Buying Barbless Flies, a political movement.

[JoJer]

I think what Noiso is saying is that if barbless flys were more available, even offered next to the same flys with barbs, it's a way to educate folks about catch and release when they ask "Why are these barbless?"
If both were available on the same rack and the barbless sold out first, you might move some of that economic force toward change. Getting the retailer to carry more overhead in the form of twice as many flies could be an understandable problem.
Perhaps a way to start the movement with a small step would be for those of us who buy flys to make a point of asking for flys ties on barbless hooks. If a retailer knew there was a market, he'd ask his suppliers. Etc, etc.
A side note: the last package of barbless hooks I bought to tie on were actually cheaper than the barbed version.

And a totally unrelated side note: If you ever get a chance, notice Slim Pickens riding a horse in the movies. It's amazing! Like he's glued on.

[Bigfly]

Noiso, go for it, tying is a hoot. Catch a fish on a fly you tyed, and you'll be done!
The fish get used to store bought stuff here, so it can really help.
Maybe learn a simple Hopper pattern and then morph it into other bugs too.(Skwallas, Ants, Stones etc.) Check out Andy Burk on Utube for some ideas.
Give me a shout if you come up to fish the Truckee, I'll give you a local pattern or two.
When I tye, the first move is to pinch the barb in the vice jaws.
When I fish, or when I guide, I pinch the barb.
In large part to protect the fish, but also to save a trip to the hospital or some fun field surgery. I've been hooked many times on my own and by clients too. Working in a shop we see people "hooked up" come in the door often. Besides errant casts, a dog running by and snagging the line while you hold the fly is a popular method of impalement. Another is hand landing a fish with a dropper fly trailing.
Pinch the barbs carefully to avoid fracturing the wire. High carbon steel doesn't flex far before breaking.
Had a chat with the Truckee Warden, he loved my smooth jaw pliers, the toothed jaws don't do the job. Asked him about cotton balls. He called BS on the story.
He did check my client and I twice in one day though. My past record, was twice in a year.
We have had so little enforcement in years past, it's nice to have more teeth out there.
The warden also explained that fish and game get a small part of the fine, State, County and local courts get the big share. A friend just payed a "reduced fine" of 250.00 for a barbed hook, just imagine, no license or using bait in "special waters". Ouch


Slim Pickens stuck to "The Bomb" too!! Yeehaa!

[Fly2Fish]

Bigfly's right - once you've had to have a barbed hook removed from someplace you'd rather not , you'll become a barbless hook fan for life. Lot easier backing a barbless hook out than having to run the barbed hook all the way through (pick the body part ) and then cutting off the barb and point.

Aside from being easier to remove from the fish, I've found that a barbless fly, even a pinched-down one, makes a quicker hook set since it doesn't have the penetration resistance that a barb provides. And if you keep proper tension on your line as you play the fish, I've found that no more get off than with a barbed fly. Frankly, the only disadvantage I've seen to barbless flies is that when you tie a dropper to their hook bend, they tend to slip off easier than on a barbed hook. But then, I've switched to tying droppers off the point fly's eye anyway as enhancing the likelihood of hooking a fish on the point fly without the interference of the dropper's tippit being tied off the point fly's hook bend.

[JoJer]

+1 When I tye, the first move is to pinch the barb in the vice jaws

I've never hooked myself or a bystander (knock wood) but there's a first time for everything.
Early on, casting weighted flies with that horrible Shakespeare composite rod and hearing them ZING past my ear made me a believer in barbless.

[Teamanglerx]

Since I do believe most fly fishermen are catch and release (except for a few for a dinner pan here and there) someone who sold flies that were barbless would probaly be very popular. Where I fish in Iowa many of the trophy streams are catch and release only. I know my fishing partner and myself both pinch down barbs on all our flies. I think that it is the right thing to do. If I could get all my flies barbless (and I would be even willing to pay a little more) I would definately purchase them.