Going Barbless vs Gambling...is it the same thing?

[KenU]

Mike’s 1% mortality rate difference between barbed and barbless hooks is correct according to the several studies I have read. However, it doesn’t show how many trout are injured to the point they are impaired and disfigured and recover. And that may be significant to their future health and survival. I have caught and released a lot of brooks and browns with one or both missing and healed maxillaries (upper lips). In a few cases where both maxillaries are gone you can see daylight right thru the jaws. This can’t be good for them. They certainly could not retain food as well as healthy fish. Not as important perhaps, but it certainly detracts from their appearance.

 

[Cosmic_Nick]

Baron wrote:
Cos,
Could you please elaborate on "claw style barbless hooks"? new term to me.

Baron the "claw style" have sort of an upward turned point on the hook, from what I understand they have become popular among competition anglers that are required to use barbless hooks because of better retention of fish.

I've included a link below to show you what I mean:
Claw Point

I'm with Afish, hard thing to measure mortality in this situation... I guess Mike did say this was from a metadata analysis so chances are all of the studies could have had different metrics and what not.

Data aside, If you aren't planning to harvest a fish why not try at least to reduce the chances of injuring the fish.

 

[Dave_W]

Cosmic_Nick wrote:
Anyone have anything to add about using claw style barbless hooks? I hear that they can decrease lost fish but haven’t tried them yet.

I use some of these new barbless hooks.
I have not seen any significant evidence that this style holds fish better than a straight point, but I'm still experimenting with this. I have mostly avoided larger size hooks like this since I'm old school and still sharpen hooks with a honing stone and I find the curved points are harder to sharpen.

Baron,
I believe Cosmic_Nick is correct about the term "claw" hook.
I have always referred to this point type as "beaked." The new barbless hooks popular with the Euro crowd usually have this style point and, in addition to being curved, the points tend to be very long and slender.

 

[Baron]

Pretty looking hook. I may hand these out to the divers.

The same divers I pay to put fish on my hooks;-)

I thought that the point curved away from the shank near the hook too.

 

[troutbert]

I think just pinching down the barbs works very well.

Very few fish get off, yet the trout are easily released.

But the key is to really pinch the barb the whole way down.

And it's much better to do this at home, with good lighting and a good pair of pliers. Not trying to pinch the barbs down onstream, with a pair of forceps. That doesn't work well.

When tying, pinch the barb down before putting the hook in the vice. If you buy flies, take a little time to sit down at a table with good lighting, and just pinch down all the barbs.

You should get a good pair of narrow jawed needle nose pliers, of the type used for electronics work. The jaws should be flat, not serrated.

The pliers I use are called Xuron. If you search for "Xuron pliers electronics" you will come up with several models.

You want pliers with flat jaws, not serrated jaws.

For small hooks, you pinch the barbs out at the narrow tip of the pliers.

For larger hooks, you pinch the barbs further back on the jaws, where the steel is thicker, so the jaws are stronger.

I don't do saltwater or musky fishing so don't use really large hooks. If you use really large hooks, you might want to use heavier duty pliers than these, to avoid breaking the pliers.

I'm not sure of the exact model I use, but it's something similar to this:

https://www.amazon.com/Xuron-485FN-Flat-Nose-Plier/dp/B000IBSFM6/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=xuron+pliers+electronics+flat&qid=1593346154&sr=8-4

Maybe others have good suggestions on pliers to use for this job.

 

[Baron]

They are nice pliers. Shorter Moment Arm than most. I see your stressing the smooth them instead of serrated. I was going to suggest Vise Grips for larger hooks but they are serrated. I see the importance of doing this in a more controlled environment. Tried it afield and got poor results.

 

[mcneishm]

I have fished all barbless hooks for many years, I've always pinched them down ahead of time, a whole batch, before I tied flies on the hooks. I fish barbless hooks for salmon and steelhead on the Salmon River too. I do not believe i doin so has contributed much, or at all, the the numbers of fish I've caught/lost there.

 

[Baron]

Do you always pinch them. Does no one grind or file them off. JERRYC showed me some nice hooks and they were smooth as I recall. No hint of a pinch.

 

[Prospector]

I also pinch them down before tying. I buy barbless when available. I’m convinced it has no noticeable impact on lost fish.

I also never fight fish off the reel so that’s a little added attention to keep a tight line.

Also keep in mind that if you are fighting a fish directly upstream that is the easiest way to lose a fish since your tension is trying to pull the hook out of it’s mouth. If you can keep your tension pulling toward the bank then you are generally pressuring your hook in toward the bone our meaty flesh.

There is way more involved in losing fish than barbless hooks.

 

[tomgamber]

I have always bent the barbs down when tying on the advice of someone who knew more than me at the time. I still do.

One day on the south fork of the Boise river I was really glad I did as I watched the IF&G office go through some guys box one fly at a time and fine him for every barbed fly he possessed in a catch and release barbless hooks only area.

 

[afishinado]

Baron wrote:
Do you always pinch them. Does no one grind or file them off. JERRYC showed me some nice hooks and they were smooth as I recall. No hint of a pinch.

You can purchase barbless hooks and not have to pinch down the barbs here.

 

[Baron]

I have really been thankful to have barbless hooks as Bluegill fishing is much more enjoyable to me and easier on the fish. What a difference it has made.

 

[springer1]

I have really been thankful to have barbless hooks as Bluegill fishing is much more enjoyable to me and easier on the fish. What a difference it has made.

Well said !!

 

[BruceC2C]

My introduction to barbless was apprx 12 yrs ago.
Fishing mostly single hook spoons and spinners for salmon and steelhead.
Considering the initially counter intuitive aspect of barbless & how hard you work to connect with those fish, I adopted barbless hooks on " blind faith" encouragement from one of my piscatorial gurus, Bill Herzog.
Quickly, I saw that barbless is 100% effective for my C&R practice....with all species

 

[Blackhackle]

Had used a mixture of barbed and barbless hooks for years. A couple of years ago buried the hook of a #10 wooleybugger in my thumb up to the body of the fly. Could not get it out myself. Took it home and with my wife's assistance got it out. Promptly mashed down the barbs on all my flies and as many have stated mash the barbs down on all my hooks before tying since then. Rarely lose a fish that I can definitely attribute to using a barbless hook. One came this year when a large rainbow jumped and ran quickly about 25 feet directly at my feet. The resulting slack allowed the fish to head shake the fly out. The last day out this season was fishing high, dirty water, high wind, with a couple of split shots. Let one backcast get too low. Split shot whacked me in the back of the head. Fly wrapped around and lodged in my right ear. Obviously could not see it, but felt with my fingers and just backed the barbless fly out. Probably would not have been able to do that with a barbed hook. Barbless hooks are good for the fish and the fisherman.

 

[Baron]

Nice stories. Lightly hooked my Dog today. No barb.

 

[Tigereye]

Pictures above are great testimony of the reason to wear glasses of some sort while fishing. Sun glasses, safety glasses, prescription etc. Protects you from yourself and others.

 

[csoult]

You will loose fish using a barbless hook, but it’s not enough to worry about. You will lose, or miss infinitely more with a dull or broken hook. Check it more often than you think you should.

 

[Baron]

Yeah I just bought a hook sharpener but am having a hard time remembering to use it.

 

[Baron]

I’ve been trying to switch over to barbless hooks but I don’t yet have pliers or hemostats heaven enough to do an accurate and thorough job of crimping the Barb. One thing I do have is Jewelers diamond files And have been filing the barbs off when I install a new hook into the vice. I’ve wondered if this will cause corrosion once the hooks are wetted, used and put away.