If You Use Micro Barbed Hooks - WATCH THIS❗

Micro barbed vs barbless: Which is right and why does it matter
I fished with micro barbed hooks for over 20 years and like most anglers, I only switched to barbless if I had to because of the lake rules. 3 years ago, I decided to fish with barbless and test them properly. I was actually inspired by other fishery owners in France who have introduced a barbless only rule on their big fish lakes. I know the arguments against barbless hooks: they cause hook pulls, they do more mouth damage and they move during the fight. In this video, I go through each of these arguments and share what I’ve learnt during my testing, both as an angler and as a fishery owner.
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#matthewcollins #carpfishingexplained

[@matthewcollinsangler]

✅ Watch next: Why big hooks are killing your chances: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gH_TZHmfbLt8itE I’ve been fishing with barbless hooks exclusively now for 3 years, whether I’m on a public lake, the river or my own lake. This video is about how I made the transition from micro barbed to barbless and I hope it will give other anglers the confidence to fish with them. If you have to use barbless hooks because of fishery rules, your fishing shouldn’t suffer. If you get hook pulls (because I know they can happen), my advice is to change to a running lead. If you’re fishing lead clips, the problem will go away. If you’re already fishing running leads and you get hook pulls with barbless, the problem is the hook point, not the fact that it’s barbless.

[@F4Insight-uq6nt]

So what if you were Carp fishing on a huge snaggy river like the River Ebro? I bet nobody uses barbless there. I don't use Barbed hooks for 90% of the fishing I do. But if I was fishing a snaggy weir pool on a big River I would use them there. You will lose decent fish in those sort of venues if you use barbless.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

@@F4Insight-uq6nt Hi there, I’m currently fishing a large, rocky, snaggy river littered with tree debris, zebra mussels. Sure it’s not on the same scale as the Ebro but I’ve been fishing barbless on this river for the last 2 years with zero losses (carp to 40lbs). So I think on some rivers, it’s not an issue at all.

[@F4Insight-uq6nt]

@@matthewcollinsangler I have seen people lose Big Barbel on the River Trent. Weir Pools are snaggy on big rivers. I think It's good to use a Barbless hook if circumstances allow it. We will have to agree to disagree slightly.

[@F4Insight-uq6nt]

@@matthewcollinsangler Here is a couple of my local-ish' venues that I wouldn't go fully Barbless on. kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYOcqqyHf612h9U And kzbin.info/www/bejne/imm6YoyhZcqdnLM

[@matthewcollinsangler]

@@F4Insight-uq6nt That is one big weir!

[@brockfordjunktion]

I was taught to use barbless as a child and continued to do so when I returned to the hobby as an adult. I've never felt the need to use barbed hooks.

[@angusmccoatup8556]

I'm in total agreement with you regarding barbless hooks. I've fished for over 30+ year with barbless hooks and never had and issue with losses. I tried mirco barb and found mouths being damaged more, plus if you have a snap off hooks can be shed easily.

[@ha5enk552]

Interesting watch, one thing I’d say is that when there is no weed or snags about, that a barbless hook wouldn’t result in any extra losses. But when fishing in and around weed a barbless hook definately seems to cost a few fish down the line

[@markrobbins7043]

Hi Matt Very informative and my local lakes that I belong to in Chichester now have barbless as standard. There will always be a case for and against but the balance in what you have shared in your latest vlog is justified and if not converted a good enough reason to try. In any carp fishing, unhooking whilst the carp is in the net is key for the safety and stress of the fish as well as supporting the angler. Well done and thanks for sharing. Best, Mark

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Thanks very much for your support Mark 😊

[@shaun1961hodge]

Another insightful video. Thanks again will give barbless a try going forward

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Great to hear mate 👍

[@waynenippard5933]

Think angling experience and ability counts for a lot too. I fished an exclusive syndicate for 10 years with a very high standard of angler. The owner made it a barbed only rule and every fish was in perfect condition with very little if any mouth damage on any of them. Go on other local lakes, either club or day ticket, where barbed hooks can be used and the mouth damage can be horrendous on many fish. A lot of this, imo, is down to inexperienced or casual anglers who struggle unhooking fish. In these circumstances a barbless only rule is the best way to cater for all standards of angling. Personally, out of choice, I will always use barbless hooks but am more than comfortable using barbed hooks if rules dictate. Interesting stuff and findings Matt.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Hi Wayne, interesting to hear your thoughts. Experience and skill certainly play a big role.

[@paulfranciosi7236]

I've been on barbless only the mouths were terrible but obviously the anglers fault.Any good angler shouldn't damage a mouth.

