Why barbless?

[gjcordray]

First of all, I crimp down all barbs on flies larger than an 18. I believe in protecting fish as much as possible while still bring them to the net as often as possible. (I also use a ghost net for the same reason.)

It seems to me that until fly tying companies and local fly shops start tying all their flies on barbless hooks (or the majority, or at least a good sampling), the movement will not take hold. It seems like a mixed message to encourage amateur fishermen to hold themselves to a certain ethical standard when it is the large companies and local shops that set the standard in the first place. Plus, I can't even find a good assortment of barbless hooks locally, and Colorado has a fly shop around every corner. On the other hand, felt soles are being slowly phased out for similar philosophical reasons. That industry has taken a stand on an important environmental issue and forced the consumer's hand. Non-lead weight is available all over the place.

Anybody know why the "industry" doesn't make this more of a focus, other than the almight dollar? Until they do, I have a hard time criticizing anglers who use barbed hooks.

 

[Ard]

I believe it is a demand market. Although some fly fishermen may prefer barbless hooks the manufactures are probably looking at the broader market for hook manufacturing and sales. I would expect that until such time that there were a well organized boycott of all barbed hook sales there will be no sweeping changes to the hook selection at the local shops.

On another note, for dry fly fishing I do either buy or make barbless hooks but not always. To me the advantage of a barbless hook has always been to reduce mortality on those fish that manage to get hooked all the way back at the gill raker's. I almost always left the barb on my streamers, I'm not sure why.

 

[jaybo41]

Interesting post on a thought provoking topic. I hadn't even considered how felt soles are being phased out but that barbed hooks are still in out there in the masses. I only know of one fly shop that I have been in that offers flies tied on barbless hooks. Even at that, the selection of which ones are barbless is minimal.

Maybe it's a one of those things in life that require us to walk before we run? I think overall, there's still a long way to go with Catch and Release, and improving the habitats of fishing--at least here in PA anyway. WI does an outstanding job managing their fisherie, I'm sure there are other states as well but that's one that sticks out to me based on first hand experiences there.

Back to barbless hooks, I will buy barbless if I see a size and specific hook style I'm looking for. If not, I just pinch the barb down and go from there.

 

[Ard]

When I was younger The only barbless hook offered was from Mustad and they were size 16. I tied almost everything on 16's.

 

[monkeyboy]

i'm with you mister Cordray,
any measure that protects the fish is an absolute

without fish you only have hours and hours of casting practice.
it never occurred to me to put pressure on the hook guys , we, me and my fishing pals atumaticlly mashed the barbs down

looks like the hook companies could easily skip the step of barbing hooks
all good
keep up the good work''

buzz

 

[Jimmie]

It has always been my understanding that barbs were no more than to help hold bait on a hook. Why are they even there on fly hooks? I want to get fish unhooked as quickly as possible. Hard to do with a barb. Plus I don't ever want to worry about crossing lines into a barbless area (heavy fine). I tie barbless or pinch them all at the vice.

 

[RayMO]

It is easy enough to smash (is that a word, i guess?) the barbs and I think I am going to do this most of the time from now on. I was out with a guide several weeks back and ask if the barb really makes much difference, he said in his opinon he could tell no difference with regard to landing fish, we then proceeded to smash the barbs on the flies I used for the rest of the day. I could not tell any difference.

A couple of weeks ago I caugh a very small bow maybe 2 inches and I know the barb was very hard on him, to me that is enough of a reason to remove them.

 

[Joni]

I have read and heard several posts regarding this subject. They clearly state that they both leave holes in the fish and that Barbless DOES do as much damage.

Google search and you will see this.

My thought is, the faster you can get the hook out and the fish back on it;s way, the better and that is where BARBLESS rule. That and those non rubberized nets...ARGH!

I hear the Bait fishermen freaking out over the lead issue and I am sure, they would freak out more if they couldn't have that little keep on the hook tip.

I agree, as for fly fishing, not needed, but I do like the perk of squishing the barb and that nice little bump for a dropper in the river.

I do try to squish mine before tying as I have broke hooks when doing it.

 

[MoscaPescador]

I believe it is a demand market. Although some fly fishermen may prefer barbless hooks the manufactures are probably looking at the broader market for hook manufacturing and sales. I would expect that until such time that there were a well organized boycott of all barbed hook sales there will be no sweeping changes to the hook selection at the local shops.

Ard hit the nail on the head.

MP

 

[wt bash]

Not only is it better on the fish to a degree its also easier on the fly! Nothing gets my goat more than mashing a hackle trying to dig a barbed hook out. Not to mention put one in your own skin on a bad cast and you'll be wishing you had pinched the barb! As far as industry goes in regards to felt vrs rubber in comparison its alot easier to pinch a barb than replace felt.

 

[BigCliff]

Other points:

• Barbless hooks come out of human skin and clothing easier.
  
