Barbless don"t save fish - they just make money for f&w

[spopadyn]

I have been reading a lot about all the studies on barbless hooks. It has virtually no statistical difference in fish mortality then barbed hooks - this is an absolute fact. We should really be lobbying the government to change back a rule that had nothing to do with science and everthing to do with generating more fines. What does affect fish mortality is hook size. Why doesn't the F&W institue a minimum hook size?

[pdfish]

I've seen the #'s in the past as well, but really I wouldn't switch back to barbs, the ease of releasing a fish with barbless is nice to have. Truth be told, the only fishing I do where barbs would be beneficial is salmon fishing due to the fact that I'm trying to fill the freezer and they have hard mouths making it pretty easy to shake the hook. But that's another province anyway.

[honda450]

Barbless is fine with me.

[DaveFish]

It is a lot easier to release fish w/o barbs, think about it, 5mins out of the water vs 6mins out of the water. If barbless saves 1 trophy fish from dying from stress/etc and loses 5, I'm all for it. Though...if more people got caught using barbs(like I'm sure you did for posting this), SRD would have more money, and be able to maintain the fisheries abit better...

[ishootbambi]

ive read a fair number of different studies and opinions, and it seems that if you can see through the numbers there is some info to be had. from what i understand, the barb itself is not the problem for the fish. just studying the effect of the barb shows with or without there is little difference to the fish. with a barb, basically the fish swims away with a little different size of hole in its lip. in cases where the study goes a little deeper however, they looked into the handling time of the angler while digging the hook out, and thats where the difference was noted. im not gonna spew numbers, and im sure the links will start rolling in, but survival for barbless hooks was higher based on that in the articles i read. the less you handle a fish, the better its chance of survival upon release. with barbless hooks, handling time was reduced and that was the real reason for the difference.

personally i dont eat fish, they all go back. i have been pinching barbs since long before it was law, and if i can i dont even touch the fish when i get them up. i prefer to just reach out with the needlenose and pop the hook free....unless id like a picture. id love to think they all survive, but i suspect i unknowingly kill the odd one.

so from your tone....im guessing you forgot to pinch the new hooks you bought and were fined?

[ericlin0122]

if this happened, you will be glad you have a barbless hook!

[enzo]

With the huge increase in fishing pressure on Alberta waters in the last few years comes the increase of fish being caught. Past rants on this forum say that people don't bring in as many fish with barbless hooks versus barbed. With fewer fish being brought in, the lower the risk the fish will be mishandled for release (unless your bonking it, I don't care). People are dangling trout on their hooks for pics, fingers in gills, jawspreaders left in for pics, gang treble hook setups (1 each for: eye, gill, finger) and that's the problem added with the number of anglers today. There's plenty of photo's in this forum if you look. I don't think your arguement has any wind in its sails.

[LacLaBicheNS]

in my opinion an experienced angler removing the hook has no problem with barbed, but a in experienced angler has a harder time removing barbed hooks which leads to more handling time and more damage..

[JtotheL]

Originally Posted by ericlin0122

if this happened, you will be glad you have a barbless hook!

Gross. Why did you make me watch that. Not so sure about fly fishing anymore. They say a bad day fishing is still better than a good day at work but I bet that guy would disagree.

[BigBuck$]

Originally Posted by ericlin0122

if this happened, you will be glad you have a barbless hook!

Yikes, just about puked watching that but I sent it off to some fishn' buddies. I always wear sunglasses or safety glasses when I fish and have had a couple close calls with hooks hitting me in the face.

As for barbed hooks, take the danm things off at the factory. I don't think I've lost any more fish using barbless hooks. It makes it so much easier to release a fish if the hooks come out quickly especially bigger fish that tend to swallow the hook a bit more.

As for the pike fishing comment try to get one of those Storm Softbaits out of a pikes mouth. Even with no barbs it is a task that I'm sure lots of guys can relate to.

[Unregistered user]

Originally Posted by pdfish

I've seen the #'s in the past as well, but really I wouldn't switch back to barbs, the ease of releasing a fish with barbless is nice to have. Truth be told, the only fishing I do where barbs would be beneficial is salmon fishing due to the fact that I'm trying to fill the freezer and they have hard mouths making it pretty easy to shake the hook. But that's another province anyway.

The salt chuck went barbless before Alberta, heck that's where Klein got the idea.

[Crusty]

5mins out of the water vs 6mins ??????????????


Man, are you making a movie?

[Jayball]

Originally Posted by Crusty

5mins out of the water vs 6mins ??????????????


Man, are you making a movie?

you read my mind. when i saw that... my thought was.... how many pictures are you taking???

30 secs max unless you dealing with treble hooks...

[NUK SOO KOW]

I'm all about the barbless!! It's a great rule!

[superspud]

barbless owns!!!!!!! just keep the rod tip up!

[Crusty]

and lastly "8 cent hook" ???? Where are you shopping?


Bait fishing. Snelled hooks are cheap. Not useing a Rap.

[huntsfurfish]

Ya know, there are 2 points here(ok more than 2), single hooks and multi/trebble.

Trebbles - any time you have to go inside the mouth to unhook a fish it takes time. Now you have to handle the fish. My experience indicates there is little to no difference in release time. Lip hooked, just a little twist with needle nose pliers and the fish falls off. The above applies to barbed or barbless.

Single hooks, if hooked inside the mouth, again, you have to handle the fish. Pliers in twist and out comes the hook. Lip hooked fish can stay in the water. Just a little twist with needle nose pliers and the fish falls off.
The above applies to barbed or barbless.

Once again - little to no difference in release time or handling!

Therefore, no difference!

A feel good law!!!

A larger concern would be ......

ps I do pinch my barbs.

[huntsfurfish]

This is one instance(issue) that I believe should have been left up to the individual angler.

The only way to change it would be to lobby for the change. But anglers are so divided on this and so many other issues it is nearly impossible.

Sadly, we may be our own worst enemy.





In the mean time, keep your barbs pinched and your lines tight

[Crossfire]

Fishing barbless is absolutely fine with me. Great for releasing fish and as long as you know what you are doing you dont loose fish because of it being barbless