[@alanbeattie636]

One of the first carp dvds I watched was Kevin Nash Rig evolution he points out that smaller barbless hooks were much better for hooking and landing carp , sharpness is key as you have said . I use size 8 barbless on a lake with plenty of Thirties and up to fifty and have never had hook pulls. The carp angler has been scared into using barbed and micro barb hooks and told they will lose fish if doesn’t have a barb . So glad you brought this topic up with real evidence. Thanks again Matt for your great information

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Thanks very much for your comment Alan. It’s a video I’ve wanted to do for a while. I started testing the barbless during Covid as I had the lake to myself and I’d never go back now. Wished I’d made the switch sooner. Cheers, Matt

[@MarkSexton887]

💯what your saying.Matt especially unhooking the fish in the net first. Thanks again for the tips.😊👍🏻🎣

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Great to hear the feedback Mark 😊

[@tribevince5470]

Super vidéo !!!! Merci de traiter des sujets aussi importants et intéressants !!!! Bonne continuation

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Oh, merci beaucoup, ton commentaire me fait très plaisir, bonne pêche!

[@matthewbarrett9054]

You are so correct with everything you said. Especially about not removing the hook before lifting the fish out of the water.

[@duncanhgibb]

Hi Matt, another great video, have you tried these pallatrax hooks with the ridges, so neither barbed or barbless.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Hi Duncan, glad you enjoyed it. I have heard of them but not tried them. A guest that's coming this year is going to try them here so it'll be interesting to see how it goes.

[@PaulZ1300]

Great video again Matthew, personally I’ve never used barbed hooks of any kind. In the last two years I’ve only lost two fish and one of those was my own fault because I didn’t get to the rod in time (falling over getting out of the bivvi in the middle of the night)

[@matthewcollinsangler]

We've all been there Paul 😊

[@Kismet4]

It's called fishing, not catching. Regardless of what hook we use, the safety of the carp or any fish, is paramount. I personally use barbless, myself and I may have lost some fish, but that's the chance we take with fishing. Thanks for this video, Colin. Very informative and interesting opinion and that is all Colin is sharing. Just his opinions ❤

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Thanks mate 😊

[@farmersgrip]

Why do I care about the fishes safety if I'm going to eat it ?

[@Keepingupwiththecarper]

Hi Matt. Thanks for posting this. I have been thinking of swapping over to barbless hooks for all my carp fishing for a while. I have already been using running rigs for a few years and much prefer vs lead clips. I have found takes on running rigs have been aggressively and very exciting. A French fishery bailiff/friend convinced me tbh and I have not looked back since.. I have found size 8 or size 6 hooks mean finer wire and logically will be sharper penetrating deeper with less force and require less material removal to maintain sharpness. I have found a size 6 continental hook pattern which I like and retains amazing strength and sharpness. It’s been my go too.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

We've had very similar experiences! I was also inspired by a couple of fellow lake owners in France to try barbless hooks and I'll never go back. I've also changed my lake rules and there's been no negative impact on my guests. Great to hear it's working for you too 👍 I only fish running rigs too and I've got several designs on this channel.

[@DjTommy2008]

Awesome video as always. I am a feeder angler. But i haven't forgotten my roots. I do go every once in a while on a few day session of carp fishing. And in 90% of my feeder fishing i use barbless hooks. One of the best there is is the qm1 from guru. If it's hooked correctly it won't get away. But that is an active fishing with quick bites , almost always we have our hand on the rod in a few seconds after the bend of the tip. How about a video with hook types (talking about barbless and micro barbed ) . What kind is good for different hook baits. It would help us anglers decide what to use , when and why.😊❤

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Thanks for the suggestion mate. To be honest, I don't change hook pattern based on the type of hook bait. I select the hook based on the type of hooklink 😊

[@frankshepherd645]

Provided that the hook, line and rod are balanced correctly I have complete confidence that a barbless hook will hold firmly when I play a fish. A barbed hook requires more force to penetrate and so increases the risk of a hook pull and can lead to skipping across the mouth of the fish. I stopped using barbed hooks in the early 70s and have never felt I have lost fish due to a barbless hook. Once a barbless hook takes hold it rarely pulls out provided that the rod springs in response to the fish moving. If the rod tip fails to maintain pressure on the hook hold after the hook has penetrated up to the bend at all times while the fish is being played, then the hook will bounce out. Hook pulls I believe are down to the rod not the lack of a Barb.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Great to hear that mate thank you 👍 We share very similar experiences.

