I don't always fish barbless, but when I do ...
my daily total (shameful to admit) include categories for fish to net vs. LDR's (long-distance releases).
Of course this is pure justification, we all want to bring that beauty to hand. My personal POV is that LDRs should "count", for the following reasons:
I got the fly and/or depth right
Conservation - not playing the fish to death counts
Only the best anglers can bring a fish to net using a barbless hook
Some fish are just that good/lucky/strong
Microscopic manufacturing defects in modern flyfishing equipment and owners
I think the barb is an interesting topic. I personally have fished barbless well before I fly fished. What really did it for me was being up at an alpine lake trying to cast a rooster tail (treble hook) while stuffed between to fir trees. I hooked the top of my scalp and couldn't get the f'n thing out. My wife had to get the razor blade from the first aid kit to cut it out.
That being said, I don't think I have ever really lost a fish because I did not have a barb. Fish come undone because I lose the proper amount of tension at a critical point. I do lose fish, but I don't really feel like I lose many or more than someone with a barbed hook. I personally wish barbless hooks were required all the time. One of those topics that always causes me to roll my eyes when someone says they lost the fish because the hook wasn't barbed.
Sorry, you were being light-hearted and humorous and I just got on a soap box.
I started fishing barbless in 1976. Thousands of fish later I'm satisfied. You get a good hook set and keep tension on its fine and so what if you lose a few. Today I landed 3 and missed/lost 6 or so. Had nothing to do with being barbless.
I'm with DKL.....I have fished barbless forever....not to protect the fish but to protect myself. I don't find I lose any fish because of it. In fact, it is still tough to get those small barbless hooks out of a fish. There could be a negative side to the whole thing, it has been claimed that the barbless hook penetrates deeper and therefore does more damage....don't know for sure, most of the research has been scuttled by the barbless fanatics. Regardless, I'd recommend barbless, I think it reduces the amount of handling you have to do when releasing fish.
I don't notice that I lose any more or less fish when fishing barbless vs barbed. Some fisheries I still use a barb, I guess I'm not sure why I do that. I probably should just pinch my barbs when I tie.
I usually knock the barb's off banging them on the rocks behind me. In fact, most of the wardens ask just how in the hell I expect to catch a fish on hooks that look like a ball-peen hammer. Kidding aside, while I don't want to loose a fish (particularly nice one's), I almost always pinch barbs and I agree with Richard... 8 second rule works for me.
I've heard it argued that a barbless hook has a narrower point for entry so it is easier to get a good hook set. With a barb, the wider point can keep the hook from penetrating deep enough to engage the barb. Probably matters more with larger hooks than size 18. Regardless, I pretty much always fish with the barb pinched and don't feel like it is a handicap.
You beat me to it. That exactly what I think. I don't think I lose anymore fish going barbless -- just the opposite. If I was in a catch n keep situation (speaking hypothetically) -- i.e. I could (per regs and the fishery) and really wanted to (i.e. if i'd eat it) -- I'd still fish barbless. the rare times i forget to pinch my barb, it can be a pain (mostly to the fish) to release it. i don't know why they even make barbed fly fishing hooks. that was one thing i loved about Kaufmann's -- all barbless.
I thought this thread was going to be about a topic that mattered.
Oh, OK, I agree that barbless hooks are a good idea for personal safety, although I almost never hook myself. But barbless hooks are significantly less damaging to small fish. And it's those small fish that grow up to be the fish we really came to fish for.
I like the 8 second concept. Although I don't have the buckle yet... I figure if a fish eats, I did my job, that conglomeration of stuff on a hook fooled a fish. Which is kind of the point anyway.
I always fish barbless because, I fish small hooks and it never fails that I stick one in my hand or fingers just about every time I go out. With the barb gone they slide out much easier that with a barb on. It is called fishing. If it was called catching I would probably fish with a barb on. But then again, it's no fun pulling a barbed hook out of your body at some point.
Yep, barbless because I hook myself or my buddy hooks me on a cast when we decide that the fish are on the other side of the boat and he is left handed and I'm right and now both our casting arms are in the middle and we attempt to cast with our non dominate hands but we soon forget and he buries a size 8 simi seal bugger in my neck and it stings, but it comes right out with only a little bit of blood.
I count landed fish and for the purpose of judging the fishery that day I also tend to count hooked fish for my own personal knowledge. As for reporting to other fisherman, I'll only report fish who made it to the boat but I'll mention that others were hooked. I won't count takes because those could be the same fish multiple times coming back to investigate again.
100% barbless for a quarter century and no lack of fish landed - just significantly reduced damage to the fish and me.
My rule for counting a fish as landed: Touch the leader and it was landed. What happens at your feet is inconsequential and frankly I appreciate it when a fish is polite enough to unhook without me having to handle it.
When fishing some of the smaller streams or out on the Sound, I feel like a giant jerk when I hook the tiny fingerling trout. A good number of times if add enough slack they can get off the line.
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