Without Googling as to why barbs were added to hooks, I'm assuming that barbs were manufactured for a sole purpose and that would be to keep the worm or other baits from falling off the hook. I doubt that it was intended to make the hook stick in the fish more securely.

There have been many times I was happy that my hook had the barb pinched down when releasing small fish. It also eliminated my hook from getting snagged on various things like the mesh in the net.

Up at the lake, I can recall a friend of mine that accidentally drove a hook (about a size 6) deep into his index finger while tightening a knot on his tippet. I knew of a veterinarian that was staying in a cabin near us which I asked to assist us. He had to remove the tinsel, feathers, etc. to the bare hook. If there was no barb, the hook would have been removed by taking it out the same way it went in. In this case, the hook had to be pushed right through because of the barb. Ouch!

I also find it strange that barbless hooks cost more monies than barbed.

If you fish barbed hooks, what is the reason that you are not willing to fish barbless?

Used only barb less hooks for a few years.

TF

I think it's a matter of personal choice often based on need.If your fishing to kill and kept then fine. If your in a competition and it's vital you don't loose any fish many anglers fish with barbed single and double hooks. If like me your a catch and release angler it has to be barbless.

When salmon fishing I rarely see barbless hooks on flies.

BK

Having had a few barbed hooks in my hands, I usually pinch down the barb nowdays.

The hook penetrates more easily, and I haven't noticed that I lose more fish.

I usually flatten the barbs on my hooks prior to fishing, but I do think I lose more fish on the barbless hooks than I would have done on the barbed. As I am fishing catch and release it doesn't matter all that much.

If a fish gets off then I just consider it to have released itself saving me the bother

I switched to barbless a few years ago. I see only one reason for a barb and that is to keep a worm on. I course fish as well and it's hopeless fishing a worm on barbless. I have some sea hooks with two barbs half way up the shank specifically to keep worms on.

One of the bonuses with BL is it is easy get out of the net, your clothes and skin. No need to loose fish if you keep the tension on and hey they fall off barbed to if you relax everything. Also I find it disturbing trying to unhook a small fish with barbed. Try as we might damage is often on the cards. I don't like that .

I'm sticking with BL .

Barbs have been here for a long time ,they are or were a necessary part of their manufacture ,the wire would be eyed pointed and then barbed
the barb would then be caught onto a bending former which would shape the hooks bend .

Almost all my hooks are now with squashed barbs and I loose very few fish ,as to extracting barbed hooks the loop of strong nylon around the bend and a down ward depression of the hook and a sharp pull works very well !

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Andy Wren
Winter grayling taking a year off !
Claret not just a great dubbing colour!

Quite right Andy.
Only a maniac would attempt to extract a hook by pushing it back through without anesthetic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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It is in truth not glory,nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting,but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with his life.(Declaration of Arbroath, 1320)

totaly new to fly fishing,and only intend to fish on a catch and release basis.
however i have coarse fished on and off for a fair few years.
my opinion for what it is worth.
i would only ever use barbless hooks.
if i ever get to the stage when i am catching,lol.
and one gets away,eh oh theirs plenty more fish in the sea.
i can understand that for some,their is a need to use barbed.
but in some cases the word barb(aric) seems more suited. Paul.

I find hooks with micro-barbs to be better than barbless. They don't fall out and they do little, if any, damage.

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How poor a thing, sometimes I find,
Will captivate a greedy mind - Isaac Walton.

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