Do you need to use barbless hooks in bwca?

No
Only in the Q
Although you may want to think about using them.

quote AmarilloJim: "No
Only in the Q
Although you may want to think about using them."

+1

Thankfully you can use barb hooks in the BWCA. It is because the waters are controlled by the DNR. I must be the only person who likes barbs on hooks.

Just one time hauling your wife to the hospital to have a hook cut out of her thumb and you'll love barbless hooks.

The general rationale for using barbed hooks is to be able keep the fish hooked until it is actually in hand, net, or in the canoe. A barbed hook lessens the possibility of losing a fish during a jump, or while shaking/thrashing at the side of the canoe. I don't know percentages, but I am sure there is in fact some likelihood a fish getting away more easily using a barbless hook.

The case FOR barbless is safety, and less stress on fish during release. There are a certain number of fish for which hook removal takes time, effort, and in some cases causes obvious damage beyond stress.

I find myself comparing these two competing rationales, and am wondering why I need to actually get a fish into the canoe, only to then release it. Would I be having less enjoyment or fun if a certain percentage of fish came off at boatside? Granted I couldn't get a picture, but beyond that, I'm not sure what the big deal is about 'losing' a fish destined for release anyway.

I've never gone barbless, despite some genuine 'buried hook' emergencies. But as might be obvious from what I've written, I think the case for barbless is (for me) becoming pretty compelling.

Just my two cents worth.....

Since barbless hooks became required in Quetico, my loss percentage seems to be around 50%. These are not ever at the side of the boat but always with a lot of line out and away from the boat. This is very disappointing. I don't feel bad with a fish coming off at the side of the boat as most are released anyway. However, never fighting or seeing the fish is discouraging to say the least.

quote bobbernumber3: "Since barbless hooks became required in Quetico, my loss percentage seems to be around 50%. These are not ever at the side of the boat but always with a lot of line out and away from the boat. This is very disappointing. I don't feel bad with a fish coming off at the side of the boat as most are released anyway. However, never fighting or seeing the fish is discouraging to say the least."

Interesting, and I would concur, if I were not even seeing 50%, would be discouraging. I had assumed that steady pressure would preclude the hook working it's way out, clearly that isn't your experience. Do you have any reason to associate the losses with the type of fishing you are doing (jig, trebles, slip bobber), and also species of fish you are targeting?

Much of my fishing is pretty direct to fish (jigging straight down), and with Fireline, so I can hammer the hook home pretty hard.

I'll have to try barbless myself, and see what the outcome is. Thanks for sharing your experience.

quote Fearlessleader: "Just one time hauling your wife to the hospital to have a hook cut out of her thumb and you'll love barbless hooks."

We hauled my nephew to the clinic in Ely one time when a northern pike he had on got off and the treble hook flew up and hooked him just above the eye. We paddled him out about 6 miles,drove 25 miles to town, Got the hook out. Than drove back and paddled back to our campsite the same day. One of the portages was just less than a mile long.
Yes a barbless would of came right out.

One thing I learned with barbs is how really thick and tough our skin is when trying to pull a hook out of my body.

quote barehook: "

quote bobbernumber3: "Since barbless hooks became required in Quetico, my loss percentage seems to be around 50%. These are not ever at the side of the boat but always with a lot of line out and away from the boat. This is very disappointing. I don't feel bad with a fish coming off at the side of the boat as most are released anyway. However, never fighting or seeing the fish is discouraging to say the least."

Interesting, and I would concur, if I were not even seeing 50%, would be discouraging. I had assumed that steady pressure would preclude the hook working it's way out, clearly that isn't your experience. Do you have any reason to associate the losses with the type of fishing you are doing (jig, trebles, slip bobber), and also species of fish you are targeting?


Much of my fishing is pretty direct to fish (jigging straight down), and with Fireline, so I can hammer the hook home pretty hard.


I'll have to try barbless myself, and see what the outcome is. Thanks for sharing your experience."

I am a big lake trout fishermen in Quetico and with barbless my loss rate has increased maybe 7 %.I know it is less than 10%.

quote barehook: "

quote bobbernumber3: "Since barbless hooks became required in Quetico, my loss percentage seems to be around 50%. These are not ever at the side of the boat but always with a lot of line out and away from the boat. This is very disappointing. I don't feel bad with a fish coming off at the side of the boat as most are released anyway. However, never fighting or seeing the fish is discouraging to say the least."

