I think I am going barbless

[johnny boy]

Had a happy encounter today with a wee grilse, fresh as u would expect and gave way more than its 4 lb size would have thought on my 6#.

Anyway, its netted,lift said net to just find slack line, hook must a fallen out in net,  happy days, no need to rummage around and stress fish,15 secs over t bow and its gone like a flash.

Now I check said fly, everything gone from back of dressing..., lucky me, didn't feel like trying  the barbless option so change.

[Wildfisher]

I moved from barbed hooks to de-barbed hooks many years ago then moved to proper barbless hooks about 3 years ago as they hold fish better.   I'd never use barbed hooks unless after fish I knew I was going to keep.

[alba]

Actually had a bit of a nightmare with this recently. I've always fished with barbed hooks with either micro barb or the barb pressed down a bit but with catching a lot on the rivers/amount of snags in trees and for the sake of the fish I moved to barbless a few weeks ago.

Since changing the amount of fish I've dropped is unreal. I fished from half 6 till 8 last night down the river, barbless nymph on the point and barbed spider on the dropper.

I had 8 fish stick and dropped nearly 20, never lost any on the spider but lost nearly every one that fell to the nymph.

[burnie]

Brechin AC announced they were enforcing a barbless hook for Salmon fishing on their waters( the local river rule is up to June 1st only to protect springers), I decided to leave the club as the club secretary said he would personally be checking peoples flies, I knew this would lead to a court case with me up for assault, so I give it a wide berth now.

[Fishtales]

I've debarbed my flies for so many years I can't remember when I started doing it. The only time I lose fish is if they aren't played out quite enough and they start skittering about at the edge and throw the hook. It doesn't bother me as I don't keep that many anymore and it doesn't happen that often.

[scoobyscott]

I'm totally barbless now and don't notice any real difference of losing fish. I do drop some but have had the same with barbed. Release pretty much al my fish anyway. Some barbless hooks are better than others though for holding fish

[Highlander]

I have changed to "barbless" for some years now. Not out & out but crimped barbed hooks. Yes you do lose some more fish but as I rarely keep any now does not matter too much unless it is a biggie.
Tight Lines

[Laxdale]

Brechin AC announced they were enforcing a barbless hook for Salmon fishing on their waters( the local river rule is up to June 1st only to protect springers), I decided to leave the club as the club secretary said he would personally be checking peoples flies, I knew this would lead to a court case with me up for assault, so I give it a wide berth now.

That particular piece of stupidity will not do much to attract anglers in to the club.
Do they ban small trebles and allow 2/0 singles too?

[Wildfisher]

That particular piece of stupidity will not do much to attract anglers in to the club.

This is moderate behavior  for that club. I applied to join 2 years ago and ended up withdrawing my application after being offered a place.   The club is dominated by a few very strange individuals who appear to be still living in times where anglers were queuing  up to join on 10 year waiting lists.

I have been told stories about committee members hiding in the undergrowth  spying on anglers the rushing out if anyone is seen to hook a fish to check tackle and find out if the fish has been legally hooked or not. One angler tells me he only spins now as there is less chance of being accused of sniggering as he has been accused of when using a double hander.

Unsurprisingly that club  suffers from falling membership.