[Rover]

We'll i searched briefly hopefully this is the first poll on barbed vs. barbless hooks.

It's a very contraversial subject for many, but I wanted to get an accurate measure of hook practices the fly fishers use on this forum.

So what do you do about hooks?


VS.

[Rover]

Don't be afraid to speak up people. Just because someone does something different than you doesn't mean your wrong. No one is going to condemn you for saying you use or don't use barbs.

Personally, i like to pinch the barb when going for smaller trout or panfish. However, when i go for steelhead or larger river fish like catfish or bass, i like to use a barbed hook.

[jimw]

I always pinch down the barbs it makes them alot easier to pull out of the back of my neck. I am not really meat fishing and practice C&R 95% of the time and when i do keep fish it is only enough for a nice dinner for 2 people

[irish greg]

I PERSONALLY Never use barbless hooks for two reasons firstly they penertrate further in a fishes mouth or throat and do more damage.secondaly a barbless hook in my experince will destroy a fishes mouth through movment.i have had fish with near 1 inch tears in the mouth from barbless hooks.never happens with barbed hooks.when the go in they stay in place.

[AnglerJS74]

Well since I've never used a barbless hook or even a pinched down version I would have to say 'barbed', however I voted 'depends on' since I now plan on trying the pinched down version. I do on occasion keep fish to eat but only on an extended camping/fishing trip and even then I'll only keep one for myself per dinner.... releasing the rest. That being the case I plan to make it easier on/less damaging on the fish I catch. I would have started this practice sooner but to be quite honest I had never even heard of using a barbless/pinched hook until I moved to California.

[AnglerJS74]

Originally Posted by irish greg

I PERSONALLY Never use barbless hooks for two reasons firstly they penertrate further in a fishes mouth or throat and do more damage.secondaly a barbless hook in my experince will destroy a fishes mouth through movment.i have had fish with near 1 inch tears in the mouth from barbless hooks.never happens with barbed hooks.when the go in they stay in place.

Now I'm really confused....

[fyshstykr]

I always pinch the barbs or use barbless hooks.

If you keep proper tension on the fish your chances of losing it are small, they do come out so much easier and cause much less damage to the mouth of the fish.

[irish greg]

js74
you are confused a barbless hook can move in a fishes mouth while you are playing it and rehook it self in another part of the mouth.sometimes while moving it tears the mouth of the fish.i probaly have not explained it properly.a lot depends on the species of fish and the softness or hardness of the mouth tissue.but after seeing the damage it can do.if i owned a fishery i would never allow barbless hooks to be used.

[fyshstykr]

I also totally disagree with this theory.

In my opinion you cause more damage to a fish trying to dislodge a barbed hook, it take more force and if you do hook a fish deep your in for a chore more often than not.

[ezamora]

i don't understand, how does a barbed hook not penetrate more (or less) than a barbless hook? and once the fish is hooked, the part in contact with its mouth is the same bend of the hook whether barbed or barbless. with correct tension on the line, the barb shouldn't play a role in "fighting" the fish. if slack occurs and the hok backs out a minute amount, wouldn't the barb cause some bodily damage to the fish?

in my flyfishing over the past 5-6 years, i can't recall anytime a fly has been taken into the throat by a fish. granted, i fish for trout in streams and rivers and most of the time with dries or emergers but have started using nymphs. the dozen or so LM bass i've caught with streamers, nymphs and poppers have all been at the lip of the fish or corner of the mouth.

i generally buy my flies and 98% or so are barbed and i pinch them down with smooth needlenosed pliers as soon as i open the package or container at home. if there's a bit left, i'll use a small file if i can. i once had a large stimulator embed in my right hand with a pinched down barb and the ever so small slightly discernable remnant was enough to cause a problem and had to do minor surgery cutting through my skin with my left hand which cemented for me the need for barbless. and once i hook into a fish, if it comes loose (rarely) good for him or her. i consider that part of the challenge and need for skill on my part.

i've started tying a couple of patterns myself and always go for the barbless version. they're the same price as the barbed version and are so much smoother in releasing. i just don't see the need for barbs in my case.

eric
fresno, ca.