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Just A thought on Catch & Release

8K views 45 replies 20 participants last post by  GregD 
#1 · (Edited)
This is not to be construed as a holyier than though comment on one of our prime comitements which is conservation buuuut the majority of the flys posted in living colour [great pics.] show that big old barb still in place:whoa: Now I know we can say that we crush them or remove them before fishing which I am sure is correct in most instances.

The reason I make the coment is that as this board grows we are viewed from many parts of the country and many parts of the world where catching was more important than fishing. We have the comitment to conserve and this one small item can show that we practice what we preach.

Just my .02 saltRon

Any Coments pro or con
 
#2 ·
Good point saltron. I routinely squash the barbs down before tying saltwater patterns which is a lot less hassle than dealing with or forgetting to do it on the water...

Saying that, the trout flies which I tied for the swap still had barbs on...:confused:

Many of the flies given me on the water still have barbs in place as do all flies sold in shops. Maybe fly shops could offer free "barb crushing"?

;)
 
#3 ·
The Barb

Hi Adrian I have allways been of the opinion that if you were going to create a barbless hook that you flattened said barb before tying as some times, depending on the mfg you could breake the hook in that process.

One Mans opinion saltRon
 
#5 ·
I think these hook manufacturers should offer barbless hooks, I know they do for some freshwater, but I don't know of any for saltwater, tongue-in-cheek. I would think that it also would be cheaper for the manufacturers to do this. I have lost very few fish on barbless, or crushed barb hooks, aso much easier to release fish.:)
 
#6 ·
Better get a new cup of coffee, a stream of consciousness follows....

Good point. I'll play devil's advocate though. (Terry must be getting to me)

Why?

For a more "sensitive" fish like trout in a spring creek barbless is the only way.

My experience with several different species of saltwater fish ( striper, blues, tarpon, barracuda, jacks & lemon sharks) leaves me to believe that a barb on a hook (a single hook) is the least of their worries. When you're slugging it out with an aggressive fish in the salt and it's using structure, current & leverage to fight the pull of your hook & fly line - you are leaving more than just the pin hole from a barbless hook in it's mouth.

That said, I do practice & promote C&R and, I do favor and use barbless hooks for the majority of my salt fishing.

However, there are a few spots I have been fortunate enough to frequent that hold larger fish and I am guilty of having occasionally left the barb on for these fish. In retrospect it's probably just a mental crutch for me.

My intention for the 2002 salt season is to fish barbless all the time - to really put a bow in the rod when I have a fish taking off with my line & backing. My reasoning for this decision is to increase my abilities as a fly rodder, reduce stress on the fish (does it really though if you're fighting a fish more "gingerly" because you have a barbless hook?) and for the ease of removing the fly from my person and anyone else unfortunate enough to be hooked by me.

Roop
 
#7 ·
Like Roopy, I fish 99.9% barbless and teach it to my kids and nieces and nephews on their spin gear.
But with tunoids, forget it. They turn and run at you, your line goes slack, fish off.
For the recent fly swap, I left all my hooks barb on. Those flies are going to other people , it's their choice.
SO it's species and size dependent. Smallmouth are another contender for my "semi barb" setup. Sometime I mash the barb down 3/4 of the way leaving a small bump to help out. There is an in between world. Smallmouth come out of the water, dart sideways, spit the hook back at ya. A little barb helps. I lost way to many last year and kill none. In fact, I don't think I killed one fish last year.

Lefty
 
#8 ·
Some very good thoughts. I have tied flies with many different hook brands and to me, it seems like some are better at holding fish than others without a barb.

I tied some flies up on the new Tiemco dark bronze hooks last season and found that I was dropping more fish than normal. Probably not enough to be statistically significant but another piece to the puzzle?
 
#9 ·
I'm curious about the comments on some hooks that have the barb bent down losing more fish than others. Does anyone feel that this is related to whether the barb breaks or bends down leaving a hump? I've noticed that on the sharper, harder and more expensive hooks the barb will break off while on cheaper and softer hooks the barb will bend over into a hump.


Adrian if you, or anyone else, want the barb pinched down on a fly for the trout fly swap tell me and it will be done before the picture is taken.
 
#13 ·
I must give my opinion here.. I go barbless in the spring when going after schoolie stripers.. However, like Roop My deep sand eels still have the barb on.. I have fished maybe 50% barb and50% barbless during the summer months... fishing the surf.. big currents in the summer make water conditions tougher. But more importantly, I do not see any additional damage when I have removed a barb hook from a big blue or 36 inch striper.. That is not to say I advocate barb hooks and will plan on fishing barbless exclusively this year.. but when drifting in a boat off south beach or the crashing surf I will ponder whether it really is doing the damage on those fish as it can on small fish, trout or other soft mouth fish. The real danger with barbs is when there is a full swallow.. but superficial mouth hook ups is not the same. Barbless started , I think ,because of the gut hook potential and removal of type of hook. Barbless can be removed much easier down deep than barbs. It really was not begun for mouth hook up releases... just my opinion.
 
