Barbless Hooks and Random Thoughts

[TPO]

Its been a while since I've been out on the Delta; I've just been too busy lately, but I managed to get out for a few hours this morning. Fished from about 7-10 AM. I had a bunch of hits on top-water, but I missed hook ups on most of them. I was really frustrated that I lost close to half a dozen hooked fish on one of my deer hair poppers. I noticed it was barbless, I am in the habit of crimping down the barb on trout flies and have done he same on most of my bass flies. Do you guys fish barbless hooks for bass, and do you notice a significant difference in your catch rate?? I dug through my flies and found a similar popper with the barb intact. I still lost fish but I did bring some to hand and they didn't seem to be worse for the wear. I usually fish 7-8 weight rods but I pulled out a 6wt I use for trout and gave it a try. It was great with the mostly smaller fish I encountered. I usually over-line my rods so I used a 7wt bass bug taper line and it had no problem turning over the deer hair bugs. Here is a sample of the catch and one of the poppers I was fishing, nothing too exciting, kinda your standard ~2lb Delta largemouth. Haven't seen too many posts about topwater, anyone having any luck? Would really like to get out there more often.

Tom

[Scott V]

I fish barbless for two reasons. 1, have no plans to keep any fish so barbless does less harm. 2, you ever stick a 2/0 closure in your back? It hurts and luckily I pinch all my barbs.

[winxp_man]

I like to pinch the bards on all my hooks. I find that if you know how to fight your fish you will get them with no bards too.

[rusty fly]

actually has a meaning

[jersey]

Focus on the timing of your hook set. The barb is not really as important.

Strip set hard...

[Tony Buzolich]

I'm glad this wasn't me that did it as Frank stuck himself in the back. Sometimes when the wind gets to blowing or it's late in the day and your arm starts getting tired you begin to drop your backcast and look what happens.

Yes, it was barbed. Fortunately it wasn't deep and I had pliers on board.
Tony

[Darian]

Over the years I've stuck a few flies in my hide. Never anything really bad but I've seen some serious injuries to eyes, etc. Closest I ever came was a thru the upper lip hook up. I played myself for a while and released without any lingering after affects....

[TPO]

Thanks everyone for all the comments. I think timing the hookset may be my big problem. You know what its like when you get that blow-up, you're first reaction is to quickly lift the rod and I'm guilty of that too often. I suspect when I set the fish often barely has the fly in his mouth so I don't get a solid hook-up. I've never really used a strip set when bass fishing. As far as ending up with hooks in the body, I've never had that, but I did have a very scary near mess a few years ago: bug was hung up in tree branches, I pulled to release it/break it off and the thing came flying back at me right into my left glasses lens at a high velocity. Thank goodness I have shatter proof glasses but they were totally scratched up, I had to get a replacement pair. Taught me a lesson in care when dealing with a hung up fly.

Tom

[winxp_man]

I'm glad this wasn't me that did it as Frank stuck himself in the back. Sometimes when the wind gets to blowing or it's late in the day and your arm starts getting tired you begin to drop your backcast and look what happens.

Yes, it was barbed. Fortunately it wasn't deep and I had pliers on board.
Tony

Is that Franks Alessio ?!?!?? I did that twice in my ear fishing for shad this year! It was like you said Tony late in the day and getting dark plus tired = no good casts sometimes........

The best and funniest one I seen was some guy (way back as a little kid) who hooked himself in the rear end of his pants. So every time he went to cast he would raise his pants so it was a teeter totter effect going on hehe

[winxp_man]

Thanks everyone for all the comments. I think timing the hookset may be my big problem. You know what its like when you get that blow-up, you're first reaction is to quickly lift the rod and I'm guilty of that too often. I suspect when I set the fish often barely has the fly in his mouth so I don't get a solid hook-up. I've never really used a strip set when bass fishing. As far as ending up with hooks in the body, I've never had that, but I did have a very scary near mess a few years ago: bug was hung up in tree branches, I pulled to release it/break it off and the thing came flying back at me right into my left glasses lens at a high velocity. Thank goodness I have shatter proof glasses but they were totally scratched up, I had to get a replacement pair. Taught me a lesson in care when dealing with a hung up fly.

Tom

Tom,

I went out for large mouth bass for the first time, and also the first time I have ever fished where I strip line all the bass I have caught were basically because I did not lift the rod. I let the fish do its thing. It was a little hard getting used to but if the fish has the intention to bite; that fly will not get away if the fish if given the opportunity to take it. So what happens is we sometimes strip the fly out of their mouths as you said. Practice makes better.