Do fish really shed barbless hooks?

[Anderoo]

Very good point and I agree with you on the hooks, although I thought that was obvious...But you are right like many anglers who have fished a lot over a long time I too make the mistake of assuming other angler know what to me is obvious and often a standard practice...how easily do regular practices get overlooked, pluming the water is one I do it throughout my swim even when I know the swim exceedingly well because you never know what changes a storm or heavy rainfall upstream can make even the odd sunken shopping trolley or branch, its just something I do regularly and without thinking about it and never consider for a minute that some anglers might not do the same.

 

I am the same with plumbing, etc. Things can change an awful lot down there can't they! On the hooks, I think (and I might be wrong) that most people use very strong hooks as standard now, so if a big fish is hooked on light gear it either involves a long, careful fight or snapped line. I can remember very clearly the first few times I accidentally hooked carp as a kid - a huge surge of power, a straightened hook, and about an hour of shaking!

[Neuvy]

I've only just come back to fishing after a long, long lay off (but I was still an angler inside ) the change of quality in affordable tackle is remarkable as is the great range of tackle available but nowhere more so than with hooks. I decided to start with Kamasan hooks after reading a lot on the 'net and because my eyes are not that great and because of the species I target I haven't used anything smaller than a 16. For the medium size carp I've been catching (up to 25lbs) a size 10, spade end, barbless narrow wire gauge has worked well but I have lost a few when the hook just 'came out' when trying out the heavier metal, eyed carp hooks. The advantage I discovered in using the heavy carp hooks is that I could mount bigger baits more easily with them but generally I prefer the finer wire hooks. If anyone can recommend a slightly longer shanked barbless, spade end, size 10 but made from a relatively thin gauge wire I'd be interested to try them.

 

What a great forum by the way I'm learning loads here. BTW for the first few months of my return to fishing I used a fixed spool reel but wanted to use a centrepin again as I generally did when I was younger. I bought a 'Fred Crouch - Jet' and it is a great reel for my purposes. Compared to a fixed spool reel I would say the centrepin gives more feedback and control when playing a fish and that you really feel in command and in touch with the fish. Next summer I hope to start fishing in the French rivers near where I live so we'll see how it does trotting for Chub but it is easily up to the job of handling heavy fish.

Edited November 1, 2010 by Neuvy