Why Fish With A Barbless Hook?
We at High Country Flies are big advocates of fly fishing with a barbless hook. While some fly patterns (like the Stimulators tied by Umpqua Feather Merchants) are tied on barbless hooks to begin with, they are in the vast minority. Fly tyers also have the option of tying on barbless hooks, but again, this is not the norm. The majority of hooks used by fly tyers are not offered in barbless versions. The bottom line is that most of the time the angler will have to remove the barb him/herself. This is most easily accomplished by simply flattening the barb to the hook with pliers or hemostats. The process is easier if the pliers or hemostats lack serrations. There is no need to actually remove the barb. Just get it as flat to the hook point as possible. The type of hook the fly is tied on determines how easily the flattening process is accomplished. Japanese hooks which are lazer or chemically sharpened and possessing small barbs are the easiest to deal with. Barbs are easily flattened an
