Barbless hooks for bream - two questions, please.

[buygoodtackle]

I am surprised no-one has mentioned the 1.5oz tip, i would be looking to use as light a tip as I could (0.75oz or less) in order to see the little movements of the grazers. On one venue I fish the tip will move a mere fraction and that is the only indication you will get, you will not see the bite on a heavier tip.

 

[MartinWY]

At the risk of going off topic here. Can anyone tell me why you might use a 3ft hooklink for larger bream? Is it because they tend to sit off the back of the scrum (like I've heard barbel do) or perhaps due to greater depth of water, making feeder contents spread over a wider area?

 

[ukzero1]

At the risk of going off topic here. Can anyone tell me why you might use a 3ft hooklink for larger bream? Is it because they tend to sit off the back of the scrum (like I've heard barbel do) or perhaps due to greater depth of water, making feeder contents spread over a wider area?

Those pics I posted were caught on the method feeder and 4 inch hook length. As was this Bream (don't blame me for pic, wifey took it).

 

[MartinWY]

Those pics I posted were caught on the method feeder and 4 inch hook length. As was this Bream (don't blame me for pic, wifey took it).

One of the chaps mentioned it in an earlier post and I've never thought of using a hooklink so long, so I was kind of curious why.

Nice bream in the pic.

 

[ukzero1]

One of the chaps mentioned it in an earlier post and I've never thought of using a hooklink so long, so I was kind of curious why.

Nice bream in the pic.

Longer hook lengths are fine on rivers. It's my belief, though I could be wrong, that a longer hook length on rivers in a flow make the bait move freely and in turn attract the fish. On still-waters, a short hook length will suffice as the water isn't flowing as such, it's static.

 

[Davethefish]

Dr Ian Welch when he was manager of Leisure Sport ( later RMC ) which had one of the largest fishery portfolios on its books at the time introduced a 'Barbed Only' rule on its waters after extensive mouth damage issues especially on one of its prolific barbless Carp waters ( Thorpe Lea ). As this was a while ago so it would be interesting to see if he still held this view. If I remember rightly the argument was along the lines of barbless hooks moving more around more during the fight causing increased tearing. Personally I don't have a major issue with barbed or barbless ( I think style of playing and poor unhooking practices being just as important ) and will decide dependant on quarry / fishing style and obviously fishery rules . I tend to use barbless for almost all of my smaller species fishing ( and Pike fishing to facilitate more efficient unhooking) but use microbarbed hooks when trotting for Grayling as I was experiencing a higher number of drop offs on barbless hooks. I find it a little ironic that some lauding the barbless argument aren't so particular with the use of unhooking mats.

 

[Chris Calder]

A fishery near me with carp up to 50 lb has the rule only micro barb hooks to be used, they also rear fish in other lakes for sale.

Looks like they also don't like the barbless hooks

 

[Tinca Steve]

Sorry but it dont matter if you use barbed or barbless hooks or long or short hooklinks -- get a good quality Slamo that fits the hooksize that you are useing, there are 5 sizes available and also super long ones. Useing a correct size slamo you can remove a hook from a large bootlace eel even 3 or 4 inches down its throat without ever touching the bloody thing. GET A SET OF SLAMO'S .

 

[Me and my lad]

Can't recall where I read it but since casting to the clip and following the feeder down with the rod as helped. This is like a whip effect and straightens the hook length on the cast. Bite detection is better and no more deeply hooked fish. Works for me. I use 3ft hooklength on the rivers and 15 inch on stillwater.

 

[rudd]

There are still plenty of wary fish out there that will spook at the sight of a feeder or only take a bait that is presented as naturally as possible or will take a bait on the drop.
Barbel on the Trent are a perfect example where hooklengths of Six foot or more are common because they will spook at the sight of a feeder.
Often with a shorter hooklength you won’t get the bite in the first place.

Absolute tripe.
Yes the fish have wised up to feeders.
They swim up to them and if it doesnt have a trendy brand name stamped on jt they deem the angler 'non worthy' and go looking for food elsewhere.
This information was supplied to me by a very well known sponsered angler who at the time tried to flog me a suitcase full of feeders, well not a suitcase but a Stanley type looking box at four times the cost.
I suspected the sound of it hitting the ground when taken off a four wheel drive super shuttle was the real reason all the fish had vacated his swim