Northwest Fishing Reports

So this summer i had started using barbless hooks on rivers more often(Due to regulations). But i've started just using barbless every river i fish and i now prefer barbless. So i was wondering if anyone else uses only barbless, or only barbed hooks? I know its prefrence, but i'm kinda curious about other peoples opions on barbed vs barbless hooks.

If barbs are legal, i use them. No sense handicapping myself if not required by the law...

I normally use barbless when lake fishing for trout regardless of the regs, so much easier to release em. For salmon and steelhead if the regs say I can use barbs, I use em.
BUT - if I have a spinner or spoon that I've removed the barb from due to regs on one body of water, and I want to use it on another body where barbs are allowed, I don't bother to swap the hook out. Just lazy that way I guess.

I fish Ross Lake (selective rules) a couple times a year, so nearly all my plugs/spinners/spoons are single-hook barbless. You play the fish a little differently, but I prefer barbless - like Gringo said - if your releasing, it's much easier on the fish. I really don't lose many because they get off the hook easier. I have changed many of my hooks to sickle-style because I think they are harder for the fish to get out due to the sharply angled bend...

Hmmmmmmm No comment..... Hahaha

New to WA state and the 100 pages of fishing rules and regulations .... not only are the whats, whens and wheres difficult to keep up with, there are also rules governing the hows - i.e. barbless among other restrictions. I can't keep it all in my head (yet?) so for the time being, I flatten, or break the barb on every hook I use. I think the regulation help us learn to better manage the catching process and if we should lose a fish due to slack in the line or what have you.... oh well!

be careful pinching the barb. if the warden inspects your gear and feels that there is even the slightest "catch" to the hook, he can write you a ticket. rule of thumb is to take your fingernail and rub it along where the barb was and if you feel any kind of resistance, you can get a ticket.

i learned this from the warden myself. did not get a ticket as he felt i was trying to do the right thing and fish barbless. he just gave me that insight and suggested investing it barbless hooks; which i now do.

just a FYI

bugmasta wrote:be careful pinching the barb. if the warden inspects your gear and feels that there is even the slightest "catch" to the hook, he can write you a ticket. rule of thumb is to take your fingernail and rub it along where the barb was and if you feel any kind of resistance, you can get a ticket.

i learned this from the warden myself. did not get a ticket as he felt i was trying to do the right thing and fish barbless. he just gave me that insight and suggested investing it barbless hooks; which i now do.

just a FYI

I've heard this before too. Haven't experienced it, but since learning of it I pretty much take a file to all my hook barbs to make sure there are no burrs in the event that I get checked. You never know when you're going to run across a Gamie with something to prove even if you're doing everything you know how to do to follow the rules.

You need to play the fish well when you have barbless hooks, but they can get better penetration if you give 'em a weak hookset. But for the most part, I'd tell you to use barbs if you can if you're looking to kill fish. But if I'm releasing fish, I'll go barbless regardless of what the regs say.

I've actually lost more fish using barbs. But i release most of my salmon now, and barbless makes that easier. I personally think barbs get in the way.

I use Barbless most all the time it is just easier to get the fish off the hook.

its hard to completely pinch the barbs down, i use gami's and owners and the barbs just snap off leaving a small nub thats impossible to get down lol

goonatic wrote:its hard to completely pinch the barbs down, i use gami's and owners and the barbs just snap off leaving a small nub thats impossible to get down lol

I have the same problem! I would buy the barbless gami's but they only come in silver, and i prefer the black hooks.

BlakeP wrote:

goonatic wrote:its hard to completely pinch the barbs down, i use gami's and owners and the barbs just snap off leaving a small nub thats impossible to get down lol

I have the same problem! I would buy the barbless gami's but they only come in silver, and i prefer the black hooks.

those killer gami's in black are secret. Hhaha best hooks ever made the black ones. Also it depends on the warden, when you snap it off and it leaves that little nub, your gonna have to meet a warden in a VERY BAD mood to actually give you a ticket, ive been checked A LOT in the salt, they say if it looks like you gave it an honest effort, your fine, but ya never know what mood their gonna be in, lol

fishenfreak wrote:

BlakeP wrote:

goonatic wrote:its hard to completely pinch the barbs down, i use gami's and owners and the barbs just snap off leaving a small nub thats impossible to get down lol

I have the same problem! I would buy the barbless gami's but they only come in silver, and i prefer the black hooks.

those killer gami's in black are secret. Hhaha best hooks ever made the black ones. Also it depends on the warden, when you snap it off and it leaves that little nub, your gonna have to meet a warden in a VERY BAD mood to actually give you a ticket, ive been checked A LOT in the salt, they say if it looks like you gave it an honest effort, your fine, but ya never know what mood their gonna be in, lol

Haha yeah i don't really use anything else. I figured most wardens wouldn't have a problem as long as its not a half pinched barb or anything like that. But i have yet to actually run into a warden on a river.

BlakeP wrote:

goonatic wrote:its hard to completely pinch the barbs down, i use gami's and owners and the barbs just snap off leaving a small nub thats impossible to get down lol

I have the same problem! I would buy the barbless gami's but they only come in silver, and i prefer the black hooks.

Incorrect sir. You can get barbless black hooks. Here is the link to the gami website showing the 4 colors barbless octopus hooks are available in. http://www.gamakatsu.com/fishing-hooks.php?pid=1053" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

bugmasta wrote:

BlakeP wrote:

goonatic wrote:its hard to completely pinch the barbs down, i use gami's and owners and the barbs just snap off leaving a small nub thats impossible to get down lol

I have the same problem! I would buy the barbless gami's but they only come in silver, and i prefer the black hooks.

Incorrect sir. You can get barbless black hooks. Here is the link to the gami website showing the 4 colors barbless octopus hooks are available in. http://www.gamakatsu.com/fishing-hooks.php?pid=1053" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

+1 andy...... im sure you not a fan of barbless like me seen you hook several silvers as they jumped they spit da hook

Not a fan of barbless hooks. Even less of a fan of getting a ticket though. So I only fish barbless where I have too. Otherwise it's barbed all the way. I fish to feed my family and put meat in the freezer. Don't have the time to catch and release or lose a fish. When I hook up I want to make sure I bring it on shore.

DIdn't know that. I've only been able to find them in silver.

Now ya know. Sportco has most colors. Or you can just order them.