Barbed versus Barbless hooks

[tennfisher]

The recently posted experience of Muskrat and his friend who was accidentally the recipient of a treble hook in the head suggested this question to me. I know that a barb serves a useful purpose in keeping bait on a hook, but is a barb really necessary when fishing an artificial lure? It would seem to me that if one regularly practices catch and release that the absence of a barb would pay dividends in being able to reduce trauma to the fish and enhance survivability, to say nothing about easing the trauma when accidents occur and you accidentally hook yourself or a fishing partner.

Have any of you actually compared the relative effectiveness of fishing barbed versus barbless? Do you feel that your misses increase significantly? I know that a number of very successful flyfishers and flytyers routinely debarb their hooks, yet they still seem to catch their share of fish.

Tennfisher

 

[Guest]

Have any of you actually compared the relative effectiveness of fishing barbed versus barbless? Do you feel that your misses increase significantly?

Plenty of studies have been done, almost always the barb is more effective. The amount that the barb is more effective depends on the hook type and size etc.

For example a standard aberdeen (J-shaped hook) is made to snag when you give your best Billy Dance impression, the barb is highly important on it. While on a circle hook the barb plays a much lesser role.

 

[sprestwood]

A low profile barb is a good middle ground. It dehooks the fish easier but does a pretty good of staying in the mouth of the fish. I have heard there is a technique to reeling in a barless hooked fish but I dont know what it is.
I only pinch the barb down if I have trouble dehooking.

 

[drumking]

On a fish that jumps like a bass, barbless hooks wouldn't be as good I suppose. But on fish that don't jump normally when fighting, a barbless hook should work nicely. I have in time past squeezed the barb down on my striper jigs and didn't lose anymore than normal. Of course those fish just shut their mouths while fighting and only at the boat will they open slightly and shake the head. I have also gone barbless on crappie too without any negative results. But that's just my .02 worth.

 

[Fly Rod Rob]

I am 100% barbless on all my flies.

The main reason is for catch and release (of both fish and other anglers). Having guided new person to the sport of fly fishing, it is critical to de-barb all hooks.

Trout frequently jump and will throw a hook, but if you are going to release them anyway, we just call that a "long distance release." I have noticed that if you keep pressure on the fish, the barbless hook seems to hold just fine.

I (as I am sure many others on the board) have had barbed hooks impailed in my person. There are lots of tricks and tips for removing the hooks (ie. mono loop and a yank, push on through and either de-barb or cut the hook, etc) but I have found the best way is to have no barb at all. The hook pops right out.

-Rob