Interesting, and I would concur, if I were not even seeing 50%, would be discouraging. I had assumed that steady pressure would preclude the hook working it's way out, clearly that isn't your experience. Do you have any reason to associate the losses with the type of fishing you are doing (jig, trebles, slip bobber), and also species of fish you are targeting?


Much of my fishing is pretty direct to fish (jigging straight down), and with Fireline, so I can hammer the hook home pretty hard.


I'll have to try barbless myself, and see what the outcome is. Thanks for sharing your experience."

I should have qualified this as Lake Trout Trolling with 4 ounce weight and lots of line. I think Lakers are able to generate some slack to work themselves off, even with a tight line. Walleye fishing with jigs, short line and better hook sets are minimal losses due to barbless hooks.

For the first time, we noticed increased loss of hooked fish in Quetico this summer (presumably due - at least in part - to barbless fishing). Many in my family really do prefer fishing barbless because we generally like to have the option of releasing fish unharmed, especially when they are larger. So there were some disappointments both at the shoreline and from the canoe this summer . . .

QUESTION:
If a line breaks and a fish swims away with a lure in its mouth, is there any likelihood of a barbless lure eventually working its way out?

quote bronxpaddler: "For the first time, we noticed increased loss of hooked fish in Quetico this summer (presumably due - at least in part - to barbless fishing). Many in my family really do prefer fishing barbless because we generally like to have the option of releasing fish unharmed, especially when they are larger. So there were some disappointments both at the shoreline and from the canoe this summer . . .

QUESTION:
If a line breaks and a fish swims away with a lure in its mouth, is there any likelihood of a barbless lure eventually working its way out? "

I would think much greater chance due to no pressure holding it in. A barbed hook is more anchored. Once caught a smallmouth in Parent lake by Snowbank on a surface lure. The bass made a pass at my floating lure and I snagged hook to hook a rapala hanging from its mouth.

I think my most common lure I see in mouths of fish broke off is jigs. Seen them also in the stomach.

quote Savage Voyageur: "I must be the only person who likes barbs on hooks. "

Nope... you're not the only one. Count me in.

We fish barbless in Quetico because we have to, but as soon as we are back those hooks are removed and thrown out.

I use barbless hooks exclusively when I'm fly fishing. All of the flies I tie are on barbless hooks. The last time I was trout fishing I caught at least 50 Bows and did not loose one fish because of the barbless hooks I used for me, I have not experienced a problem using barbless hooks, but then I don't have long lengths of line out either. If you practice catch and release then barbless maybe the way to go. If you are keeping what you catch it doesn't make much difference what you use.

Last year's trip i fished with barbed hooks, and my 11 year old son, for my own peace of mind, fished with the barbs crimped down, (essentially barbless)

He concentrated on keep the rod tip up, keeping the line tight, and taking his time landing the fish. I don't think we had any significant difference in lost fish.

quote Quacker1: "I use barbless hooks exclusively when I'm fly fishing. All of the flies I tie are on barbless hooks. The last time I was trout fishing I caught at least 50 Bows and did not loose one fish because of the barbless hooks I used for me, I have not experienced a problem using barbless hooks, but then I don't have long lengths of line out either. If you practice catch and release then barbless maybe the way to go. If you are keeping what you catch it doesn't make much difference what you use."

Agree. You also got to keep the line tight as mentioned.

Obviously plenty of room for personal preference on this one, but I *love* barbless hooks. I only notice any significant difference in catch rates when fishing smallies, who do like to throw the hook when jumping. Just got back from the Q fishing primarily for lake trout, and we had three get off out of about 40 or so (we had no extra/attached weights, though, which might make a difference for sure). Not a bad ratio, and well worth it to me for easy quick release, especially with the random pike thrown in.

Lyontyl, Foodnazi, & I were in Quetico and our consensus was that we didn't have any problems with eyes & slimmers but noticed a big difference in smallmouths. We thought it was because smallmouths like to shake there heads when they fight.
We'll be in the bdub in a couple of weeks and I'm not going to replace any of my hooks.
Foodnazi noticed it is a lot easier to remove a hook from the fish and your finger also.

Good point about hook removal, CaptTony. Of course, they also go *into* our fingers a little easier, too. :)