[@danielpolsinger7565]

From experience I can tell that I have seen absolutely mint mouths as well as damaged mouths from waters with a barbless rule as well as with a non-barbless rule, so for me mouth damage is not an issue related to wether a hook has a barb or not. Like you I am totally convinced that most mouth damage does happen between netting and putting the fish on the mat. I even fish a water that banned unhooking mats altogether and only allows handling the fish in the water because of that. Like you I unhook the fish in the net, also when using a barbed hook. No problems with that. Yes, you may be getting just as many hook pulls with barbless hooks, but only if you’re fishing in open water. As soon as there is a lot of weed or other obstacles involved and you maybe have to free the fish with the help of a boat (like I have to in many European venues) you’re gonna lose nearly every fish, because you simply cannot keep up the tension in the line. I strongy disagree on your opinion concerning lead setups. I fish standard inline leads up to 6 oz in certain circumstances and last season for example I can’t remember one single hook pull. I use big, thick wire hooks and hook holds are absolutely perfect. Of course you’re right when saying that a carp hooked on a barbless rig can get rid of the hook easier and you proved that with the example of the bridge in your lake. But the question is why are there so many cut off rigs in the first place? If you make sure that you don’t lose end tackle, there’s no need in worrying if a carp can eject your hook or not.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

I’m a big fan of inline leads too and I’ve used loads of 3 and 4oz. I don’t need to go bigger than that for my fishing. At my lake, we have a dozen catfish up to 130lbs. The lake is 1.5ha, and mainline failures happen, even when you test all your knots to 8kg!

[@gregghall5408]

It's a touchy subject with some people, but personally 99% is down to how some people play the fish and how snaggy/weedy a lake is. Club and syndicate anglers claim that the barb stops the hook from moving.... when I have asked them how does it they cannot give me an answer! When playing a fish the hook moves in all directions... fish goes left/right/up/down the hook isnt going to be in the same position so a barb or micro barb is actually rotating inside doing damage you cannot see. I'll always use barbless if the lake rules allow, the safest rig out there is one the fish can get rid of in case of a break off.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Thanks Gregg, I have heard similar stories. Glad to know that you are another fan of the barbless for safety reasons 👍

[@D.R.W_edits]

Really interesting video, my new syndicate is a barbless only water so a first for me. With regard to using running leads and barbless hooks what would you suggest for bite indication? Assume unless you are fishing in close slack lining is a no-no. What would you therefore recommend a tight line or semi tight line i.e (Mid drop on bobbin / swinger).

[@matthewcollinsangler]

I use tight or semi tight either straight to the lead or with a light back lead. Bite indication with a running lead system is very sensitive, even a 6oz roach will have your bobbins dancing! I'm sure this will be a winner for you!

[@colinscott7434]

My personal experience ..which you have to go on is that I have definitely lost more fish using barbless hooks ..to address hook sharpness I use an eye glass and ensure that hooks are all ways sharp..there is definitely a technique to playing fish using barbless hooks ..always keep a tight line and always drop the lead but my experience tells me you definitely lose more fish to barbless hooks than barbed ..where possible I will always use barbed.

[@jeremybrill4635]

A lot of folk don’t know how to play fish , I’ve never fished a drop lead system, always running leads ,I reckon my hook to land ratio is around 98% , I have used the same pattern owner barbless spade end hook since 80s( sadly no longer made) , use barbless for all my fishing. Also I do not use stiff as a poker rods , my 2.75 armalites cover all scenarios.

[@madmanc_angling]

Great video Matthew, what's your view on the pallatrax gripz hooks? I've used them a few times and find them bang on, they're barbless but the point is almost like an arrowhead shape with the wide gaped.. curveshank less so.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Hi Mark, glad you liked the video 👍 I’ve seen the Pallatrax hooks and they’re not for me. I did a side by side comparison of the twister and the pallatrax and the twisters are longer, sharper and finer which is what I’m looking for. The pallatrax gripz hooks have a very aggressively inturned point which gives them a narrower gape so I have no doubt the hook holds are very secure. For me, they’re less likely to catch hold if you’re fishing for carp with hard mouths, which is what I do. I think they’d be great on a runs water where a short, stubby point can withstand multiple captures. Cheers, Matt

[@madmanc_angling]

@@matthewcollinsangler thanks Matt, I'll give some a go on my next trip out.

[@chrisjpainter]

Great video as ever. I had a quick google for that paper you mentioned and couldn't find it. Any ideas where it might be in the public domain? Just so I can hit people on the head with it when they moan about our barbless hooks only rule!

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Thanks Chris 😊 I got in touch with the consultant/lecturer through a facebook group for fishery owners and we chatted about the findings of his study. Unfortunately, it’s not a paper that’s available to everyone, I don’t even have a copy of it, this is something he uses with the fisheries he works with. He reviewed this video before it came out.

