mikechell 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2015 Okay, all you people who are forced to fish barbless waters ... I have a stupid question. Yeah, yeah, I know, there are no stupid questions ... except this one. I will be fishing a stream/river that is barbless only in it's upper reaches ... next Saturday. When I am on the parts that are barbless only ... the wardens check by sticking the hook into a piece of cotton wad. If it comes out with cotton on it, you're busted. I don't have a problem with that. What I do need to know is ... do all the flies on your person have to be barbless? Do they just check the one you have tied on, or does the rule apply to all the flies you have with you? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
troutguy 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2015 I fished a barbless area in Georgia. They said every fly you possessed had to be barbless. Crimping with pliers was fine. I only carried one box of flies because the fine was per fly they caught you with and I had dozens of barbed flies. I de-barbed a box of flies to fish with that day. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kennebec12 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2015 I'm no expert on the subject but usually these matters are considered "prima facie", aka if you have barbed hooks on you then you must be fishing with barbed hooks. Similar to here in Maine where in fly fishing only waters if one had worms with them they would be considered fishing with bait in fly fishing only waters. But like I said I'm no expert, when you buy your license I would ask the agent, unless your getting it at a wal-mart or something, I would assume that an agent like an outfitter would know. Probably best to email or call the states conservation/wildlife department. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tyme Keeper 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2015 Some game wardens will run a piece of tippet across a mashed barb to check and see if it has been flattened completely. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jaydub 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2015 Here, it's the hook attached to your line that matters. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tidewaterfly 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2015 Mike, I'm sure you of all people already know to never assume anything & never take second hand info when it comes to regulations! IMO, you need to make the phone calls & ask the questions of those who enforce the regs where you'll be fishing and follow their procedure to the letter. Heck, get them to email a copy of their reply to you also, and print a copy to have with you just in case! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikechell 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2015 Yes, I am well aware of the "assume" principal, Tide. If I have to debarb everything I take with me ... I am only taking two flies. If I lose both of them, then I'll go to an area that doesn't require barbless. I'll let y'all know if I get a definite answer. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flytire 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2015 i too am no expert but i would say that only the fly/flies that are in/on the water need to be barbless. replace a fly, pinch the barb. continue fishing do you actually know that the warden will be there checking? i havent seen a warden in in 35+ years of fly fishing what are the regulations for the area you will be fishing? abide by the regulations in the area you will be fishing and you should have no problems Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Capt Bob LeMay 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2015 There aren't any "barbless" regulations down here in paradise that I've ever run into (south Florida) but I'm mostly barbless with any gear I use (particularly with any gear -fly, spin, or plug that I hand my anglers). Nothing like a little self interest (and two trips to the docs to have hooks removed from my hide...) to get you going barbless. Funny thing, hooks with the barbs mashed down are much easier to hook a fish with since that "hookset" is only needed to drive the barb into place -with it mashed down it's like greasing a hook - and we lose very fish due to not having barbs on our hooks. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bellevue.chartreuse.trout 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2015 All we can offer is opinion unless someone responds here that lives in the area you will be fishing, and has fished the stretch and KNOWS the regulation. Otherwise, like Tide states "you need to make the phone calls & ask the questions of those who enforce the regs". But you know this already. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phg 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2015 I'm afraid it all depends on the warden. When I was in Yellowstone, a couple of years ago, the warden that checked me was OK with me just pinching the barb on the fly I was using (although I did have to demonstrate that I had the necessary tool with me.) From what I've seen and heard, most are like that, but you can always run into someone who is having a bad day.... I'd do what Troutguy suggested, and just carry a small box of barbless flies with me. If you need another fly, go back to your car, pick out what you want to try, and debarb it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FIN-ITE 34 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2015 Or, you can start to pinch ALL the barbs on your hooks and fish totally barbless. I have been doing this for years with fly sizes from 26 to 6/0 and I have seen no increase in lost fish. An additional benefit to pinching all your barbs is removing a stuck fly in you! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shoebop 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2015 I'm sure you could locate the exact info you need by a web search of the state regs online. But then, what would we have to talk about here? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
artimus001 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2015 show the warden what's on your line. what is in your box is your business. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikechell 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2015 I'm afraid it all depends on the warden. When I was in Yellowstone, a couple of years ago, the warden that checked me was OK with me just pinching the barb on the fly I was using (although I did have to demonstrate that I had the necessary tool with me.) From what I've seen and heard, most are like that, but you can always run into someone who is having a bad day.... I'd do what Troutguy suggested, and just carry a small box of barbless flies with me. If you need another fly, go back to your car, pick out what you want to try, and debarb it. I know this is the truth ... if I am checked, I can only hope it'll be by a friendly officer. The main problem with carrying just a few, is that the places I've been directed to are at least a half mile from the road. Long way to walk just to change a fly. Or, you can start to pinch ALL the barbs ... Never ... EVER ... going to happen. I'm sure you could locate the exact info you need by a web search of the state regs online. Well, that's what prompted the question. Nowhere in the California regulations does it cover if the restriction is for the fly on your line or all the flies or lures in your possession. show the warden what's on your line. what is in your box is your business. Unless, of course, it IS the officer's business based on some law he knows that I can't find. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
