holding trout by the lip while they are still in the water.

[SBecker]

It is fishing. I guess we all shouldn't use hooks now either. Make sure you break your hooks at the bend. All about the take. Come on guys no more barbless hooks!

Go hug a gosh darn tree.

 

[Night_Stalker]

Tonight I was just happy see fish follow and nip at my streamer…it is tough too get a photo though…but none of that fish stank on my fingers.

Thanks guys for the Epiphany!!!
Will continue to fish but without hooks...

 

[afishinado]

BrookieChaser wrote:
As far as barbed hooks, Dr. Behnke found a direct correlation between barbless hooks and fish kill. There was a difference, a very small difference, but a difference nonetheless. The barbless hooks killed more fish from increased penetration due to the steeper angle of the point on a barbless hook.

On holding the fish upside down, I've wondered what it does to the skeletal structure (mainly vertebrae) and internal organs.

^Certainly not the final word. Here is a compilation of studies dealing barbless hooks and exposure to air vs keeping the fish in the water.

-Quicky C &R
-Keep the fish in the water as much as possible
-Handle fish gently
-Do not C&R fish fish for trout in high temps near the limit of their tolerance
-Pinch down your barbs for quicker hook release

 

[FarmerDave]

BrookieChaser, I have it on good authority that fish do not get or want chiropractic treatment after being caught and released.

If you guys are that worried about hurting a couple fishies, why are you fishing?

Yea, yea, yea, we should be careful, but fishing is still a blood sport.

We all should be required to eat a trout dinner at least once a year for no other reason than as a reality check.

 

[BrookieChaser]

First off, I understand fully that fishing is a blood sport. I'm fine with that. I'm interested in doing everything in my control, within reason, to ensure the fish I release survive. I'm a conservationist, not an environmentalist. That means wise use of resources, not a ban on use of resources.

Becker, meh, it's not worth my time. Obviously, when your mother told you that you were special you took it hook, line, and sinker. Or should I say, nymph, bobber, and 14' leader?

Afish, I understand what you're saying and agree with it. What I'm saying, from my own experience backing up Behnke's work that I read, is that the hook penetration during a fight is something I can't control. I can control how I remove a barbed hook and how I handle the fish in my hand.

FarmerDave, I don't want to put more money into the hands of fish chiropractors.
I ate a trout dinner this year. I also kept a fair amout of fish for others that wanted trout. That don't mean that, while I'm playing trout Hitler, I don't want to make sure the fish I choose to survive have the best chance at survival.

You know from an engineering background, if a structure is designed and oriented a certain way, and stays that way (not to mention supported by water in the case of fish) in said orientation it settles into that state. Then you turn it upside down, usually supporting it at one point in the middle, you can't gaurantee it holds up because it's out of its normal operating tolerance. I was only curious if anything had been studied.

 

[FarmerDave]

WELL, OK THEN! :lol:

All in fun.

 

[PennypackFlyer]

If need be, hold the trout facing upstream until it has the energy to get away. Than let it go.

 

[SBecker]

BrookieChaser wrote:

Becker, meh, it's not worth my time. Obviously, when your mother told you that you were special you took it hook, line, and sinker. Or should I say, nymph, bobber, and 14' leader?

Hmm you might want to read the forum rules before you personally attack someone. Have a good day.

 

[somersetian]

I agree with Brookiechaser. I eat trout about once a year but the ones I don't shouldn't just die a day later. Its gotten a bit off topic, I'm just gonna go fish.

 

[BrookieChaser]

SBecker wrote:
It is fishing. I guess we all shouldn't use hooks now either. Make sure you break your hooks at the bend. All about the take. Come on guys no more barbless hooks!

Go hug a gosh darn tree.

This wasn't an attack on me? Where were the rules when you wrote this post?

 

[Maurice]

Chaz wrote:
Fish sufficate when held upsidedown, it would be better to use a net to hold the fish in the water when removing the hook. Make sure to crush the barbs.

So if you were going to accost a stranger in an alley and they wouldn't cooperate, Would you hold your hand over their mouth and suffocate them a little or just let them struggle to death?

Silly rabbit.

 

[SBecker]

BrookieChaser wrote:

SBecker wrote:
It is fishing. I guess we all shouldn't use hooks now either. Make sure you break your hooks at the bend. All about the take. Come on guys no more barbless hooks!

Go hug a gosh darn tree.

This wasn't an attack on me? Where were the rules when you wrote this post?

