[Speyducer]

Where you are able to make a choice of hook for your flies in the waters you fish, do you feel you lose more due to the use of certain types of hook?

Mike

 

[Salmon Chaser]

Mike.
I voted for makes no difference as i feel the style of hook used contibutes more to hanging on to them rather than if it is barbed or not. I fish only barbless flies these days,, some are filed and others are crushed with forceps,, again the style of hook comes into play again as some hooks don't hold up well to being pinched.
SC

 

[abito]

never used a barb(regulation here where i live, even if they allowed barb i wouldn't use it) so i wouldn't know.

 

[7141-4]

I think it matters more tube/stinger vs. traditional long shank. Used to lose a fair # of fish on long-shanked salmon irons, the stinger setup or tube w/ short shank lands more fish for me.

 

[salmonguy]

Barbless Hooks

Hi Mike,

Like Salmon Chaser I voted for makes no difference, a while back the regulations in our area changed, that after the trout season closed you were allowed to fish for salmon with barbless hooks only. After that fall season using only barbless hooks I continued to use them and now I only use barbless for all my fishing.

Alan (salmonguy)

 

[Carl]

Since I changed over to quality (tempered) chemically sharpened hooks about ten years ago, I've had fewer fish come unpinned. The good hooks tend to have "microbarbs", so I think there's less metal involved if you flatten them. I do notice a better holding effect with shorter shanks than longer, but that's material for a different poll.

Carl

 

[fredaevans]

I think it matters more tube/stinger vs. traditional long shank. Used to lose a fair # of fish on long-shanked salmon irons, the stinger setup or tube w/ short shank lands more fish for me.

Second vote for the above. Last fall I was loosing far more of my fish than ever hit the beach ... and it was driving me nuts ... yes, yes, a short drive I know :roll: ... and shifting back to shorter shank, finer wire hooks went a long way in correcting the 'problem.'

 

[KerryS]

I think the matter of losing fish has more to do with technique then with what hook you use. How and when you strike with your hook set and the manner in which you handle the fight has more to do with losing or not losing fish.

 

[Jamey McLeod]

I agree with most of the above posts. I had a couple fish come unglued last fall on big 3/0 AJ's. One of which was a cow. I have since quit using anything bigger than a #3 in a traditional sal/steel style hook and started using more and more tubes and flies with trailer/stinger style hook. Usually use the Gamakatsu Finesse.

Always barbed.