In reply to Post #15
It's not that i struggle with it, but there is a moral dilemma to our hobby, it's silly to deny that. And sometimes i think some more about it, and about history, and about the relation of man and nature, and nature itself and then i go enjoy my fishing.
Crushed barb btw, for decades.
It's not that i struggle with it, but there is a moral dilemma to our hobby, it's silly to deny that. And sometimes i think some more about it, and about history, and about the relation of man and nature, and nature itself and then i go enjoy my fishing.
Crushed barb btw, for decades.
Personally I believe that most mouth damage occurs when the fish are very young, or in the landing net, or when they get tethered.
IMO a fish should always be either unhooked in the net, or the line cut close to the lead arrangement before they are removed from the water, this is a rule on my place.
Unfortunately tethering happens way more than most of us realise. Many years as a club bailiff proved this to me.
When I bought my lake (an ex club water) some of the mouth damage was truly shocking. I removed those fish with bad damage, stocked some new fish and brought in a barbless only rule. Almost eleven years on and I don't have a single fish with noticeable recent mouth damage. There are at least a couple of members on here that can confirm this.
Fish do get lost, of course, but it's certain anglers who seem to suffer most of these. The rest of us lose very few.
IMO a fish should always be either unhooked in the net, or the line cut close to the lead arrangement before they are removed from the water, this is a rule on my place.
Unfortunately tethering happens way more than most of us realise. Many years as a club bailiff proved this to me.
When I bought my lake (an ex club water) some of the mouth damage was truly shocking. I removed those fish with bad damage, stocked some new fish and brought in a barbless only rule. Almost eleven years on and I don't have a single fish with noticeable recent mouth damage. There are at least a couple of members on here that can confirm this.
Fish do get lost, of course, but it's certain anglers who seem to suffer most of these. The rest of us lose very few.
In reply to Post #17
Exactly this, how many times do you see someone with a fish in the net still hooked, and they then proceed to roll up the net to lift the fish out, line rolled up in the net, lift fish which tightents the hook length = mouth damage.
Exactly this, how many times do you see someone with a fish in the net still hooked, and they then proceed to roll up the net to lift the fish out, line rolled up in the net, lift fish which tightents the hook length = mouth damage.
In reply to Post #1
I fish a water that is barbless hooks only it's very weedy
In the hight of summer I've had no trouble with fishing such
Hooks I keep the pressure on all the time and the carp I've had
Are all in fantastic condition no mouth damage
I'd prefer to use a barbed hook but it's more a state of mind
There are excellent hook patterns out on the market
In today's market I don't think there's anything in it to be honest
We can argue until the cows come home on the issue of one over
The other .. but there are so many different things to take into consideration
I'd say don't be put off from using barbless hooks.
That's my take on it
I fish a water that is barbless hooks only it's very weedy
In the hight of summer I've had no trouble with fishing such
Hooks I keep the pressure on all the time and the carp I've had
Are all in fantastic condition no mouth damage
I'd prefer to use a barbed hook but it's more a state of mind
There are excellent hook patterns out on the market
In today's market I don't think there's anything in it to be honest
We can argue until the cows come home on the issue of one over
The other .. but there are so many different things to take into consideration
I'd say don't be put off from using barbless hooks.
That's my take on it
Doesn't bother me to be honest, I I keep a few packets of barbless for day-tickets for the sake of the rules.
When I held a syndicate ticket, the complex was quite weedy, I fished with crushed barbs and filed them smooth so it was barely a bump.
When I held a syndicate ticket, the complex was quite weedy, I fished with crushed barbs and filed them smooth so it was barely a bump.
I use both barbless or microbarbed, depending on the rules and/or situation