#15 ·
Great topic. I fish 99% barbless. If I have a barb on my hook, that just means I was in too much of a hurry. I fish barbless for several reasons. I would rather loose a fish due to a lack of a barb than risk serious damage to the critter. If I loose a fish, that's OK. Another one will swim by sooner or later. For me it's the spirit of the whole thing. Catching a good size fish on a barbless hook just seems more rewarding. Finally, it makes for much easier hook removal. Not only for the fish, but on those occasions I find my self hooked in the ear....the hand....the butt.... :hehe:
 
#18 ·
Then wouldn't it follow that all fly archives would have to be barbless? It's problematic because that sets quite a tone for the board that might alienate more than educate. Won't bother me because I'm already here. But to the newcomer, who knows?
It could be left to the individual to decide too.

LEfty
 
#19 ·
"To barb, or not to barb, that is the question." Sorry Mr Shkspr

Steelhead wise, I use 90+% barbed hooks for my ties, but a pair of needlenosed plyers takes care of that situation. Actually, have a good chunk of the year here on sections of the Rogue that barbless hooks are required. For some types of gear even a minimum hook size is required (fly's are exempted under this Regulation). Personal observation suggests that barbless will give you more hookups due to the smaller amount of penitration necessary. It's the big needle vs. a small needle idea.

The to barb or not to barb is kind of academic if you're intent is to release the fish anyway. Release at "long range" or short .... so what I guess in my .2 cents worth.
fe
 
#20 ·
Use barbless all the time for steelhead and trout. Agree with Fred they seem to penetrate to better and when I lose a steelhead it is due to the log jams or that the fish just was to hot and mean. When you having them jumping through trees and going under log jams on there way back to Lake Michigan there is no hook or line that is going to survive. Great fun though and memories.

Use the needlenose pliers to just put those barbs down.

:chuckle: :chuckle:
 
#21 ·
The Thorny Subject

Hi Lefty Your comment of " set Quite a Tone For the Board" Has that tone not allready been established starting with the description of the community and running through many many of the posts iregardless of saltwater or fresh?

My only reason for starting this thread was that we are being viewed from many parts of the world and possibly we should go this extra bit to show that we do practice what we preach.

All the responces have had merrit and in the final analysis it all comes down to a personal choice.:smokin:

My Best to All saltRon
 
#22 ·
saltRon, you managed to put into succinct words my very thoughts on personal choice. This has also been an extraordinary thread which speaks volumes to the quality of the people who participate here.

That said, I see nothing wrong in encouraging the use of barbless hooks for newcomers. Encouragement is the operative word. I wouldn't dream of alienating people by trying to force an opinion on them. At the same time, I think most of us on this forum advocate catch and release - some exclusively, and others who may take an occasional fish for the pot but practice C&R most of the time. If I were ever to go cod fishing I would probably bring one home!

Without exception, everyone who participates in this forum cares with a passion about the wellbeing of our resource. We would certainly want to encourage those same sentiments in newcomers to the sport.

I was serious about the idea of fly shops offering to crush down barbs on store sold flies "free of charge". If they break then the store could replace them at no cost:smokin:
 
#23 ·
:) Maybe someone of these fishing equipment manufacturers could add a groove to a pair of pliers on one jaw, this would support the hook in the area where the barb is, then one could bend down the barb without breaking it off. Think maybe I can figure something out, glad you started the thread SaltRon. Most of my flies either have no barb, or a crushed barb. I have had several deep hooked fish using flies with a crushed barb, and with a pair of forceps been able to back the hook out.I have observed some of the fish for a few minutes they appeared to be OK. I can't say that when using a hook with a barb. Just my observation.:rolleyes:
 
#25 ·
I personally have a problem trying to file the barbs off. I can't find a file that is hard enough to do that to the stainless steel hooks I use. I did today fool around with an old pair of small needle nose pliers. I ground a groove in one of the jaws, I just have to hold the bend of the hook, put the hook in the groove, squeeze lightly, and rotate the pliers around the hook, or fly. It bent the barb down very nicely. I tried sizes from 1 to 8/0 on about 25 hooks, didnt break a single barb off. I tried it on Mustad, Eagle Claw, and Trey Combs hooks. :D
 
#26 ·
De-Barbing

Hi artb Should do something original to that groove and get a Patent. Did you groove across the face or legnthwise. Better still produce a few and sell them at the show with our webb address on them. this might produce some working Capital for the Board.

-----saltRon
 
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