Barbless hooks

[Whiteowl]

I just picked up a fly rod about a year ago and started tying shortly there after. Everytime I tie a fly (at least thats what I call um)I mash the barb down with my plyers. The question I have is if that wold be considered barbless as far as the game warden goes. I know that some parts of certain rivers are designated for barbless hooks only and I do not want to end up with a nice little fine.Thanx for any feed back.

[Eric-WD]

It depends on the area, read the rules carefully.
A game warden here used to use a ladies nylon stocking, he would stick the hook in and if it caught on the way out you were written for having a barb.

Eric

[gonfishn]

Eric it sounds like you've been fishing the clearwater.

[Eric-WD]

I haven't run into him, but it was on the clearwater and have heard of him from others. Kind of an urban legand in this area.

Eric

[ELKHUNTER]

I mash mine down with pliers and have never had a problem with them being legal or not. I purchased some flies from a fly shop on a river that has barbless rules and that guy in the shop cut the barbs off with wire cutters.

Rocky

[Gnu Bee Flyer]

I saw somewhere an ad for a hook debarber. I don't know where I saw it. My concern was when grinding off the barb would you then de-temper the metal. For that reason I didn't buy it. Our regs here in BC say if you crush the barb down your ok. The urban ledgend guy if He is real and not just figment of someones imagination is a real jerk!

I have a $10.00 AA style vise mounted on my bench and use in to mash down the barb.
Remember the barb is only there to hold the bait on the hook.

[Gnu Bee Flyer]

I have a $10.00 AA style vise mounted on my bench and use in to mash down the barb.
Remember the barb is only there to hold the bait on the hook.

Umm Jack said the "B" word.

[William Fitzgerald]

Jack why would Mustad put barbs on fly hooks if it was to hold Bait -- isn't it to hold fish?

[georgiared]

I thought thats what the barbs were for as well. I mash mine down when I think of it but was wondering when I was looking at hooks the other day, why do barbless hooks cost more?