mouth, money and barbless hooks

[Dick Dastardly]

Barbless v Barbed.

I too have been fishing for over 35 years.For most of that time on a very regular basis ie more than 5 times a week.As with any opinion I express the following is based on pure long term observation of facts,not theories or what other people have said or told me.I have found that for general fishing with small hooks ie 10-26 barbless hooks are superb.They are better for hooking and unhooking.In the larger sizes that I would normally use for Carp ie 8-2 I have found that although barbless hooks are undoubtedly easier to remove they have often caused damage due to moving around during the fight.This damage usually takes the form of a large hole as opposed to a cut or rip.Therefore for these sizes I feel that barbed is better.Not much point in being able to get the hook out easily if the damage has allready been done is there? Now with treble hooks that I use for both Pike and Zander fishing I find that semi barbless (one barbed point and two barbless) in size 6 to be great.Much easier setting of the hook,but due to the relitively small point length, no damage and of course far easier removal.Incidently I have seen a lot of problems with badly crushed barbs,much better to remove them totaly.Another area is the use of large singles 1/0-8/0 on Spinnerbaits for Pike or baitfishing for Catfish.Due to the length of the point they can penetrate through the roof of the mouth and consequently blind or kill fish.A difficult one this.I tend to use the much frowned (?) on stinger hook system in the case of the spinnerbaits and just accept that unfortunately a small cat can pick up a bait intended for larger ones.In both cases I use barbed.In a recent thread on this subject(brought about by RMA banning barbless hooks}Leon said that both are tools that anglers should be allowed to use in the appropriate situations.I totally agree.Lets educate rather than just ban.

 

[ 01. October 2003, 06:22 PM: Message edited by: BUDGIE ]

[Rob Ward]

Budgie - absolutely spot on in my experience as well. I agree with you 100%!

[Newt]

manse - imagine the shape of a barbed hook with the point and the barb that will dig in as well - making a slightly larger tear/cut/whatever for itself.

 

When you remove the hook, apply pressure against the hook in a direction away from the barb while removing it. This leaves the barb exiting without touching the mouth tissue.

 

BTW - do the same if you are removing a barbed hook from yourself. You'll like the feeling lots better.

 

BTW2 - if you ever stick a baiting needle thru your skin, you should remove it the same way. Pressure on the shaft away from the hook part of the needle.

[*Ant*]

Blimey Newt you make it sound so easy and painless.

[Newt]

Years of practice with barbed hooks in various parts of my carcas Ant. And we learned in Boy Scouts how to remove a barbed hook from someone else using a piece of string. Works great if it isn't thru and thru but in that case, just snip off the barb and it removes easily enough.

 

The baiting needle thing is new though. The home made things I was using weren't sharp but I have now cristened one some nice UK person sent with a bit of blood.

[manse]

Thanks Newt.

Hope i never need your advice though, barbless hurt enough, was tying a 16 hook on few weeks back when my son reached over me for something out of the tray when a button on his sleeve caught the line pulling hook clean inside my finger and boy was there a few Dam n Blasts muttered mind u at least i got to use my forceps i brought 6 months ago

[*Ant*]

Newt, that's terrible! Fancy some idiot sending a dangerous weapon through the post, let me know who and i'll go and sort 'em for ya.

[Newt]

LOL - thanks for the offer Ant. Just don't get on him too hard.

 

The needle is still in regular use and is wonderful.