Years ago I was convinced that using barbless hooks you would lose more fish.Then I began fishing more and more with them due to catch and release and found you dont lose anymore than you would normally with a barbed hook,so now fish barbless unless I have forgotten to flatten the hook now and again.

I for one would not be against and all for using barbless hooks all the time.

One day I believe it will happen and may even lighten up the antis against us .

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Kevin

Ive been using barbless Knapek hooks since October 2008 so far taken well over 30 fish on them "LOVE THEM" im convinced i get much, much better hook ups, i dont seem to get bites anymore, just hook ups

Ok miss the odd one but of my last 8 trout taken on barbless i had 8 bites, these lead to 8 hook ups and eight trout in my net, i never got such a good hook up rate with barbed hooks.

Personally wouldnt flattern barbed hooks, as im convinced its the long slim taper on "manufactured barbless hooks" are vital nothing to impede penetration, and we all know how important good penetration is

Englander

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Englander

"Barbless since 2008"

Vision GT Four catapult 9' 6#
Vision GT Four SW 9' 9#
Vision 3 Zone 9' 5#
Vision Cult 9' 3#
Shakespeare Trion 9' 5/6#
Cortland Endurance 9' 6#
Shakespeare Expedition float tube
Vosseler DC3 reel
Okuma Helios 8/9 reel
Greys G series 3/4 reel
Snowbee Geo 3/4 reel

Englander,

Where do you get your Knapek's from?

John.

You can order Knapeks from here:
http://www.czechnymphs.co.uk/Shop/in...dex&cPath=2_27

(Have yet to try them myself, interesting comments above tho might spur me on to try some, heard other +VE review on them elsewhere too).

Dave.

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I'm prepared to be persuaded that you (MAY) get "fish on" more often with barbless but once on, I think with barbless I end up bullying the fish to prevent loss. I'm not happy that I may do this.

Why How

Funny most peope use barbless as they fish C & R .............. i kill every rainbow i catch, i use a 5# and i like to play them as long as they,ve got fight left, i NEVER hurry them in as i enjoy the fight too much

Saying this i have obviously released the brown trout ive caught over the winter, and feel better doing this barbless rather than rippling ruddy great wholes in there jaws

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Englander

"Barbless since 2008"

Vision GT Four catapult 9' 6#
Vision GT Four SW 9' 9#
Vision 3 Zone 9' 5#
Vision Cult 9' 3#
Shakespeare Trion 9' 5/6#
Cortland Endurance 9' 6#
Shakespeare Expedition float tube
Vosseler DC3 reel
Okuma Helios 8/9 reel
Greys G series 3/4 reel
Snowbee Geo 3/4 reel

I take it the brown trout you catch in winter you let them fight themselves to exhaustion? How many of them will survive after you have released considering they are already in poor form from spawning/mating! All because you enjoy the fight?

Walker

My thoughts as well.Get it in,get it released!!Andy

I agree with you Moray, but I fear thinking it will alleviate some of the anti's angst is misplaced, no matter what we do, they will be against us, period. This is why we should never engineer our approach to our sport to try and please them, all it will do is leave us with a compromised hobby, with the same bunch of people trying to get rid of us just as fervently as they were before.

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http://www.flyfishinglessons.co.uk
http://www.aapgai.co.uk

Firstly out of season im fishing on small still waters mostly rainbows, of the three out of season browns two where wee wild ones 6" and 8" obviously they will not fight hard enough to knacker themselves, a 5# over powers them very quickly, the third a 20"........ well being a bit out of condition like you said it doesnt take long to get them in unlike a fighting fit winter bow which can make blistering run after run

As soon as i know im into a brownie, i make an effort to get him in and released, as for rainbows the longer the fight the better

Any way we've getting side tracked my query was to why SAB felt he had to "bully the fish to prevent loss" in relation to barbless

I play a fish barbless just as i did when i fished barbed.

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Englander

"Barbless since 2008"

Vision GT Four catapult 9' 6#
Vision GT Four SW 9' 9#
Vision 3 Zone 9' 5#
Vision Cult 9' 3#
Shakespeare Trion 9' 5/6#
Cortland Endurance 9' 6#
Shakespeare Expedition float tube
Vosseler DC3 reel
Okuma Helios 8/9 reel
Greys G series 3/4 reel
Snowbee Geo 3/4 reel