The Barbs on Hooks

[rebeav]

I  noticed that most of the hooks I have a wimpy barb. Most of them are Gamakatsu but I have a little of everything as I'm sure most of us do.  The Mihatchii's have a bigger barb than the rest. Half the fish I missed or pulled off I am now contributing to NO BARB lol. Don't givem no slack takes on another meaning after a closer observation of my hooks tonight! I guess just start winching them right out of the water and ski them to the boat?   What am I missing I would think the more the better?

[firefightn15]

"Don't givem no slack"

That's your answer.

[Grey Wolf]

"Don't givem no slack"

That's your answer.

X2 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

I crush the barb most of the time to aid in release of the fish. If they have slack they can throw a hook barbed or not.

[OkobojiEagle]

Small barbs or barbless provide easier penitation.

steve

[I.rar]

i crush all barbs on single hook baits. makes safe releasing super easy. especially on deep hooked fish.

im thinking of crushing 2 out of the 3 barbs on my few cranks to help with release also...

[SoFlaBassAddict]

The barbs were never there to hold on a fish.  They were put on hooks to hold on bait.  I crush most of mine and rarely loose a fish to a hook slipping out.  If you give them slack line for some silly reason, say goodbye.

[Avalonjohn44]

Here is a great post from my favorite bass blog about going barbless:

http://www.bigindianabass.com/big_indiana_bass/barbless-hook-thoughts.html

[Hammer 4]

I crush the barb most of the time to aid in release of the fish. If they have slack they can throw a hook barbed or not.

X whatever..no barbs for me..

[NBR]

I have some hooks in my tackle boxes but those have never been tied on. Every hook I fish with has had the barb pinched down. I've done this for over 35 years and I don't think its caused me to loose any more fish than I would have with barbed hooks.

It has been a lot easier to get the hooks out of the fish, boat carpet, clothing, boat seats and ME.

[rebeav]

So what's the point of the barb being on a hook if there is no benefit? To keep the plastics on?

I wish my top water was barbless about 2 summers ago, but our skin is more comparable to a catfish than a bass.

How do you know that "i rarely lose a fish due to a hook slipping out"

Of course I try not to allow any slack but sometimes on that hookset your gonna rippem open a litte more or pull them towards you some but hey apparently some folks are perfect lol.

I read the article and I will give it a try in certain waters. Where I fish the most every cast has the chance of a new state and or lake record (13.84 lake& 16+state) so it won't be there. 

[Gatorbassman]

I fish barbless 99% of the time and I don't have a problem keeping fish on the hook. Like you said "don't give them slack"

IMO the barb is there for people who don't know how to fight a fish.

[BobP]

I think it's easier to stick a fish with a barbless hook (smaller hook point cross section going into hard bass mouth parts) so to me it's a tradeoff between hooking up and staying hooked.  If you don't horse them too hard and tear the hook hole open, a barb on the hook is almost always superfluous.  Player's choice.   

[gobig]

IMO barbs make a huge difference. There would not be regulations that dis-allow (mainly other species) them if there was no difference. Try putting a hook with a barb through some fabric and do the same with barbless and tell me you do not notice a difference. That slight advantage can be the difference between cashing a check or not. I do agree that playing a fish well and not allowing slack in the line is key. But barbs allow a for a margin of error. The heavier the bait is the more leverage a fish can generate to throw the bait so this is where a barb is most critical.

[SJB1226]

The barbs were never there to hold on a fish. They were put on hooks to hold on bait. I crush most of mine and rarely loose a fish to a hook slipping out. If you give them slack line for some silly reason, say goodbye.

I agree barb or barbless if you keep it tight you wont loose many fish... however If you have a barb you will loose less fish...Saying a barb is just to hold bait is silly... The barbs there to help keep fish pinned... Ask any pro would they fish an event with barbless hooks?? and you will get only no no no no no ect ect.. I fish barbless when practicing to aid in quick C&R and barb on when moneys on the hook... helps keep it pinned better.

[SJB1226]

IMO barbs make a huge difference. There would not be regulations that dis-allow (mainly other species) them if there was no difference. Try putting a hook with a barb through some fabric and do the same with barbless and tell me you do not notice a difference. That slight advantage can be the difference between cashing a check or not. I do agree that playing a fish well and not allowing slack in the line is key. But barbs allow a for a margin of error. The heavier the bait is the more leverage a fish can generate to throw the bait so this is where a barb is most critical.

this is 100% correct. well wrote pal.

[fishfordollars]

You'll learn to love those small barbs when it's time to rip one out of the back of a finger or hand.

Fished a night tournament in june and let a 2 pounder run a hook into my left index finger. No one to help so i just grabbed the pliers, stuck my hand down in the ice chest to numb it up and ripped it back out. Probably could not have done that with the larger barbs.

Fishing is a bloodsport. LOL.