Barbed or Barbless hooks

[noztheviking]

In this day of fish conservation which kind of hook do you prefer and why, Have you tried both kinds if so what were your feelings to useing the Barbless hooks, did you find you had as many hookups or did you find you were loosing more fish due to no barb

[mike.d.]

hi noz, are they allowed barbed hooks in the uk now, i remember from my days of course fishing they were banned, dont know about sea fishing over there never done it, sad isnt it, being from grimsby and never done sea fishing till i moved over here, i think the whole point with barbed hooks is security, even then its not 100% as last weekend proved, the reason i use barbed is, that was all i saw when i went to buy, as for prefrence, i cant say, as i hardly catch anything.

[noztheviking]

Hi Mike barbed hooks have never been banned in the UK, THEY ARE BANNED at numerous commercial fisheries due to the owner of these places mistakenly saying that barbed hooks were tearinng the mouths of their over priced carp, this was never scientifically proven, but they just jumped on the band wagon. But now time and experiance have proven that barbless hooks cause just asmuch if not more damage due to the hook being able to turn much easier in the carps mouth due to no barb holding it in place. and Sea fishermen have always had the personal option wether to use them or not, In fact they have the choice of hooks with two barbs in the shape of Eagle Claw circle hooks, and once they take hold there is little chance of any fish getting off, they are also great at holding soft baits when power casting,