Wo-is me, the barbless hook

[Lives_to_fish]

In the early 80’s I was a young lad and did a lot of ocean fishing for cohos with my grandfather, infact I spent two summers going out of Newport almost daily. We would go out hook and land our fish and then be back in, no problem. I went out yesterday and boy, how things change, native fish and barbless hooks. We got something like 14 hook ups, go 3 to the boat and two of those were natives. All day out with fish abound and only one small fry to show for it.

Now that I have sung the blues, here is the question: What are the best, legal hooks to use to keep the most fish?

Please help,

Depressed Fisherman
[img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

[bait boy]

I was pondering this same ? I thought that I might try some circle hooks to see if they will still get the hookup ratio that we are used to.

[Roeboat]

The new Gamakatsu barbless hooks are awesome. I never thought I'd say that about a barbless hook but these new things actually work better than their barbed counterparts in my opinion. We have landed 24 salmon already in my boat without losing any, and that includes the perennial favorite : the jumper silvers that just won't quit and the old under the boat roller and twister kings. These new barbless hooks are kinda like a circle hook. I am using the 3/0 for a trailer and the bend is sweet for sliding into a herring for mooching. I have already lost one nice fish on my barbless siwash hooks on a jig and am contemplating doing the gamakatsu bend to the siwash hooks. And by the way if you have ever got yourself in the hand or elsewhere with a barbed hook, you'll really appreciate the new barbless design. Happy fishing!

[finclipped]

I have had the same problem. We had six people on the boat yesterday with 5 rods and hook ups were tough. It took 6 hours to limit, and I would estimate over 50 take downs, with maybe 20 fish boated to get 12 keepers. I am ready to try a different hook. I have been using Gami's in the 5/0 and 4/0 size with pinched barbs.

Are these new hooks available at fisherman's? Any special label to them?

[4Salt]

I too am a fan of the Gamakatsu barbless hooks. One thing that is critical to holding on to more silvers, if trolling: DO NOT SET THE HOOK! When you feel the strike, drop your rod tip back, and feed the bait to the fish. This results in much better hookups and far less lost fish. Also, DO NOT allow any slack line if possible. Keep constant pressure, and be ready for those silvers to run at the boat. I've watched people on charter boats jerk the rod when they feel a strike, and 90% either missed the fish, or had them get off the barbless hook. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[ 07-16-2001: Message edited by: 4Salt ]

[Bait O' Eggs]

A while a back Pilar talked about gunning the trolling motor when a fish hits. After losing the first several fish we hooked, I started doing that. It did wonders to the hit to land ratio. We dont back off the motor until the pole is out of the holder and the fish is well under control, and then we dont even put it in neutral. A little forward motion on the boat does wonders keeping the line tight.