There are a lot of good reasons to fish barbless. For one, you get to experience some of America’s most magnificent streams. For another, barbless offers the best sustainable practices for catch and release. Rebel LINK.
Both are very compelling reasons to fish using barbless hooks.
Yet when you mention barbless to some experienced anglers, access to special regulation locations or sustainability may not be the first things they want to discuss. Instead, they’re likely to talk about the challenge of keeping the fish on a barbless hook—it’s a perception that’s been around for quite awhile. But with more barbless lures on the market than ever, maybe it’s time to sink that old fishing tale.
A little brushing up on your technique can make barbless as productive as any other form of fishing. There’s nothing new to learn about fishing barbless—it relies on the same methods anglers have always used for barbed hooks.
The first tip to barbless success begins the moment you set the hook and lasts until the fish is in your hands. From start to finish, keep the rod tip up. Just like with barbed hooks, you want the lure planted in the fish’s mouth. A dancing rod tip will only lead to disappointment, no matter what type of hook you’re using. So, keep your rod tip high.
Next, keep your line tight. As obvious as it may seem, the importance of this step bears repeating. Keep your line tig
ht. Just like a flailing rod, a loose line gives the fish a chance to come unhooked. A tight line applies constant pressure and ensures that a barbless hook is just as effective as any other variety for reeling in that prize catch. And since we’re on the subject of reeling, be sure to do that with a nice, steady rate. The longer a fish has to fight, the more chance he has of coming off the hook. You shouldn’t be a speed demon about it, just bring him in with a consistent reeling action. In catch and release situations, a moderate retrieval is also much better for the fish’s survival.
That’s all the special instruction you need to go barbless. Practice these fundamentals and you’ll never miss barbed hooks, especially when you’re casting on pristine water where they’re not allowed.