Why are barbless hooks now mandatory?
Jan 8, 2022 16:45:07 #
Sashbrush
Loc: Santa Clara California
Dumb question I’m sure. I never understood why they are illegal now. The game warden told me to use pliers and flatten them. Which I did. I still caught trout. Occasionally they still swallowed the hook. Thank you in advance anyone who knows.
Jan 8, 2022 16:51:10 #
Because it’s easier to release fish that don’t swallow hooks. If a fish bleeds they will not survive. A tiny tiny bit they may but most will die. Should keep them
Jan 8, 2022 17:18:15 #
Jeremy wrote:
Because it’s easier to release fish that don’t swallow hooks. If a fish bleeds they will not survive. A tiny tiny bit they may but most will die. Should keep them
If they (Fish&Game) really want to enforce releasing undersized fish or wrong species they should make fishing with bait,live dead or artificial illegal. Single barbless hooks on all lures and flies only then almost guaranteed to be caught in the mouth.But they like to put that clause in to Keep almost dead fish ( IF LEGAL TO DO SO.)
Jan 8, 2022 17:57:35 #
Sashbrush wrote:
Dumb question I’m sure. I never understood why they are illegal now. The game warden told me to use pliers and flatten them. Which I did. I still caught trout. Occasionally they still swallowed the hook. Thank you in advance anyone who knows.
The only place they're mandatory here are on "catch and release" only sections of rivers. If a fish swallows a barbless hook, you should be able to easily remove it. Use a hook disgorger tool.
Jan 8, 2022 19:21:39 #
Fredfish wrote:
The only place they're mandatory here are on "catch and release" only sections of rivers. If a fish swallows a barbless hook, you should be able to easily remove it. Use a hook disgorger tool.
Here in Washington the regs are a bit tighter.Barbless on all Catch&Release waters,and anytime targeting salmon in Puget Sound or any of the rivers.As to my previous remark about using bait,Theres only one lake where I use bait anymore(got tired of killing little trout)a high altitude mountain lake with native trout averaging 12-16" and very tasty,not the pond raised,pellet fed trout they stock around here anymore.Anything else I prefer trolling or cast&retrieve lures and of course fly fishing.
Jan 8, 2022 23:50:24 #
Jan 8, 2022 23:50:41 #
Jan 8, 2022 23:58:41 #
Sashbrush wrote:
Dumb question I’m sure. I never understood why they are illegal now. The game warden told me to use pliers and flatten them. Which I did. I still caught trout. Occasionally they still swallowed the hook. Thank you in advance anyone who knows.
Don't know where you were fishing at friend ,but there are many rivers here in Cali that have certain sections that must use barbless hooks only, like Fred mentioned, if you can't get a pamphlet for the 2022 regulations, you can download it online and will tell you which areas do that, hope that helps,,,
Jan 9, 2022 00:02:18 #
Jan 9, 2022 04:27:55 #
Barbless Hooks are better if ever hook yourself or clothes too. I definitely lost some nice fish and lots of bait because no Barb. Many places that have good fishing have to ol Barb at home. She always says why did they outlaw me?
Jan 9, 2022 12:02:06 #
Big dog
Loc: Bayshore, Long Island, New York
Sashbrush wrote:
Thank you for the explanation
A little trivia: barbs were created to keep the bait on the hook.
Jan 9, 2022 12:09:58 #
Circle hooks are actually better with bait. You don't jerk the rod to hook them, just reel. It pulls the hook out to the edge of the mouth. No Gut Hooked fish with the circle hook. Don't know if they make small. 8-14 sized circle hooks though for trout.
Jan 9, 2022 12:54:58 #
audigger53 wrote:
Circle hooks are actually better with bait. You don't jerk the rod to hook them, just reel. It pulls the hook out to the edge of the mouth. No Gut Hooked fish with the circle hook. Don't know if they make small. 8-14 sized circle hooks though for trout.
Eagle Claw goes down to 12s Digger. As far as I know all circle hooks have barbs though, so they may not be useable in restricted areas. Frankly I think they would be better than barbless from a mortality standpoint. That's why we have to use circle hooks for any baitfishing for Stripers. So any out of slot fish can be released unharmed.
Jan 9, 2022 13:20:04 #
Fredfish wrote:
Eagle Claw goes down to 12s Digger. As far as I know all circle hooks have barbs though, so they may not be useable in restricted areas. Frankly I think they would be better than barbless from a mortality standpoint. That's why we have to use circle hooks for any baitfishing for Stripers. So any out of slot fish can be released unharmed.
Same here in Maryland for Stripers. Circle hooks only. I'll look into the smaller ones again. I think a #4 is about as small I want to go for at this time anyway. The #12 must be really smaller for the opening. But lip hooking them is much nicer for removing the hook for keeping or catch and release. IMO anyway Be careful of the Circle hooks on the net, lots of them do NOT have the end of the hook with the bend back like the eagle hooks.
Jan 9, 2022 13:28:18 #
kfsrmn
Loc: Lake Havasu AZ
Fishing on the American River for steelhead with barbless hooks I would have gotten a ticket with flattened barbs. F&G used a cotton swab to check for any barb.
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