Did I mention you by name? It was a generalized comment geared to anybody that freaks out about sticking a fish with a hook. No barbed. No barbless...only thing to do is break off the hook point and watch or feel the take without hurting a fish.

You on the other hand personalized it. I can't help that you feel it was directed to you. My Jesus comment was not even directed at you. You just took it that way. Can't help that.

 

[BrookieChaser]

Becker, don't back peddle and try to hide behind red tape. I was the only one that mentioned the barbless hook research in this thread at the time of your post. I read it exactly how it was intended.

I did mention you by name, I'll take credit for my comments instead of yelling them from the back of a crowded room.

 

[SBecker]

O there is no back peddaling. Go back and read. I said Jesus....you then made mention of me. I then made a generalized comment about hooks. Can't help you get bent out of shape easily joking about brook trout and touching fish.

Lock it Turkey.

 

[BrookieChaser]

Well, I posted "I wouldn't expect you to understand". Since we're playing lawyer, did I say your name? I didn't make mention of you until after your second post (the barbless hook post).

 

[Dale49]

Well, another urination contest.

Barbed, barbless hook, difference of opinions, studies that say one is better than the others.

I respect each posters opinions as to the type of hooks used.

I use barbless now. Why, well, these are my opinions based on my experiences.

Much of my fishing is with small flies, size 20 and smaller. Unless I tie with a wide gap hook, I open the gap on the vice. I find that I can remove a smaller fly barbless hook from a hooked fish much quicker than a barbed one.

I also find from my experience that I can "quick" release a fish with barbless hooks - kind of shake it off. I mainly fish wild trout streams. My thing when I fly fish is not so how many fish I bring to hand or net but how many fish I fool when they take my fly - I fooled your arse. if there are "quick" releases, so be it, if I bring to had/net so be it. Mine is not a numbers games but more, how many fish can I fool in taking my fly.

Lastly, if I do bring to hand or net a fish, I have found that a barbless hook embedded in my hand is much easier to remove than a barbed type. The majority of times I use a tandem rig. Fish flop around in a net as well as if I bring to hand. I have had some bad experiences with a barbed hook embedded in my hands, barbless - a little blood, quickly removed and back to fishing.

Just my 2 cents.

Dale

 

[foxtrapper1972]

Small fish are easy to release...sometimes just grab the fly. Big ones have bigger teeth. I would not grab the mouth. I like using a net to control them in the water and remove fly with forceps.Keep fish in water as much as possible. (Keep dipping it every few seconds.) I try to gently cradle the head and cover the eyes with one hand and grasp the area in front of the tail. They usually become calm. Lift the fish out of the water and uncover the eyes/head for the picture and and then let it go. You do not want to GRAB the fish hard in the soft area behind the gills because you will damage internal organs. In my view if you are going to practice catch and release you should do your best to help the fish survive. I'm aware of the barbless hook study/ debate but I still often pinch them down. I had some hooks with micro barbs and I liked them.

 

[lestrout]

Back to the OP, since wild browns over 12" and fresh stickies over 16" have big enough teeth to draw blood, I use a rubber thumb stall to protect my thumb when I lip them. You can get these things, meant for secretaries and file clerks who might get paper cuts, at the Staples or Office Depot type stores. I try not to lift the trouts out of the water when doing the unhooking.

Also in the interest of self protection, I make my hooks barbless. That also helps hook sets and increases my catch rate. As to the good DrB's study, I believe the faster releases with barbless does improve survival rates, plus the small diameter hole reduces tissue damage. My buds who fish big (#4 and up) hooks in the Rockies believe larger hooks can hurt or even kill smaller trout when the hook penetrates their brain and nerve tissues, when the hooks penetrates their upper mouths.

 

[FarmerDave]

SBecker wrote:

BrookieChaser wrote:

Becker, meh, it's not worth my time. Obviously, when your mother told you that you were special you took it hook, line, and sinker. Or should I say, nymph, bobber, and 14' leader?

Hmm you might want to read the forum rules before you personally attack someone. Have a good day.

But Becker, you are "special."

Besides, which part of that did you think was an attack. The bobber, or the 14' leader?

P.S. your cat is ugly.

 

[carl]

barbless hooks and a Ketchum Release work well for most fish. They never leave the water. OK the smaller ones leave the water a bit, but it's a great system when fishing size 10 or smaller flies. The Ketchum release doesn't fit over my streamers.