03:49 PM) *

 

After reading/ participating in this topic, I don't think I'll ever use a barbless hook, unless the law dictates otherwise

 

 

I'm curious, what specifically about this thread made you come to that conclusion

 

I'll give an explanation later today, it'll be kinda long winded

 

 

Okie dokie.

[WYKnot 0]

...barbless, either pinched down or bought that way. I've caught a few fish with barbless hooks 24-26, at that size, and with my limited angling skills, it would take more than a miniature barb to improve my hook-up success.

 

Having spent a fair number of years teaching new anglers, barbless has the obvious advantage of extracting easier from fingers, thumbs, clothing, and other assorted areas that tend to collect errant casts.

[Alex C. 0]

Well I made a hypocrite of myself today and after releasing about 3 brookies in about 15 minutes, I took out my pliers and squished the barb. I was fishing with a #12 dry fly, all the fish I caught were hooked in the lip, but due to their beauty and their size(4/5"), I figured I'd take the extra precaution. I will note however that I brought in about a 9" bruiser a little later.......

 

AND IT GOT OFF WHEN I WAS GETTING MY CAMERA OUT :ripped:

 

Oh well thats fishing :wallbash:

[oldfart 0]

I pinch down the barbs and sharpen all my hooks before I start tying. Makes hookups and releasing much easier!!!!! :thumbup:

[Nightstalker 0]

 

 

I usually go barbless for gills and such, but I keep the barbs for smallies, never had a problem with

killing fish. Maybe I have just been lucky so far.

 

[Don Bastian 0]

Barbless.

 

Unless I'm catching for the frying pan, like bluegills, crappies, perch. Once in a great while I kill a trout because I love to eat them. As does my wife and both girls, now grown & out of the house. My dad taught me how to eat trout as a kid.

 

There is absoultely no question in my mind that barbless hooks offer:

 

> Easier removal from everything. Clothes, trees, body parts, vest, net, fishing companion, automobile rug, boat ropes, duffel bags, float tube coverings, & of course, fish. Oh and by the way, dogs. A friend of mine had a German Shorthair that wanted to go swimming. I was fishing three wet flies, and before I could react the dog got swept into my cast of flies. Hooked her right in the middle of the back.

 

> Less damage to the fly upon removal. (BTW - how many of you use serrated forceps for fly removal?)

Might as well get a pair of vise-grips on the fly. Serrated forceps are bad for flies! (except for saltwater).

 

> Less damage to the fish, without question. IMHO, anyone fishing in a catch & release regulated area, or releasing trout in an unregulated area does a disservice to the fish by not fishing barbless. I have seen too many anglers wrestle with a hook, anything longer than ten seconds is too long. And how about the times when you foul hook a fish? Less damage with a simple puncture wound than one with a barb where some tissue ripping and damage can occur.

 

If one is not killing fish, then hookups are what really matters. Hookups are the true measure of how well you are doing as an angler. Hookups are the true measure of how well the fish are feeding. Some fish will escape, after all, they are trying to get away, and the reality is, sometimes the fish wins. It is a simple matter to keep the leader tight after setting the hook, but I have seen some anglers set the hook, then drop the rod tip and stand there reeling all the line onto the reel then when the line tightens, wonder where the fish went...

 

I no longer separate the tally of "fish landed" to fish hooked. But I don't count the ones that are on and off. If I play it, bring it in close, etc., it's tallied. At the end of the day, total number of hookups represent the experience. I'm going to release them anyway, the only time I might be disappointed is if a really nice fish that I might have wanted to photograph gets off.

 

Finally, I catch many trout that have hook scars, both fresh and older. Some are caused by spinning lures. Others are caused by careless anglers, both fly & spin, lifting small trout out of the water by the leader as they flop around, often tearing off maxillaries, and other mouth area tissue because the body weight of the fish cannot support being hooked.

 

Finally, if a fish breaks off, a barbless hook will come out of the fish naturally easier on its own, rather than with a barb. I have removed hooks from fish that were left by other anglers too, but always hooks with a barb. I have never removed a barbless hook from a fish.

