Should long shanked curved hooks be banned ?

[chris monkey]

OK ... What are your thoughts ... I have seen some nasty damage to carp from their use ...

 

 

Any comments?

[Gaffer]

I've been using the Fox series 5 for most of my fishing over the last year or so and I've never seen any damaged caused by them.

 

I have however seen damage from the old style 'bent hooks' some years back.

 

Personally I think that there are too many variables involved to pinpoint the problem (if there is one) with hooks of this type, like the 'playing' technique of the angler, the rig being used, ie, long hair, short hair, sliding ring, 'D'rig, pop-up or a bottom bait, and also how the fish behaves when it has taken the bait.

 

I don't dispute that some people have had problems with them, but I've yet to meet anyone who can give concrete proof (or evidence) that all long-shanked curved hooks will cause problems in a particular/specific setup or situation.

 

So, my answer to your question is no, BUT, as an angler, use them providing you aren't experiencing problems, but stop using them immediately if you do.

 

[ 26 June 2002, 11:35 AM: Message edited by: Gaffer ]

[chris monkey]

Hi Gaffer ... That is sound advice. I remember the damage caused by the bent hooks used years back ... That is why most were withdrawn from sale and fisheries banned their use ... in fact a lot of fisheries still ban their use.

 

I agree that there are a lot of variables involved with this topic ... what about this for food for thought ...

 

An experienced angler knows how to play, land and unhook a carp correctly so will probably get on with these hook patterns fine, however Joe Angler (no disrespect to new anglers here), who fishes day ticket waters, maybe the odd syndicate probably hasn't been fishing for the last 10 years or so.... They are driven by the session pros and the tackle that they use ... As soon as one of these guys says "yea fantastic.... " .. The tackle dealers jump for joy as anglers clear the shelves of these hook patterns ...

 

We can't prove that these hook patterns are damaging the fish ... short of inspecting every carp that is landed on every water (not very practical) and there are more than enough 'it hasn't happened to me anglers about". or should it be said "it hasn't happened to me yet" anglers.

 

Surely we have some duty and responsibility to the Carp that we all love to fish for ... Or don't we care subjecting them to unnecessary dangers?

 

I know this is a bit of a controversial issue …. But I really think it is worth discussing … Come on guys let’s have you views …

[singy]

I've seen more mouth damage recently which IMo has been caused by the use of barbless hooks. This water inparticular has deep margins and the fish would fight up and down the margins, with all the anglers pressure being exerted from above. I believe this caused the hook to turn more bieng barbless and opening up the entry point quite condiderably. I have suggested to the owner (day ticket water) that his barbless hooks only policy should be lifted, but he argues that mouth damage would occur when inexperienced anglers are unhooking fish. So in this case it really is a catch 22 situation. In the hands of an experienced angler barbed hooks in this occasion would be better for the fish, yet would damage the fish in the hands of less experienced anglers.

 

As gaffer has said there are too many variables invloved in the whole hooking, playing, landing, and on bank fish care for a single element to be atributed with causing the damage.

[RobStubbs]

Chris,

My general philosophy is that things should not be banned rather that we as anglers should take responsibility for our actions and stop using anything that causes problems. Unfortunately in the real world it doesn't quite work like that. So I am quite happy for waters to ban certain things - a syndicate I fish has no bent or curved hooks, no braid, no leaders, min 12lb line and probably a couple of others I can't remember. Now I'm quite happy with that and if I wasn't then I would fish elsewhere.

 

Rob.

[chris monkey]

Hi Rob .. I agree with you in the fact that as anglers we should be responsible for our actions and stop using anything that causes the fish problems .... but how many people out there actually do? ... I think that it is a good point to get anglers thinking about their fishing and what they are doing ...

 

I have fished waters even now where anglers still fish with a fixed lead even though they are banned by the fishery and if you happen to see one that has a line break ... I wonder about it ...

 

I was fishing a water just the other day when I saw that an angler got into some trouble with a carp and it went straight into the reeds ... This idiot just cut the line .. nice !!

 

There was no intention to free the fish so it remained snagged up ... I know this for a fact as I went around the lake into his swim and freed the fish myself ... it turned out it was a nice 20lb common ... Considering there were only 4 20's on this particular lake .. not good news ...

 

That's my moan over with

 

Still interested to have the forum members views ...

[Gaffer]

Hi all, Chris, you make some good points, but....

 

chris monkey:

I have fished waters even now where anglers still fish with a fixed lead even though they are banned by the fishery and if you happen to see one that has a line break ... I wonder about it ...

Should we ban leads then?

 

chris monkey:

I was fishing a water just the other day when I saw that an angler got into some trouble with a carp and it went straight into the reeds ... This idiot just cut the line .. nice !!

Should we ban line then?

 

Even using your examples Chris, it goes to show that education is by far a better method than just banning things.

 

Saying that, I still understand your point.

[chris monkey]

Hmmm ... semi fixed lead would be nice ... Lets give the Carp a chance ...

 

I hope you are not reading me wrong here ... I don't want to ban everything ... education would be good ....

 

As for the line ... I think we had better stick with that we wouldn't get very far without it would we

[chris monkey]

just a quickie Gaffer ... would you cut the line if you snagged a fish and you could easily get to it?

 

Of course you wouldn't ...

 

Like you said ... Education

[chris monkey]

Just to clarify a point ... what do the forum members think of long shanked curved hooks ...

 

Have any of you had bad experiences of using them ?

 

I am not saying 'lets ban them' ... lets have some feedback !

 

C'mon ... you know you want 2