The type of hook that's on your fly makes a big difference in the fly fishing experience. And not just for you, for the fish as well. There are 2 types of hooks: barbed hooks and barbless hooks. In this article we'll go over the pros and cons of each for fly fishing.
Here you can clearly see the difference between the two types of hooks:
What is a barbed fly?
A barbed fly is a fly with a hook that has a barb close to the point of the hook. The barb points in the opposite direction of the point of the hook.
Advantages of fly fishing with a barbed fly
- Easier to find your favorite fly — because barbed hooks are more common, it's more likely you can find that favorite fly or hatch match with a barbed hook
- Less chance of losing a fish — this is why barbed hooks exist in the first place: if you hook a fish it's a lot less likely for the hook to come out compared to a barbless hook. Even if you loose tension on the fly line, chances are the hook will stay in place.
Disadvantages of fly fishing with a barbed fly
- More difficult to unhook the fish — getting a barb out of the fish's mouth can be tricky, especially if the fish swallowed the fly deep. Make sure you have pliers or a forceps to help unhooking the fish when fly fishing with barbed flies.
What is a barbless fly?
A barbless fly is a fly with a hook that does not have a barb. It only has the sharp point at the end of the hook. This results in a few advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages of fly fishing with a barbless fly
- Better for the fish — because the hook can easily be removed, there is less damage done to the fish.
- Better hook set — there is less resistance for the hook to set into the fish because there is no barb, making it easier to set the hook.
- Better for yourself — if you ever accidentally hook yourself because a gust of wind blows your fly in the wrong direction, you are better off hooking yourself with a barbless hook. It will come out a lot easier than a barbed hook!
Disadvantages of fly fishing with a barbless fly
- More difficult to land the fish — because the hook slips out easier, you really have to keep a tight line all the time. If you loose the tension, the hook could come out pretty easy. Some see this as an advantage though, because there is more skill needed to land the fish. Bigger challenge = bigger reward.
Turning a barbed fly into a barbless fly
You can always squeeze down the barb with pliers or a forceps, effectively turning a barbed hook into a barbless one. Just note that you'll always keep a little 'bump' where you pressed down the barb, so it's not fully the same as barbless. In places where barbless fishing is mandatory, at least you can still use your favorite flies by squeezing down the barb on your barbed flies.
Is it better to fly fish barbed or barbless?
There is no easy answer to this question. If you search online, you'll find many different opinions about which one is best. In the end it comes down to personal preference, as well as what you value most. This article has provided you with all the context you need to make that decision.
