Going Barbless

ChrisN · #1 20-01-2003, 02:38 AM

Who else out there uses barbless hooks? I only use barbless hooks for several reasons.

1. I've seen my younger brother get a hook in the back of the knee(not a good spot) and my dad threaded it through.

2. My hook up rate has increased.

3. It doesn't affect the fish as much.

4. Releasing is much easier and muck quicker.

5. Fish scarcely throw the hook.

Anyway I'd just like to know who else uses barbless hooks.

ChrisN

kevinnugent59 · #2 20-01-2003, 03:35 AM

I started crushing the barbs on my hooks a couple of weeks ago. Until reading these forums I never really took notice of the damage to the fish they do. Now all my hooks are barbless.

Kevin

Ravin · #3 20-01-2003, 03:44 AM

I'm a mixed bag I use barbless on hard bodies & leave the barb on when I'm using softies. I went through a barbless stage on softies but I was dropping a few fish more than normal so I went back to barbs.

cody · #4 20-01-2003, 04:51 AM

Im with you Ravin. I also crush the barbs on soft plastics sometimes just to experiment

Dave W · #5 20-01-2003, 05:04 AM

Barbs crushed on Hards and Barbs 'lowered' on jigs

pete s · #6 20-01-2003, 06:54 AM

always flattened on hards

either 1/2 or all the way on softs

flattened trebles on a hard is much easier to remove than a barbed soft

LakeConjolaFish · #7 20-01-2003, 07:39 AM

I'm starting to flatten mine on HB's because of fish damage and also because of how bloody dangerous they are with kids in the boat.

I've never touched my SP jigs but after reading some posts I'll give it a try.
I just keep thinking though that if the fish makes a good run at it and gets the angle right it will pop straight out. But anyway sounds like experimentation is the order of the day

Bear · #8 20-01-2003, 07:50 AM

I crush the barbs on all my lures. No questions asked.

Richo · #9 23-01-2003, 01:10 AM

Yeah it also adds 10 minutes to rip it out of your arm as well. Time better spent fishing trust me.... And slight debarb on jigs, like the rest.

richo

matt_mad_fisho · #10 11-02-2003, 07:27 AM

Hey every one

i use barbless hooks for all my lure fishing....i just find it much easier to release the fish without harming it and also without harming myself

lol

cheers matt

Evan · #11 11-02-2003, 08:03 AM

hey guys

the barbs on the trebles on the gamas are so small anyway is there any point to de barbing them????- i cant really see how this would affect the hookup rate- then again i cant see how the small barb will stop the hook from coming out

any thoughts????

BTW shouldnt his tread be in some other forum such as jigs rather than in the leader forum?????

Tambo · #12 12-02-2003, 01:36 AM

Barbless here.
But I'm not a competition fisher

Bear · #13 12-02-2003, 02:01 AM

Don't have to be Tambo. In the end it's about the best way to handle the fish as well as yourself.

Ask a few of the poor buggers that have been spiked lately.

chris_lemess · #14 13-02-2003, 09:49 AM

I always fish barbless on my lures but at Walpole I lost about 4 good fish on day 1 in the first few hours. Changed to barbed trebles and started landing fish. I put it down to the hook style - it seemed to be a size and bend shape that was easy to throw... size 14s and 12s were no problem, it was just these sz 10 VMCs that I had on one of my lures...

Main reason I like barbless is for the gulpers... those bream that swallow the lure plus a metre of leader, and pass it right through the system (ie. when it'd be more practical to shove the long nosed pliers up the rear end of the fish not in the mouth!!)

Chris