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Shrek
Guest
Is it generally and widely accepted by fisheries these days that if you flatten the barb on a barbed hook, they will accept it as barbless?
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Bob Watson
Guest
Yes! but check first. Most of my local waters accept flattened barbs.
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Shrek
Guest
Are you answering all my questions today Bob? If so, can I just email you off-forum?
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Richard Drayson
Guest
No Adrian. One of my local waters who use the 'barbless only' rule check hooks be sticking them in a piece of woolly jumper to see if any strands of thread come out when the hook is removed.
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Ashe Hurst
Guest
Alot of waters i fish have a barbless only rule and no crushed barbs.
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Phil Heaton
Guest
I don't see the problem, each time you buy new hooks just buy barbless, in time then most of your hooks will be barbless.
I don't seem to use any barbed hooks these days, the last I used were for holding worms in place, now I use a small square section of silicone, cut from 3 to 6mm diameter tubing, depending on the hook size.
I don't seem to use any barbed hooks these days, the last I used were for holding worms in place, now I use a small square section of silicone, cut from 3 to 6mm diameter tubing, depending on the hook size.
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Ron Clay
Guest
Interesting.
The barbless v barbed hook debate is worth comments. I know a few very well respected anglers who wouldn't use a barbless hook if you paid them.
Barrie Rickards for example beleives that barless hook do more damage to fish than barbed. Des Taylor dosn't use barbless hooks either, unless he has to; and neither do I, although I do prefer hooks with micro barbs and often squeeze down the barb of a hook if it looks too rank.
I beleive that if you know how to take a hook out properly, barbed hooks do very little damage.
The barbless v barbed hook debate is worth comments. I know a few very well respected anglers who wouldn't use a barbless hook if you paid them.
Barrie Rickards for example beleives that barless hook do more damage to fish than barbed. Des Taylor dosn't use barbless hooks either, unless he has to; and neither do I, although I do prefer hooks with micro barbs and often squeeze down the barb of a hook if it looks too rank.
I beleive that if you know how to take a hook out properly, barbed hooks do very little damage.
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Dave Slater
Guest
I have also found that barbless hooks can often cause more damage than barbed hooks as they cut more deeply. They are, however, sometimes easier to remove. I now use barbed hooks with the barb squeezed down on all waters. I think this solution offers the best of both worlds.
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Ron Clay
Guest
You're dead right Dave.
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Sascha Welsch
Guest
Barbless hooks can do more damage. With fish such as perch that gulp a bait down fairly quickly and can often be hooked in the throat area it can be a problem as many of their vital organs are located in this area. A barbless hook that penetrates deeper will stand more chance of causing fatal damage.
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Steve Andrews
Guest
Just to counter all the "barbed hooks are great" debate, I have to say that the number of lipless fish that I encounter now is almost non-existent. 20 years ago most fish on popular waters would be missing at least part, if not all of one lip. This has to be down to the fact that all these waters are barbless only fisheries.
Also I find that then number of fish that die after deep hoking has significantly reduced. This is especially the case with Perch. Any deep hooked Perch would nearly always die, particulary the smaller ones. I very rarley loose a deep hooked Perch now that I use barbless hooks.
Also I find that then number of fish that die after deep hoking has significantly reduced. This is especially the case with Perch. Any deep hooked Perch would nearly always die, particulary the smaller ones. I very rarley loose a deep hooked Perch now that I use barbless hooks.
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Phil Heaton
Guest
Yes Steve you are right, there does seem to be a reduction in the number of mouth damaged fish since barbless hooks have been in use. I also agree with your comments regarding perch, a good disgorger releases deep hooks quickly without any tearing of their flesh.
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Chrisx Ess
Guest
I reckon barbless trebles make it much easier to unhook any pike. Ok, they might penetrate a little more deeply, but they come out far more easily. Small single barbless hooks quite often just fall out of the fish's mouth when in the landing net. Larger hooks though, I use micro barbed. I also flatten needlessly large barbs.
GrahamM
Managing Editor
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I don't think there is one answer to this question of barbless to suit all situations. On commercial fisheries where the fish are caught time and time again, especially in matches where speed is a factor, then barbless is the answer.
Where big fish in snaggy water is concerned then barbed hooks are better.
Generally speaking, I'm with microbarbs and flattened barbs, except on commercial fisheries.
Where big fish in snaggy water is concerned then barbed hooks are better.
Generally speaking, I'm with microbarbs and flattened barbs, except on commercial fisheries.
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Steve Andrews
Guest
Fishing in a snaggy swim I would definitely use barbless. If I were to lose a fish in the snags I would feel far happier in the knowldege that the fish could shed the hook easily. If I were using a barbed hooked I would be worried that it may become tetherd to a snag, or be left trailing a rig around.
A further point - have you evey had a barbed hook sink past the barb into your own skin? Try getting it out. The barbless may go deeper but it comes out first time every time. A size 2 in the palm of my hand required a trip to the hospital to have it removed.
I'm afraid it's barbless every time for me. I cannot see any occasion when I would use a barbed hook other than if I were fishing for the pot and I wanted to make sure I landed the fish.
A further point - have you evey had a barbed hook sink past the barb into your own skin? Try getting it out. The barbless may go deeper but it comes out first time every time. A size 2 in the palm of my hand required a trip to the hospital to have it removed.
I'm afraid it's barbless every time for me. I cannot see any occasion when I would use a barbed hook other than if I were fishing for the pot and I wanted to make sure I landed the fish.
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Sascha Welsch
Guest
Sorry, I can't agree with the less "lipless" fish around nowadays. I took my girlfreind to a commercial fishery last year that was strictly barbless (it was routinely enforced as well) and was appalled at the number of mouth-damaged carp. I think this has more to do with the pole/strong elastic hauling approach and the regular catching of these fish than barbed hooks. It reminded me why I don't fish these waters very often.
Small perch can die,but ask yourself why? Because the vital organs are near the throat. I'm talking about the bigger perch though where the difference between hook size and throat size is on a more even keel, those perch that seem to go back to the water OK but often aren't. Steve Burke (Perchfishers) has campaigned for the use of micro-barbed hooks for perch for many years and I don't know of a more informed man on perch than him.
I have always used semi-barbed trebles for pike. To me, if a hookhold is found on a bony pikes mouth then it will usually stay there be it barbed or otherwise. It is strange how often the only hookpoint still in is the barbed one though. As pike are scary to the unexperienced I feel it is only right to promote semi-barbed trebles to make unhooking easier.
Small perch can die,but ask yourself why? Because the vital organs are near the throat. I'm talking about the bigger perch though where the difference between hook size and throat size is on a more even keel, those perch that seem to go back to the water OK but often aren't. Steve Burke (Perchfishers) has campaigned for the use of micro-barbed hooks for perch for many years and I don't know of a more informed man on perch than him.
I have always used semi-barbed trebles for pike. To me, if a hookhold is found on a bony pikes mouth then it will usually stay there be it barbed or otherwise. It is strange how often the only hookpoint still in is the barbed one though. As pike are scary to the unexperienced I feel it is only right to promote semi-barbed trebles to make unhooking easier.