artificial lures: Wednesday I'm planning on fishing a stretch of water that's open to trout fishing but restricted to "artificial lures and barbless hooks". A couple of questions.

Spiritof27 Loc: Lincoln, CA

Wednesday I'm planning on fishing a stretch of water that's open to trout fishing but restricted to "artificial lures and barbless hooks". A couple of questions. Anybody ever had any luck smushing the barbs on a Panther Martin?
Or a Kastmaster? Or do you buy barbless trebles and replace them? Also, California regs define "bait" (which is restricted here) as anything that has scent added. So berkley worms and grubs and powerbait are out. Does anyone know if Creme plastic worms are scented? I've got some barbless woolybuggers and I'm going to try those for sure.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Spirit: I really don't know, but believe that Creme worms are scented. Remember, in some states, there is the legal theory that "It's only illegal if you get caught!" I would believe that with a good pair of pliers you should be able to flatten the barbs. Just Sayin...RJS

flyguy Loc: Lake Onalaska, Sunfish Capitol of the World!

MN. regs. use to say "artificial only, barbless" and we would have to either smash the barb down or buy a barbless hook. When I would get checked by a CO, I would show him my barbless fly and he would just shake his head and say, " I don't care about that" Now the regs just say "artificial only". You make the call, Spirit, I'm just telling you what happened in MN.

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

Spiritof27 wrote:

Wednesday I'm planning on fishing a stretch of wat... (show quote)

I know from years past when fishin areas that required that you had to make sure that there was not even the slightest barb left at all. The warden would run material , like pantie hose, over the barb and if it snagged at all you got a ticket. Prolly in cahoots with the hook manufactures. Just be careful and catch some fish. Tight lines brother.

PS Haven't found an area we can fish over here.

Spiritof27 Loc: Lincoln, CA

I'm not sure I'll be able to fish where I'm going, but it's gotta be worth a try. If not we'll just get out and enjoy the drive and stay well out of everyone's way. I've never done this before, fished restricted water, but I'm gonna take my fly rod and try those woolybuggers if the water's so I can. Those are barbless. I bought them for an occasion just like this. I'm such a lousy fly fisherman though.

fast_randy Loc: Blackfoot, Idaho

I've never seen barbless trebble hooks. I suppose they make them. Steelhead fishing here in Idaho is barbless only and I just use needle nose to crimp the barbs.

JRK227 Loc: Cedarburg, WI

Smash the barbs with a pliers or file them down.

MuskyHunter Loc: Torrington, CT

flyguy wrote:

MN. regs. use to say "artificial only, barbless" and we would have to either smash the barb down or buy a barbless hook. When I would get checked by a CO, I would show him my barbless fly and he would just shake his head and say, " I don't care about that" Now the regs just say "artificial only". You make the call, Spirit, I'm just telling you what happened in MN.

Flyguy, it is not clear what you are trying to communicate...are you saying the smashed barbs are ok? You say you are telling us what happened. Did anything else happen besides that comment? Is there an innuendo intended here?

I do know that everywhere I have been that required barbless considered smashed barbed hooks legal.

Thanks,
Frank

Spiritof27 Loc: Lincoln, CA

I'm gonna get busy with the file today. Amazon does sell barbless trebles, but there's no way I get them in time to go tomorrow. Guys and gals, if you could only use 1 panther martin, which color would you use? I've got a pretty good collection and I don't want to file them all down. Help me decide? I've got a 3/8 oz kastmaster in a rainbow trout pattern, that's getting the barbs filed. We're going for browns and rainbows tomorrow.

MuskyHunter Loc: Torrington, CT

Don't file, just crimp with pliers. Filing will take you forever.

Also, don't worry about ruining those lures. It is easy to replace the hooks with new ones, so go crimp a few of each!

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

MuskyHunter wrote:

Don't file, just crimp with pliers. Filing will take you forever.

Also, don't worry about ruining those lures. It is easy to replace the hooks with new ones, so go crimp a few of each!

They're picky here in Cali bout hooks not havein the least little barb on them. They use to run a piece of nylon, like pantie hose, over the barb and if it snagged at all, you got a ticket. Don't know if they are still that way, but would not want to get a ticket because of it though.

MuskyHunter Loc: Torrington, CT

saw1 wrote:

They're picky here in Cali bout hooks not havein the least little barb on them. They use to run a piece of nylon, like pantie hose, over the barb and if it snagged at all, you got a ticket. Don't know if they are still that way, but would not want to get a ticket because of it though.

What a crazy way to encourage people to go barbless. I can attest to the fact that fish can easily get off crimped barbed hooks (I use barbless hooks almost all of the time, and with northerns, I just give them a little slack and they are gone - great way to release a fish), so that little bump makes little difference.

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

MuskyHunter wrote:

What a crazy way to encourage people to go barbless. I can attest to the fact that fish can easily get off crimped barbed hooks (I use barbless hooks almost all of the time, and with northerns, I just give them a little slack and they are gone - great way to release a fish), so that little bump makes little difference.

I agree. But what can you say. It's Cali. what would you expect.

Fishing Fool Loc: redding, ca

Sprit: I just called the headquarters for Northern California Dept of Fish and Wildlife in Redding and spoke to someone and about use of plastics and just bending the barbs down or file them off and she had to get the head warden and he said you can use any plastics for fishing an artificial lure and barbless area only and he said it is ok to use plastics but no bait of any kind that at one time was alive.

MuskyHunter Loc: Torrington, CT

Fishing Fool wrote:

Sprit: I just called the headquarters for Northern California Dept of Fish and Wildlife in Redding and spoke to someone and about use of plastics and just bending the barbs down or file them off and she had to get the head warden and he said you can use any plastics for fishing an artificial lure and barbless area only and he said it is ok to use plastics but no bait of any kind that at one time was alive.

You answered the plastics, but what was the answer on crimped barbs?