So why should we fish using barbless hooks? 1)If you intend on releasing your catch or undesireable species using barbless hooks will do less damage to the fish you catch so you can safely release them. Always keep constant pressure otherwise the fish will throw the hook. 2)You could injure or possibly kill protected marine species like turtles using a barbed hook. In Hawaii the Marine Base located in Kaneohe Bay on Oahu has issued a notice that starting in 2018 all on base fishing will be by barbless circle hooks. This is the first time i've heard of restrictions made based on the use of barbless hooks. But i'm all for it.
On this day a nearby GT "Ulua" fisherman accidently hooked a huge Hawaiian Monk Seal, a locally protected species. It wasn't the angler's fault or intent to hook the seal, it happens. But using barbless hooks will cause most hooked animals to "shake" the hook off since the barb is designed to keep the hook embedded.
Traveled the World diving & fishing. Became a ranked billiard player in Asia. Won a few senior bowling tournaments. I travel to the US, Australia & Europe working with museums & doing educational lectures.
Fishing in the "Quality Water" of the San Juan river below lake Navajo in New Mexico, you have to bend the barbs down on all hooks when fishing for rainbow trout, It is a good thing to do in my opinion, save trout lives for sure.
Virtually all of my fishing is barbless. I very rarely keep fish and prefer to release them with as little damage as possible. You lose surprisingly few fish going barbless. That, and I much prefer removing barbless hooks from tender flesh in the event of an accidental self hooking.
I mainly fish for sunfish and do not use barbless hooks. I do release about 90 percent of the fish I catch which were all healthy being released. I do love the idea of barbless hooks on certain other species of fish.
IGFA World Record Rio Grande Cichlid. Lake Dunlap.
John 3:16
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