 

Barbs are for hooking and holding if you are going to whack the fish & creel it. Not that there's anything wrong with that...

 

Obviously my opinion is pretty strong in this area. I have hooked myself a couple times, beyond the barb, but fortunatrely for me, my hook was barbless and came right out. I could tell you some horror stories about some of my friends, one of whom still fishes barbs - deliberately. I can't understand that...even after he had to go to the emergency room.

 

Don

[Tinman 0]

Barbless always. I can't stand the sound of the bass guys ripping their hooks out of the fishes mouth. Doesn't hurt as much coming back out of your thumb.

[hector 0]

I smash the barb down on my hooks also.

[SilverCreek 0]

This subject has been discussed before on this BB. I produced scientific articles published in peer reviewed Fisheries Journals and at the annual Wild Trout Symposium in West Yellowstone that barbless hooks regulations are not needed to preserve tour populations inn a C&R fishery.

 

http://www.flytyingforum.com/index.php?showtopic=75418

 

 

The USA's best rout researcher, Robert Behnke, just passed away. He has written many times on barbless vs barbed hooks and his own research shows from a fish mortality standpoint, there is no advantage of barbless hooks over barbed hooks.

 

http://www.tu.org/blog-posts/dr-trout-rip-robert-behnke-1929-2013

 

http://www.coloradoan.com/viewart/20130917/OBITUARIES/309170304/

 

http://midcurrent.com/podcasts/dr-robert-behnke-a-life-with-trout/

 

From About Trout: The Best of Robert Behnke from Trout Magazine

By Robert J. Behnke, PhD

 

http://tinyurl.com/99p94vz

 

“The fisheries research studies in Yellowstone Park have also helped to dispel some long-established beliefs. Contrary to popular opinion, it is not necessary to restrict catch- and-release fisheries to barb-less flies only. A large proportion of Yellowstone anglers have only casual interest in fishing and are not highly skilled or experienced. Many use large treble hook lures. The trout they catch are frequently left flopping on the bank while a camera is dug out and photos taken. Yet survival of the released trout is exceedingly high (99.7 per cent) based on the 1981 study. Most all detailed comparative studies on hooking mortality have demonstrated no significant differences in mortality between trout caught on single, treble, barbed or barb-less hooks.”

[Steve P 0]

I fish almost nothing but barbless. it has nothing to do with the fish and everything to do with getting a hook out of myself or my friends/family more easily. IV caught and landed fish well in excess of 20lbs on barbless size 6 hooks. I've also dug barbed size 5/0 hooks out of my shoulder. The latter of those two really sucks a big one.

 

Steve

[mojokayak 0]

Usually not

[chasencatcher1329 0]

Aren't barbs meant to hold bait? I only fish single point barbless, whether or not I'm fishing for kings or bluegill. I don't lose a lot of fish and the ones that I do either break my tippet or charge under my yak. I've accidentally lodged a #1 gama worm hook nearly 1/4" into the tip of my index finger and I forgot to pinch the barb (I was opening my Duncan loop knot) and ima tell you what there was no way it was going to come out through my finger nail. It didn't feel great. Anyone who claims BL loses fish needs to take a look at what they are doing wrong. Easy in easy out for everyone. Even my 6 and 8 year old catch fish on the fly on BL hooks,in fact I only allow them to use BL because it requires concentration and we catch and release. If you are going to kill what ever you catch barbs aren't a problem,but in my eyes anyone can catch a fish with barbed hooks.

[mikechell 0]

... but in my eyes anyone can catch a fish with barbed hooks.

Truly ... Laughing out Loud !!!

 

I am not interested in being a "celebrity". I am the epitome of "anyone".

 

And you're correct ... I DO catch a lot of fish.

[josephcsylvia 0]

I fish barbs for saltwater no matter what, work too hard to loose a hard to catch fish. Freshwater I either pinch the barb or use microbarb hooks. I dont eat freshwater fish so its easier to get out a deep hooked fish if its barbless. Just keep your line tight