Barbless?

[coyoterahn]

That hurt!😡 Been there, done that.

 

[tomgamber]

I hot in the habit of crushing the barb in the vise as I tie them when I lived in Idaho. Watched an officer go through a guy's box one by one fining him for just carrying barbed flies on a barbless stretch. Decided it was easier to just have all barbless. Easier to get out of the brim of my hat after they dry too.

 

[Skook]

Something to think about with the latest generation of European-style barbless hooks. I either read about this concern or watched a video about it. I can't remember where I saw it, though.

Many of these newer hooks are barbless, but they have a wider-than-normal hook gape and a loooong needle-sharp point. Especially in smaller trout like native brookies, this long point can have a tendency to penetrate the fish's jaw deeply enough that it protrudes into the corner of the eye, nostrils, head, etc.

If I was a trout, I think I would prefer a barbed hook in the jaw as as opposed to a barbless hook through the eyeball....

 

[BradFromPotter]

If I was a trout, I think I would prefer a barbed hook in the jaw as as opposed to a barbless hook through the eyeball....

If I were a trout I would not want any hook in my mouth!

Maybe someone should start making the hooks with a bead on the point that I think Partridge made 20 or so years ago.

 

[Bamboozle]

There is nothing to stop someone from cutting off the hook completely if they choose to take an absolutist stance to reduce fish mortality even further...

...however, I doubt there will be any takers. 😉

 

[redietz]

There is nothing to stop someone from cutting off the hook completely if they choose to take an absolutist stance to reduce fish mortality even further...

...however, I doubt there will be any takers. 😉

I've done it.

 

[Bamboozle]

To every fly in your box or to one or two as an experiment in annoying fish. 😉

 

[redietz]

To every fly in your box or to one or two as an experiment in annoying fish. 😉

The latter. I didn't actually cut of the point, I covered it a small piece of twig. I've also knowingly continued to fish with a hook broken off in a snag. In each case I'd already caught enough fish on those days that I was tired of unhooking fish, but wanted to continue enjoying the day outdoors.

 

[Bamboozle]

I knew a guy on another FF message board who fished a lot with "hookless" flies and has actually brought a few really dumb ones to hand.

As a person who lives for the take and gets famously bored of fighting fish more than a minute at most, I have thought about it...

...briefly. 😉

 

[EchoRidgeElder]

I, like redietz, had this happen to me two summers ago. Fishing the spinner fall on a local stream with my youngest son & nephew. Caught several fish, then a snag. Cleared the snag and continued fishing (did not check terminal tackle!). Missed the next three (3) fish in a row. Too dark to continue fishing, we decided to call it quits. Back at the car, as we were breaking down our rigs, my nephew grabs my leader and follows it all the way down to the fly only to comment: "Hey Uncle Steve, when was the last time that you sharpened your hook!" I shined my light on the fly and saw that I had broken the tip of the hook off right past the barb while clearing the snag.
We had a good laugh for the entire ride back to the house! Yes, I should have know better, but we had a fantastic spinner fall that evening and I was trying to get in every cast that I could before I could no longer see my fly!

 

[SBecker]

If I didn't know better, I'd think this was condescending.

That's crazy.

 

[BruceC2C]

I have never fished Barbless Jig Hooks.
Around 2005, I was " introduced" to concept of pinching barbs on all my hooks.

I begrudgingly decided to commit.

With very modest, intermediate skills, i can honestly say I have never felt at a disadvantage due to pinched barbs.

 

[allan_s]

The best jig hooks, quality wise, are going to be barbless IMO.

Barbs on a size 16 hook aren’t going to negatively impact any fish. Unless your theory is to shake them off the hook with a pair of forceps.

The real question is that knowing that beaded nymphs float point up already. What is the point of a jig hook?

 

[PennKev]

The best jig hooks, quality wise, are going to be barbless IMO.

Barbs on a size 16 hook aren’t going to negatively impact any fish. Unless your theory is to shake them off the hook with a pair of forceps.

The real question is that knowing that beaded nymphs float point up already. What is the point of a jig hook?

Conventional hooks seem to ride in a vertical attitude when tight to the end of the tippet, while jigs ride hook point up/horizontal:

Underwater Fly Orientation

 

[allan_s]

Conventional hooks seem to ride in a vertical attitude when tight to the end of the tippet, while jigs ride hook point up/horizontal:

Underwater Fly Orientation

Tim is using a loop knot. If you try this using a more conventional knot they ride the essentially the same. Shank first with hook bend and point downstream at extremely similar angles.

Just something to think about. Jig hooks aren’t a necessity and I don’t see a different rate of snagging bottom fishing them.

 

[nomad_archer]

People still use barbed hooks? I was concerned when I switched many years ago. What I've learned is that my fears were unfounded. It's great to be able to simply slip the hook out of the fishes mouth. I don't remember the the last time I used forceps on a fish.

Bonus for barbless hooks.... When you bury a size 12 hook up to the bend in your thumb it backs right out. I bled like a stuck pig after that.

More of the story switch to barbless.

 

[Bocianka1]

I prefer barbless when given the option, except when fishing with droppers. I find a barbed hook that has been smashed down leaves a little bump that helps keep my dropper from slipping off the hook. Some of those newer barbless hooks are so tapered that your dropper can just slide right off if it gets tugged a certain direction.

 

[redietz]

I prefer barbless when given the option, except when fishing with droppers. I find a barbed hook that has been smashed down leaves a little bump that helps keep my dropper from slipping off the hook. Some of those newer barbless hooks are so tapered that your dropper can just slide right off if it gets tugged a certain direction.

This. If I'm going to fish any sort of New Zealand style setup, I want the top fly to have mashed down barb, rather than be completely barbless. I've lost enough point flies tied behind store bought barbless that I'd rather mash the barb down. Plus, it's cheaper to do that.

 

[nomad_archer]

I prefer barbless when given the option, except when fishing with droppers. I find a barbed hook that has been smashed down leaves a little bump that helps keep my dropper from slipping off the hook. Some of those newer barbless hooks are so tapered that your dropper can just slide right off if it gets tugged a certain direction.

I changed how I rig. I put my dry on a dropper tag. Same as I rig a double nymph rig. Tying off the bend doesn't make sense with a barbless hook.