Barbless fishing

[Feydakin]

So who else is doing this?? I've been fishing barbless, when I get to fish, for a few years now.. I really only fish for sport and only keep a few fish to eat occasionally.. So losing a fish every now and then doesn't bother me much..

A couple of reasons I fish barbless are

1. I think it's easier on the fish.. Especially when they swallow the hook deep.. Makes it a lot easier to turn them loose.. It also helps with toothy fish like Northerns.. It makes release the little guys as easy as just reaching out with the hook pliers and turning your wrist over.. No slimy fish in the bottom of the boat..

2. Hooks in thumbs are now easier to deal with.. I've only sunk a couple of hooks in to my fingers.. And just once since starting to fish barbless.. Barbless is definitely easier to deal with..

Anyway, just wondering how many people are fishing this way now.. I know some places up north where it's actually required.. I also thought it might make for a nice article on my new fishing site..
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[StanWright]

I agree 100%. If you have only one reason for using barbless hooks it's safety. I found that out when my kids were really young. It's a lot easier to remove a barbless hook.

I even bend down the barbs on all my lures. So much easier to release a fish.
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[tailgrabber]

I have been pinching the barbs down on most of my lures with trebles for a few years now. When I'm fishing salt water I'll remove all the trebles and put a single hook on the back with the barb pinched shut. That makes the lure easy to grab when taking off the toothy fish.
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[aku94]

While I am more of a catch and release angler, I only fish with barbless hooks if area regulations prevent using barbed hooks. I have yet to catch a fish where barbs have left excess injury or where they have made it exceptionally difficult to de-hook. Barbless does make reeling them in a little more challenging, but like you said, if you're not relying on it for dinner, it makes for a good excuse why you cam home empty[]
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[flygoddess]

[quote aku94]While I am more of a catch and release angler, I only fish with barbless hooks if area regulations prevent using barbed hooks. I have yet to catch a fish where barbs have left excess injury or where they have made it exceptionally difficult to de-hook. Barbless does make reeling them in a little more challenging, but like you said, if you're not relying on it for dinner, it makes for a good excuse why you cam home empty[][/quote]


I will agree that the hole it makes in a fish is no worse, it is the fact that you don't even need to TOUCH the fish to remove a Barbless hook.
It is the HANDLING that kills them, not the hook.

I ff so I do barbless at all times. I use both, the pre bought barbless, or squish.
In the cases where you tie a dropper off the bend of the hook, the squish barbs are nice in that they DO form a little bump.
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[Dryrod]

[font "Garamond"][#008000][size 4]I concur with FGD. I have been using barbless hooks for many years. Releasing one's catch is quick & easy. While I carry a net can't remember the last time I used it. [/size][/#008000][/font][font "Garamond"][#008000][size 4]Oh yea all the flies I tie are debarbed.[/size][/#008000][/font]
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[Feydakin]

I haven't done any fly fishing yet, but it makes sense that the less you handle certain fish the better it is for them.. I'm always amazed at how some fish can take a lot of abuse and others collapse in what seems like seconds..

I could imagine fishing for Nothern with barbs.. After dropping one in the boat trying to remove a hook and then having to deal with the slime and the flies it attracted the rest of the day, being able to give a little shake at the boat and watch him swim away is pretty cool..

These days I only pick up the ones worthy of pictures..
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[papabear47]

I have been fishing with barbless hooks for forty six years,I filed my hooks of for at least twenty five years and now use a dremel tools as it is much faster at home,the file is used if my dremel is not handy....I do not take the barb off of hooks used with live bait.
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[web-fisherman]

Not me!!! I sharpen them to the fullest. If your fishing deep water, It's actually safer on the fish to boat them after a long fight then to loose it late in the battle.

They have a better chance to survive if you provide the fish ethical catch and release practices like burping.
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[papabear47]

[quote web-fisherman]Not me!!! I sharpen them to the fullest. If your fishing deep water, It's actually safer on the fish to boat them after a long fight then to loose it late in the battle.

They have a better chance to survive if you provide the fish ethical catch and release practices like burping.[/quote]

That may be true if you are fishing for large fish,though a barbed hook will do more damage if the fish takes your lure into its gills or throat,
I seldom hook a fish that takes more than a minute to land,as I prefer to catch bluegills,white bass and crappie.I gave up trophy fishing many years ago.
And I too sharpen my hooks....constantly.
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[Georec]

I have been fishing with barbless for years and really don't lose fish because of the lack of barb. The main reason is the easy removal from my flesh (ears particularly with fly fishing). If ingested deep into the throat the damage of removing a barbed hook can be more severe. Studies have shown that mortality related to barbed hook removal in the lips is negligible compared to fish handling and landing.

Barbless hooks mean quicker release which results in less stress to the fish. It's not the barb itself.

Go barbless - win - win for fish and fisherman !
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