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mikechell

Just how "barbless" do I need to be???

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Finally got an official answer today:


"Hello Mr. Chell:

The regulation requires that you only USE barbless hooks. So, only the fly you have in the water needs to be barbless. Thanks for asking.

(They probably don't care, but ... name deleted)


CA Department of Fish & Wildlife

Law Enforcement Division

(916) 717-9064"


So, now I can go and fish without ruining all of my flies ... just the ones I actually tie on.

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Well when you really want to 'know' .... gotta go straight to the horse's mouth... don't we? lol Nice Mike!

 

Glad it's only the flies you actually fish with - for your sake!

 

I've actually gone to pinching down on the spot. I know ... I know, I stand a chance of breaking a hook but.... don't know if I'm just getting lazy pinching them down at the vice or if I'd like to have a 'barb' now n then.

 

<shrugs>

 

BCT

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Mike,

 

Just out of curiosity why are you so anti-barbless or pro-barb how ever you choose to look at it?

 

I often fish with the barb crimped especially with bigger hooks (I do sometimes forget) and notice no noticeable difference in number of hook-ups or lost fish.

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I've only had to fish barbless a couple of times. I don't know if I lost fish because of that, or what, but I do know I lost a lot of hits.

 

Of course, I know losing fish in part of "fishing" ... it's why it is not called "catching". But if that barb helps me get that one big fish picture, then it was worth it. I KNOW the bass in my latest "fish pictures" post was boated because I had a barbed hook. It came up and shook too many times. It was hooked so delicately in the upper lip that the hook fell out as I lipped it. I am SURE it would have shaken off it I'd had a barbless hook.

I also don't have much problems dislodging hooks from the fish I catch, so I don't see the need to go barbless.

 

Maybe it's just the "cantankerous old man" coming out ... I just like my barbs.

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from the fishing regs for ONT...

 

– Conservation officers enforce fisheries regulations in the Province of Ontario. They have powers of inspection, arrest, search and seizure under the various statutes they enforce,including the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and the Fisheries Act.
When carrying out their duties, conservation officers may:
• Search without a warrant in circumstances requiring immediate action

Actually CA game wardens may search you, your vehicle and land without a warrant.

According to Art's post ... they can in Canada, too.

 

i disagree. the definition of immediate action is if there is a concern that evidence (fish or game) might be destroyed before a search warrant could be issued. going thru my pockets doesn't qualify.

 

as far as the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and the Fisheries Act goes; that's just in addition to all the other laws that CO's enforce (highway traffic act, criminal code, etc). my rights are protected with all LEO's, except boarder guards.

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Okay ... I know I've gone through this before. I hate California. Before it was with trips to the Delta area and no bass to be found. This time it's the Stanislaus River, Sacramento Pike and probably some trout looking at and flashing by my flies all day long. Nothing taking a hook, though. I moved three different times, trying a different section of the river each time. In all places, I could see fish, I could see them checking out my offerings ... and I watched them swipe at them without taking anything.

I even tried fishing with 6X tippet (which is a bitch to see) and got the same response.

And then, to top it all off, the river tripped me, getting my phone and my camera wet.

 

Of course, I'll try again tomorrow, probably, but now I won't be able to call for help if I get in trouble. Maybe that's the river's plan.

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I don't use barbless, but not because of missed fish. It's easier, not having to crush down every fly I use, and it is better for the fish in certain circumstances. For carp (doubt it applies for many other species), with their soft mouth, a barbless hook wobbles around during the fight making a much bigger hole than a barbed hook. Micro-barbs are where it's at!

 

Good luck tomorrow by the way Mike!

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Carpflyguy,

 

Why would a barbless hook or a hook with a crushed barb make a bigger hole? That just plain doesn't make sense to me. If all other things are equal (i.e. diameter of wire, ect...) what would be the difference?

 

Re-phrase: Why would a barbed hook wobble less than a barbless one. Dont you think that removing the hook with a barb would cause more damage to the fish than the expansion due to fighting?

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Oh, that reminds me ... I found another reason I like barbs better than none. As I was walking from fishing spot to fishing spot, every time my rod would flex a little, the fly came off the keeper. I had to stop and rehook it to the rod so many times I lost count. A couple of times, I had tied on one with the barb still intact ... and waited until I got to my fishing spot to mash the barb ... no flipped off flies.

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hook keepers are for bait dunkers. a true fly angler hooks their fly on the bottom eye, and wrap the leader around the reel, lol.

 

i hope you had better luck today ;)

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I second what artimus001 says. I do this so I dont have to pull the nail knot and possibly, depending on the rod, a loop though the first guide.

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hook keepers are for bait dunkers. a true fly angler hooks their fly on the bottom eye, and wrap the leader around the reel, lol.

 

i hope you had better luck today wink.png

Actually, that's what I do ... but I didn't want to write all that out when I posted. I am not telling stories, though. Every jump I made, or anything else that made the rod wiggle, popped the fly off the eye and it fell to the ground. Stop, hook it back up, walk another 10 steps or so and hop another rock ... off it went again.

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Not trying to get ... um.. too... personal here Mike but.... is your...errr.. rod... that limp? (hehee)

 

I've not had that happen when walking to and from spots. If I have the line tightened (reeled) back in without slack, then I haven't had the fly come off the hook keeper unless I got snagged on a bush ...errr.. or something.

 

I could understand if a fly rod was so flexible that the phenomenon could happen that you describe though.

 

(sighs)....apologies to innuendo

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what i find odd, is that my leader will seat into the flyline, holding the upper section of the leader taut.

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