Hooks

Just out of curiosity what are everyones views on the barbed and barbless hook debate. Is 1 better than the other or do you use both. Obviously different venues have different rules but are they always the wisest???????

By the way rich halliday is now known as the crazy carper !!!!!!

Crazy carper,What do you use,what is your view and why?
I have allway`s been happy about useing barbed and have used them whenever I could get away with it .
If I couldn`t get away with barbed I would sqash the barb down with plyer`s which meant that I still had a micro barb.
But I feel that a lot of damage caused by "barbless" hook`s is infact caused by the misuse of braid in the wrong hand`s I.E. being used the same as mono,to heavy strike,heavy handed in snag`s,I cannot prove this,and at the moment I don`t use braid,so this is just a idea of mine after seeing some of the carp on the water`s I fish.
They are very badly scarred too much to my mind for a hook.
What do you think.?

i'm the oposite to les, i use barbless most of the time... i'm trying to get my head round this "mouth damage" issue and i dont agree with it.

I would echo Les's sentients about braid though, you have to be careful with the stuff, it's a great tool... but deadly in the wrong hands.

One thing i woould say is that every time i tie a rig i take a good look at it, and try to make sure that every eventuality is catered for, this not only increases confidence, but also makes you think a little about "rig mechanics" too

Well gents firstly i totally agree about Braid, ive seen people using it that should not. There far to inexperienced and dont really take fish wellfare into consideration. Obviously its gr8 for markers and spodding but unless you've been fishing for a few years, leave it well alone. Secondly i always use barbed hooks, even on waters where there band. Ive never been asked to real in and have my hooks checked, but the day some one does ill stand there and argue why im using them, and if they dont like it ill leave never to return. I have seen first hand the damage they cause to the fishes mouth especialy on day ticket, comercial waters like linear fisheries which is now owened by Richworth in oxfordshire.