BARB, BARBLESS ORRRRRR POINTLESS as in point removal.

[Gust]

Ok,
So, there was a thread where the guy used two Apex lures, one barbed and one barbless and figured out a catch rate.

So, this is how the fishing went yesterday and today;

smelt on hook/single/inhaled to throat. barbless

crankbait, with 3 trebs,, inhaled. barbless (they were umbrella mouthing them, sometimes going airborn).

New spoon,, with barbs,, inhaled and had to remove lure from the gills.

So, this was disheartening, as the fishing was uber-fun then uber-frustrating.

So?

So, I swapped the treb on the spoon for a stub single and pinched and filed the barb.

And?

Well it helped a bit, until I took the hook a step further and clipped and rounded the point.

Now you had to keep your line tight but for the most part the un-pointed, snub-ended hook on the inhaled lure mereley got hung up in the frontal under gill. I'm not sure if it would work for other fish but it sure made release quick. Mind you, I could have fished a spoon hookless and just left the split ring on and still caught them.

Next time out, I'm going to try an African hookless method.

[Fishnafterwork]

Like billfish on a string...http://www.fishnet.com.au/forums/vie...d0dab30799bcf1


Ever tried pike on a piece of burlap sack...

[BeeGuy]

Simple and informative.

I think we can take something away from this.

Small and aggressive pike can inhale ridiculous sized lures.

[DiabeticKripple]

Caught a 15" pike with all 3 hooks on a treble. 2 in the top and one in the bottom. Barbed. Wasn't to bad to get out but the fish had extra nostrils.

[new LT]

Originally Posted by BeeGuy

Simple and informative.

I think we can take something away from this.

Small and aggressive pike can inhale ridiculous sized lures.

Didn't expect anything LESS.............

[Gust]

Originally Posted by new LT

Didn't expect anything LESS.............

Seriously,,, I think you two would both get along while fishing.

As for burlap, that's pretty much the african method,, their teeth are the pri-ckly bits, and the burlap the webby bits like associated with velcro.

Leather lures would be good too,, mukluk leather not italian brushed,,, I'm not kidding. Of course Berkley/Powerbait would steal the idea and make a nogahyde version in rainbow colours with sparkly bits. Leather would be much more organic
-though- and at least edible compared to some of the plastics out there.

man o man,,, I should have brought my ice fishing rod for chucking spoons,, thaT would have been fun.

[new LT]

[QUOTE=Gust;1974412]Seriously,,, I think you two would both get along while fishing.

I'm sure your right .....until

[mszomola]

If you let a fish inhale a bait and swim away with something forever they will inhale it.

If you like to stop your spoons dead feel a tap and let the thing sit before you set the hook. Fish will inhale it and die.

If you pause your minnow body baits and a pike smashes it, chances are it will be deep.


I would never dull my hooks or clip the barb thats useless. Why ? well the whole point of catching a fish is to keep it pegged. If all thats wrong is your timing on setting hooks thats a simple fix

[EZM]

I have gone to progressively bigger lures over the years. The smallest size I use for Pike is typically a full 6" lure ....... there is a significant decrease in deeply hooked fish. I have caught 18" pike on a 12" crank-bait.

They do not shy away from bigger meals, in fact, I'd say I catch more larger fish, as they are less willing to chase a little 3" spoon quite often.

Next to lure size, going to a single hook is your next best option.

Using all barbless hooks as well, I find them easier to remove and can't say I've lost many fish over using a hook with a barb. They are, unarguably, easier to remove and leave a smaller hole to heal.

In terms of mortality rates ...... well ........ there has been enough discussion on this forum with strong opinions in both camps ....... I will leave that one alone for now.

[Gust]

Originally Posted by mszomola

If you let a fish inhale a bait and swim away with something forever they will inhale it.

If you like to stop your spoons dead feel a tap and let the thing sit before you set the hook. Fish will inhale it and die.

If you pause your minnow body baits and a pike smashes it, chances are it will be deep.


I would never dull my hooks or clip the barb thats useless. Why ? well the whole point of catching a fish is to keep it pegged. If all thats wrong is your timing on setting hooks thats a simple fix

Sadly, this wasn't slow mo fishing; the umbrella mouth-attack is the hit from below the lure with mouth open wide. All retreival of lures was high speed, it wasn't like "I'll pause and give it a second and he'll hit", the bite was deathly aggressive. Many fish hit lures that just hit the water (I purposefully would cast the spoon so it would skip when it would hit the water). The slower the retreive the slower the bite.

As I also said, I could catch them with a dulled point. It was great fishing.