Hook advice

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Indyflier
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2012/04/20 10:46:41 (permalink)

Hook advice

I am new to tying flies and am curious about the use of barbless hooks. I live in Indiana and so my trout opportunities are limited. 80% of the time I cast to small mouth. The rest of the time, its tailwater trout (unless I travel back home to Pennsylvania). I only fish catch and release. I am going to try to tie some dry flies this weekend.

My question is whether you crimp down the barbs or you feel the barbs helps with a beginner setting the hook? Thanks for sharing your thoughts and entertaining posts.
#1

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    thedrake
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    RE: Hook advice 2012/04/20 12:38:01 (permalink)
    Pinch the barbs. There's no good reason to use barbs if you are releasing the fish.
    #2
    DarDys
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    RE: Hook advice 2012/04/20 13:23:27 (permalink)
    ORIGINAL: thedrake

    Pinch the barbs. There's no good reason to use barbs if you are releasing the fish.

     
    They stick in your shirt sleeve more securely if they have a barb.

    The poster formally known as Duncsdad

    Everything I say can be fully substantiated by my own opinion.
    #3
    tippecanoe
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    RE: Hook advice 2012/04/20 13:52:50 (permalink)

    ORIGINAL: DarDys

    ORIGINAL: thedrake

    Pinch the barbs. There's no good reason to use barbs if you are releasing the fish.


    They stick in your shirt sleeve more securely if they have a barb.



    that, and human flesh
    #4
    Cold
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    RE: Hook advice 2012/04/20 15:27:20 (permalink)
    I leave em there.
    #5
    DarDys
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    RE: Hook advice 2012/04/20 15:33:46 (permalink)
    ORIGINAL: Cold

    I leave em there.

     
    Doesn't that make laundry more difficult?

    The poster formally known as Duncsdad

    Everything I say can be fully substantiated by my own opinion.
    #6
    Riverbum
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    RE: Hook advice 2012/04/20 16:52:10 (permalink)
    maybe he meant his flesh...

    "Some go to church and think about fishing, others go fishing and think about God."~by Tony Blake~

    "Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in. Its thin current slides away, but eternity remains."
    ~by Henry David Thoreau~





    #7
    schmoe
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    RE: Hook advice 2012/04/20 22:31:54 (permalink)
    Pinch the barbs down. It's easier to get them out of fish, and your shirt, and especially my rain coat (Gore Tex must be magnetic)
    #8
    Cold
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    RE: Hook advice 2012/04/21 15:28:18 (permalink)

    ORIGINAL: DarDys

    ORIGINAL: Cold

    I leave em there.


    Doesn't that make laundry more difficult?


    Nope. I just keep my flies out of my clothes, fingers, ears...they're meant for the fish, not all that stuff.

    Only fish that I have trouble getting them out of is steelhead.

    #9
    World Famous
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    RE: Hook advice 2012/04/22 16:24:52 (permalink)
    Its a lot easier to remove hooks from the fishes mouth if you wait until you gut it....WF
    #10
    casts_by_fly
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    RE: Hook advice 2012/04/23 09:32:08 (permalink)
    always barbless. It does far less damage to the fish when you unhook them. It also takes less force to get a good hookset as the hook doesn't have the 'hump' of the barb to get into the skin, especially in hard bony mouths. Since I'm C&R almost exclusively, I like that when I have thew trout in the net with no slack on the line, the hook is usually out before I reach for the fish.

    rick
    #11
    Indyflier
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    RE: Hook advice 2012/04/23 09:36:57 (permalink)
    I appreciate the replies (as do my shirts, laundry, jackets, fingers and flesh). Thanks for the insights.
    #12
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