I am getting ready for my annual pilgrimage to the Canadian Wilderness aka Quetico Provincial Park in Southwest Ontario.  The concern that I have is that they have instituted a new barbless only policy.  Have any of you had any dealings with fishing barbless for smallmouth bass, walleye, and northern pike?  I was wondering about hook to catch ratio and how to improve it.  I am concerned that I am going to drive 1300 miles from Kentucky to experience world class fishing and canoeing only to be disappointed in the fishing.  Are my fears reasonable?

Don

  I used to fish Northern Pike with barbless only so that I could get the hook out easier. I think that as long as you keep pressure on the fish you shouldn't have a problem. I got to the point that I would bring the fish into the shore and get a good look at them, then I would put slack in the line and they would just spit out the lure and I could continue to fish without having slimy hands. We also have a barbless only season for trout here in Wisconsin, never lost a fish due to no barbs.

Thanks for the positive feedback.  Not having slimy hands after catching northerns has an appeal  :)

Have you had any experience with the smallmouth.  The way they thrash when you are ready to lip them, I worry about it.  They are really my fish of choice.

i do barbless on some sections of river here(LAW), i do land striper  trout and bass, i have lost a few do to barbless, as they go air born and thrash so much, but it's law! i also try not to use barbs if the kids are fishing too, anyone who has sunk a hook in them self past the  barb, would wish they had barbless hooks~LOL 

when a bass or trout go air born in a flop of a fight, i  reel fast and keep it tight, i hold the pole up high and try to bring them as close as i can while they are kinda weightless! striper(to me) don't  seem to give much slack line, they want to git away at all cost so they keep it tight by them self, how is a barb going to hold a striper on a straight hook anyway LOL...

  tight lines!

Hey, Hcctreeman.  I am a big encourager of barbless hook use.  In fact, all of my lures are barbless.  The only hooks I have that have barbs are the ones I use live bait with.  But like our fellow member Fish-A-Holic says, you can't have any slack in the line when hauling those pike in.  Keep it tight between you and the fish.  I've caught everything from northerns and muskies, to largemouths & smallmouths, to carp, to panfish, to walleyes & sauger on barbless lures, and I don't see where this has had any negative effect whatsoever.  They're also easier to dig out of your own carcass should some unfortunate event put one there (yes, I speak from experience).  Keep those hooks sharp & the line tight, & I don't think you'll ever regret going barbless.  God bless.  -Sonny