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Posted

How many of you have gone barbless or at least a to some degree. We were in Canada last week and it was my first real experience with barbless and I have to say it is the only way to go. I can't say we lost any more fish and sure made unhooking a piece of cake....especially on the small northerns. You could just pop them off at the boat edge vs having them flop all over in the bottom of the boat. Will MN every consider requireing barbless?

Posted

shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Posted

I've done it on trebles if I'm using stick baits. I kind of figure that if I can't land a fish on a treble I don't deserve it. But for the most part I don't like treble hooks and feel the barb is necessary on a jig to keep the minnow in place. But then a jig usually only lip hooks the fish anyway.

But if the line is kept tight during the fight, it's hard for me to see that the barb is necessary to land the fish!

Posted

i fusing live bait , then it would be a problem, but otherwise, i crimp the barbs down on almost everything. jigs,trebles, etc. for bass and the toothy ones!ya you will loose one from time to time but, not very often. plus unhooking a fish is much easier and safer, plus if the unfortunate ever happens and a person gets stuck ?

Posted

Fly fishers of course have been fishing barbless for a long, long time. Even anglers using bait can use hooks with small barbs, or slightly crimp barbed hooks. Really the only way to go. You might not agree-until the day that three pound Northern buries a treble (with barbs) in the back of your hand and then keeps on THRASHING around!!

And barbless hooks are much easier on the fish too. Spread the word.

Posted

I am all for it.

Posted

I,too, have been a proponent of barbless fishing ever since returning from my first trip to Manitoba about 10 years ago. Especially so for those fish that you intend to release (ie Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass).

Posted

I crimp the barbs on all the flies I tie, and on all the jigs I use summer and winter. I have never looked back. Yeah, on a live bait rig you tend to lose your minnow quicker, but I got over it. The benfeits outweight the costs...

Posted

I tried goin barbless on small shads but it doesnt work very well u lose 50% MORE fish.... As for all others except trebles I am all for it!

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