hooks

shakey jake · Nov 28, 2006

i am a barbed hook user as i feel it does less damage to the fish because there is next to no movment unlike barbless which i believe can cause more damage.i know this is an on going debate but i would like your views on the matter.

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA) · Nov 28, 2006

I don't use barbless hooks either, but I often squeeze the barb down a bit if it is too rank.

Tommo! · Nov 29, 2006

I'm the other way. I always use barbless hooks and have never seen this damage caused by them.
I have caught fish with badly damaged mouths on commercial fisheries. I have no proof but assumed this damage to have been caused by barbed hook removal.

Paul H · Nov 29, 2006

Same as Ron unless there is a barbless only policy in effect. Usually this is only on commercials though and I rarely fish those.

Tommo, do the commercials where you've seen damaged mouths have a barbless only rule?

If so I would suggest the damage is caused by barbless hooks and repeated capture. This one reason why I personally avoid commercials in the main, just my preference though and not all commercials fall under this banner.

Ginger · Nov 29, 2006

Must say i agree with Tommo, i never use barbed hooks and can honestly say have never caught a fish that has been damaged by my barbless hook.
I know we`ve had this debate before and that there are some well known and respected anglers on this forum ( Baz not included ) who state that barbless hooks cause more damage than barbed ones but sorry i just can`t see it.

Paul H · Nov 29, 2006

It is a contentious issue Ginger I agree.

I think the opinion of barbless hooks causing damage is based on the evidence available given that no actual research has been done into it.

It appears that mouth damage is most prevalent, I would say without question, on commercial fisheries.

Not all fisheries obviously but when did you last catch a parrot mouthed fish on a river?

Most commercial fisheries, again not all, have a barbless hook only rule, or barbless above a certain size. Most I have visited anyhow.

If what I have stated here is true or is true in general then the evidence available points to barbless hooks or more accurately a combination of the hooks and repeated capture of the fish.

Ginger · Nov 29, 2006

Paul, i agree that most commercials have a barbless hook policy, but how many anglers abide by the rules.
I`m sure that barbed hooks don`t cause damage when used by competent anglers but unfortunately not every angler is concerned with fish welfare.

Paul H · Nov 29, 2006

Also true Ginger.

Again without actual research it is all circumstancial evidence but if there is a barbless rule you would have to assume that the majority would abide by that.

I think in any walk of life the majority of people abide by the laws / rules and as you say a minority don't and don't care either.

If the majority use barbless then the majority of hooked fish are caught on barbless too which in turn suggests that the majority of damage is caused by barbless hooks.

Just to clarify Ginger, I'm not having a go, I'm playing devils advocate although personally I do side with barbed hooks being better.

Tommo! · Nov 29, 2006

I don't think that the hook is doing the damage to the fish in experienced hands.

I agree with Paul in that it is probably due to "repeated capture" possibly on over gunned tackle by inexperienced anglers (huge strikes on a bite no more than twenty yards out with braided mainline can't help).

I rarely fish commercials now because of this reason.

I don't understand the theory that a barbed hook does not move as much.
Surely the hooks will twist the same, up to the barb on a barbed hook and in the case of barbless if the hook has moved this far then it will no longer be in the fish. Maybe I am not getting the point (bad pun).

Emmo (Angling Trust) · Dec 2, 2006

I must admit that I always use barbless and have not noticed any damage the my hook caused.

I did catch a Pike once that had 3 hooks in it as well as mine. They were carp hooks one still had the boilie on!!!

Emmo (Angling Trust) · Dec 2, 2006

Please note that I am NOT having a pop at carp anglers, I fish for them myself at times.

(In fact I'm holding one in the picture).

hooks

shakey jake

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Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA)

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Tommo!

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Paul H

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Ginger

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Paul H

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Ginger

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Paul H

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Tommo!

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Emmo (Angling Trust)

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Emmo (Angling Trust)

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