[@chrisjpainter]

@@matthewcollinsangler Okay, no worries. Thanks for the reply

[@invaliduser1111]

Greetings Matt, nice and informatinal video 🎉. Wanted to ask, if you're fan of method feeder?

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Hi, thank you 😊 It's a great method for catching small carp, haven't used it for years but it's a good choice in the right water 👍

[@JOHN80]

Love the running

[@matthewcollinsangler]

It's all I use wherever I go 👍

[@glennchuckie773]

Brilliant Matt, 100% agree, there'll always be the argument as you know and said but I've used barbless hooks for over 20 years, I never have issues with them and firmly believe a lot of it is the angler not the hook where they get blamed for losses. As always great vid! Tight lines 🎣👍

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Thanks very much 😊

[@Carpo_Magic-ks2je]

So I went out carp fishing today and managed to catch 2 nice commons. I would recommend barbless to everyone I wasn't to sure about it at first but I've had the same success fishing barbless as I have with barbed and not only carp fishing either. I use barbless for everything now and have had the same results for every species of fish I've fished for. besides all that if you hook yourself you can pull it out without having to make a trip to the emergency room.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Great to hear mate, thanks for the feedback 👍

[@eyybabyj1397]

I'm new to fishing but I only use barbless simply because it's much faster and easier to remove the hook. I'd rather lose a fish than struggle to remove a swallowed barbed hook that's for sure.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Very sound mate and very good for the carp 👍 Hope you enjoy browsing the channel, plenty of tips and tutorials to keep your fishing simple and effective.

[@eyybabyj1397]

@@matthewcollinsangler From my 1st day of fishing my rigs have been safe and free running thanks to your videos. Keep it up

[@gameonking5167]

I was taught to always use barbeless no matter what fishing im doing.where i grew up most carp lakes had a baberless hooks only rule but after moving all carp lakes in and a round grimsby have micro barbed or barbed hook rules and I defentily have to say the mouths they have here are way more damaged.and im too forced to use them

[@t3angling575]

USA angler here. I grew up fishing in the Carolinas (Eastern USA) fished with barbed and barbless, used what was available. Never gave it a thought. My grandad took me fishing one day, he watched what I did, how I set things up, and immediately showed me the difference between hooks, setups, etc. I did not realize, or know as a young fella that yes, gear of choice makes things easier, but it still boils down to angler ability whether a fish is landed or not. Meaning, how anglers “play” fish. He used barbless, and always out caught me. Was it all hook? No, he had experience, and through his experiences, he learned and improved as he fished. I like running rigs, a fishing buddy here is a lead clip 💯. He gets on me and tells me how and why I am losing fish, etc. it is painful to hear that every time out, how running rigs suck, and so on. I use running rigs, small hooks size 5 - 10, out of barbless at the moment, but will be restocking soon. Great video Matt. Great info as always. Cheers!

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Thanks very much Rich, always interesting to hear your perspective, you're spot on 👍

[@heartattakjoe5028]

As always a great, informative video. Thanks Matt. Unfortunately in Germany we are not allowed to use barbless hooks, and are not available in shops

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Glad you enjoyed the video, thank you 😊 It's a shame that you cannot get barbless in Germany... I talk about the crushed barb option in the video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rGWmd6KemqpkiZo I’m not a fan of crushed barbs because you still need extra force for the hook to penetrate beyond that point. Also, the hook is slightly weakened at the point where the barb is added, it’s a cut in the metal, so you need to use a larger hook if you’re going to crush the barb. I prefer thinner hooks because they are sharper.

[@tire_d]

Of course u can get and use barbless hooks in Germany...and so do i. So much easier to unhook a fish in the net, and also easier to get out of your hand, when shit happens😅. I recognized less damage than with barbed hooks, losing fish is no more issue than with barbed hooks. One more important point to me is that barbless hooks penetrate faster deeper in the fishes mouth, what makes them kind of sharper hooks. My last experience was fishing with stones around 1 oz as weight on a semi running rig with absolutely no problems😊

[@tire_d]

Forgot to mention, mouth or fish damage can imho occur with any kind of hook...you can not exclude that a 100%, If that is your concern, stop fishing.

[@Markusgebvor]

Neither are barbless hooks generally forbidden in Germany nor can’t you get them. They are allowed and you can’t get them…

[@heartattakjoe5028]

@@Markusgebvor where I fish barbless (Schönhaken) are not allowed, and local shops don't stock them. Of course online everything is available

[@markneedham2287]

Matthew , with all of this info then ( and I’m on board with what you’re saying here ) , what’s your opinion on the pallatrax gripz hooks ?