• Barbless hooks are generally stronger, as barbs are commonly made via turning up a portion of the hook wire. This creates a weak point.
  
• Barbless hooks penetrate better. There's a reason a bayonet doesn't have barbs.

I think the first fly mfg that establishes themselves as "the barbless fly company" will be rewarded with a financial pleasure.

 

[ssjchar]

I hate getting barbed flies out of...well... anything. I often hook flies to my shirt if i'm swapping and every so often i get a fly that isn't pinched down. Boy does that ever suck having to work a fly out of a sleeve, but its even worse on nets. My net is a rubber net, but it has a ruled part that is not rubberized. I hooked the stitching part of it and it was hell to get off.

 

[webrx]

I mash every fly I tie, but I do occasionally buy a fly from a local shop (the grizzly store at Davis, the Reno Fly shop, and yes, Cabelas). When I went fishing with Bigfly, I had to borrow some smooth face forceps because mine were on my tying bench and we were fishing a "barbless only" area. Man, I would hate to get fined for not having barbless there!. In any case, I have moved my smooth pliers back to my day bag, and purchased another pair of needle nose for the desk.

I can tell you that my experience is the barb does not make that much difference in landing fish, heck, we lost a bunch (I think between FishHerman and I we hooked 7 or 8 each and only landed one each) last weekend and when I looked at the hook, bought at the grizzley store, it still had a barb on it, so this did not stop the fish from getting off the hook. I do know from personal experience however, that a barbless hook comes out of an arm, finger, or shirt much easier then a barbed one does.

d

 

[ant]

I'm going to take an "educated" guess and say that it might have to do with how the hook is manufactured. They already have all of the equipment to make barbed hooks. If a company that makes barbed hooks would want to go and make barbless, they might need to purchase new equipment to mass produce those hooks.

With the market for them so small (mainly because there are none available) these manufactures may not see any financial incentive to invest the capital to get the equipment to produce barbless hooks in any great quantity.

Maybe if we as fisherman start contacting these companies requesting barbless hooks they will see the profits that they are missing and see the incentive to produce more.

 

[Rip Tide]

That's a good guess
I believe that the barb is used to help grip the hook during the sharpening process

 

[jaybo41]

Ant, you might be onto something there. Come to think of it, when I have seen barbless hooks in a fly shop or online, the cost tends to be a little above the cost of the same size, same quantity of a barbed hook.

Hmmm.

 

[milt spawn]

There are barbless hooks available thru Fly Tying Specialties. I believe they are imported and probably not cheap. milt.

 

[153peterjang]

Barbless Double is? (This picture was not heat treated and plated yet !)

BARBLESS DOUBLE LONG needles is a product by our automatic producing machine.(It is barbless goods in k-12011, and item no. is k-12021 #1/0 SIZE.)

When we manufactured a fish hook, barb play a jig role to hold when it is banding.
It is difficult to bend without barb, and then the point of fish hook gets dull.

Making of BABBLESS HOOK is realistically getting difficult.
The only BARBALESS HOOK can be sharp like a point of fish hook by automatic producing machine.
These goods can be produced amount of 20000 per a machine for a day.

You can see our automatic machine if you come to Korea some time or other.
This machine is produced in secret without revealing anywhere in the world.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2sFgI8sQi0&feature=feedfbc"]YouTube - ‪Barbless Double‬‏[/ame]

---------- Post added at 04:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:03 PM ----------

Barbless Double is? (This picture was not heat treated and plated yet !)

BARBLESS DOUBLE LONG needles is a product by our automatic producing machine.(It is barbless goods in k-12011, and item no. is k-12021 #1/0 SIZE.)

When we manufactured a fish hook, barb play a jig role to hold when it is banding.
It is difficult to bend without barb, and then the point of fish hook gets dull.

Making of BABBLESS HOOK is realistically getting difficult.
The only BARBALESS HOOK can be sharp like a point of fish hook by automatic producing machine.
These goods can be produced amount of 20000 per a machine for a day.

You can see our automatic machine if you come to Korea some time or other.
This machine is produced in secret without revealing anywhere in the world.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2sFgI8sQi0&feature=feedfbc"]YouTube - ‪Barbless Double‬‏[/ame]

 

[littledavid123]

153peterjang

Thanks for the information, wish I needed to go to korea as I would love to watch the hooks being made.

Dave

 

[greatcanadian]

There are some interesting points here about barbless hooks. Some I agree with, others that I strongly disagree with. One post stated that barbless hooks cause just as much damage as barbs. This is so untrue. It's when removing the hook that the barb does the most damage. Especially to small fish where the bone/flesh structure is softer. Barbless hooks practically fall out. Barbed hooks snag just as if they were caught in your clothing. Where I live we fish for Atlantic Salmon. Barbless hooks are required BY LAW. There is a reason for this. Barbless hooks cause much less damage to fish that are to be released.