The lake my dad and I escape to every summer for our Canada fishing trip is a muskie/pike sanctuary near Sioux Lookout, Ontario. In addition to being a catch-and-release only lake -- which we would do anyway -- it is a single hook, no barb, no livebait lake.

This means you can only use baits with 1 hook (or 1 treble hook). If you have a crankbait with 2 sets of trebles, for example, you'd need to remove one of the treble hooks. And, of course, pinch off all the barbs.

The lake is teeming with big pike and muskies that we see and catch year after year. But it's never fun to lose a big muskie at the boat that maybe - just maybe - you would have caught with another treble hook or barbs.

What do you think about barbless hooks?

Tony

For C&R, barbless hooks, IMHO, are the way to go. A lot of flyfishermen only use barbless hooks when they tie flies.

So, you lost a nice fish because there was no barb? (Not you, just a generalization). Looks like we have to up the learning curve! Keep a little more tension on the fish. Maybe play him this way instead of that way.

Now, with that said, a lot of my bass and pike lures still have barbs. After the fight these fish put up, the hole you put in with the hook is usually a bit bigger by now anyway. A barb isn't going to hurt them any.

Just my .02 worth

How you doing, guys?

I think enough of barbless hooks that all of my lures are barbless.  The only hooks in my Plano that have barbs are the ones I use live bait on.  As long as you keep the pressure on, & keep the line between the fish & you tight, you won't be losing any fish just because your hook's barbless.  Not only that, but when you bring the fish in & decide you don't want to keep it, you can just give it a little slack, & 99 times out of 100 the fish will free itself without being exposed to the air or your grabbing it.  Besides, I also like them because they're easier to dig out of my own sorry carcass (yes, I have experienced this... don't ask).

  I used to fish for Norther exclusively with a Johnson Silver Spoon with the barb filed off. This let me more easily remove the hook without any further damage to the fish. I could sometimes play the fish to the boat or shore then just slack the line and let them go without ever touching them or removing them from the water. The fish would just spit it out. I NEVER had one get off if I hooked it unless I put slack in the line.

  I don't file barbs anymore but if I had to fish without them I don't think it would be a problem.