If a ban on Barbed Hooks was introduced……..

EmptyTree

I tend to be a bit of a jack of all trades, and use barbless(or at least crimp the barb) for all my fishing, the majority of anglers I knowtend to do the same. Barbless hooks are popular amongst coarse anglers and thereare byelaws against barbed hook on a number of rivers that stock Salmon and SeaTrout (A minority I know, but they exist nonetheless).

This is purely hypothetical, but if a ban on barbed hookfor all rod and line angling was to be introduced, how would anglers feel about it? Would there be strong opposition to it or would it bother you?

whelzer

EmptyTree wrote: »

I tend to be a bit of a jack of all trades, and use barbless(or at least crimp the barb) for all my fishing, the majority of anglers I knowtend to do the same. Barbless hooks are popular amongst coarse anglers and thereare byelaws against barbed hook on a number of rivers that stock Salmon and SeaTrout (A minority I know, but they exist nonetheless).

This is purely hypothetical, but if a ban on barbed hookfor all rod and line angling was to be introduced, how would anglers feel about it? Would there be strong opposition to it or would it bother you?

I crimp all barbs aswell and I reckon all the lads I know do so as well. Having said that I hated bought barbless ones until I came across specislised hooks from Eastern Europe. The likes of kamasan & temico are playing catch up in this area imho. I mostly fish for river trout btw.

Zzippy

whelzer wrote: »

I crimp all barbs aswell and I reckon all the lads I know do so as well. Having said that I hated bought barbless ones until I came across specislised hooks from Eastern Europe. The likes of kamasan & temico are playing catch up in this area imho. I mostly fish for river trout btw.

I don't do much river trout fishing, but planning to do a bit more. Do you find barbless hooks affect your catch rate at all?

EmptyTree

Zzippy wrote: »

I don't do much river trout fishing, but planning to do a bit more. Do you find barbless hooks affect your catch rate at all?

I know this question wasn't directed at me, but for the sea trout fishing I do I don't think it has any major impact on my catch rate, I certainly don't lose any more fish than the guy next to me using a barbed hook.

Must admit I find it interesting that there wasn't more response to this thread. (Of course many people may have thought it was a stupid thread to begin with and not bother to reply ) But it does make me wonder, why not just get rid of barbed hooks altogether?

viper123

I don't particularly aim to use only barbless hooks, however I've never seen any difference in catch rates. There probably is a little more skill in landing a fish with a barbless hook but anyone with a little skill in playing a fish will have no problem with them (i.e. not letting the line go slack). The only disadvantage I see with barbless is if bait fishing with maggots, sweetcorn, bread etc. the barb does help to keep the bait on the hook. If they were banned I'd be a little annoyed at the years worth of flies I've build up but that would be a small price to pay for fish welfare.
I would be more inclined to focus on treble hooks as they clearly do a lot more damage to a fish then a single.