[@matthewcollinsangler]

I have heard of them mate but not tried them. A guest that's coming this year is going to try them here so it'll be interesting to see how it goes.

[@bobnudd6879]

Do you think seeing the bottom of your lake an everywhere they feed that its a 100% advantage an there bout to rattle off on there dinner plate placed to the mm???

[@TB600]

Hello Matt what hook sharping kit would you recommend to buy ?

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Hi mate, here’s what I use for my hook sharpening: Vallorbe Swiss hand file: www.axminstertools.com/vallorbe-swiss-hand-files-ax22596?glCountry=GB&glCurrency=GBP Slipstone: www.axminstertools.com/traditional-shaped-water-slip-stones-ax23399?glCountry=GB&glCurrency=GBP Jag Products vice: www.jagproducts.co.uk/product-page/sp-vice Nash pinpoint LED eye glass: amzn.to/3ASNMlv Cheers, Matt

[@sandorkovacs9271]

I honestly couldnt be happier to hear this from a man of your knowlegde. I have been fishing with barbless hooks since i started really. Recently i fished a venue that banned barbless hooks so i had to buy microbarbed one from the shop on site. Every single fish i caught was bleeding heavily from the hook, removing the hook was hard and caused extra damage. My heart was sinking. I was gutted. After all those years of me unhooking a fish with ease and not leaving mark now i felt like a barbarian. I told this to the bailiffs and they said its mostly for the wellfare of the catfish present. They acknowledged i was right and it damages the carp and they said: yeah but you have carpcare, right? 🙈 Im so glad you posted this and i hope this spreads. I didnt need scientific evidence for this, just common sense.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Thanks very much for your comment Sandor, I understand how you feel, I wouldn’t go to a venue that banned barbless now. We have both carp and cats in our lake and it’s not an issue to catch and land either species on barbless, even our 100lbs+ catfish.

[@sandorkovacs9271]

@@matthewcollinsangler same, i wont now. your lake is amazing by the way :)

[@marklawrence4313]

Interesting points you raise, personally I don't have any problems using barbless but, my gripe is that when going fishing to new venues some ban barbed , some ban barbless so you end up having to buy twice as many hooks.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Yes mate, rules certainly vary a lot between venues.

[@the4goodwins]

Great content, any comments on Gripz hooks by Pallatrax??

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Thank you 😊 I haven't fished with the Pallatrax. One of our guests this year is going to fish with them so I'll have a good look.

[@the4goodwins]

@@matthewcollinsangler then educate the Fishery owners please lol

[@davidsmith4159]

What reels are those you have on your fishing rods please bud if you don’t mind telling me. They look awesome

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Hi mate, I’m using Shimano Ultegra 14000 XTC’s. Very nice reels but quite a lot of money. I'm testing the Nash LR 6000’s for my marker float setup and I’m impressed with it. Really smooth and lightweight and more affordable. Cheers, Matt.

[@petekeightley2973]

I've been using barbless for 35 years, and I'll continue to defend barbless for another 35 years. It's all to do with how you play the fish. Take your time and apply just enough pressure on the rod. No point in rushing to land the fish.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Great to hear from another barbless fan!

[@goplanit]

Your thoughts on Pallatrax hooks? I tried these just out of curiosity and could see no benefit. Since I've returned to fishing I've exclusively used barbless, I've just always thought they have to be better for the carp.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

I have heard of them mate but not tried them. One of our guests this year is going to try them here so I'll have a look.

[@clivelogsdon1492]

Totally agree with you Matthew, the other good thing using barbless is nine times out of ten when you net a fish the hook the hook will pop out in the net

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Yes, that's true, I've found the same thing, so much easier.

[@Banacek26]

Hi Matt can you tell me where to purchase your Rothenberger gasbrenner lighter and refills please many thanks 😀🙏🏼

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Hi mate, found it in a shop in France, similar one on Amazon: amzn.to/3AXQftx

[@user-kd4mf2fo6h]

Have yout got a link to the plumpton college barbeless vs micro barb Study?

[@matthewcollinsangler]

I got in touch with the consultant/lecturer through a facebook group for fishery owners and we chatted about the findings of his study. Unfortunately, it’s not a paper that’s available to everyone, I don’t even have a copy of it, this is something he uses with the fisheries he works with.

[@TheIridescentFisherMan]

Hey Matt I have a question about something and I can't seem to find any answers on. I've seen extended slip D rigs recently and that posed the question for me. What size should the D section in a rig be? Particularly for Chod rigs and your standard Slip D with braid or mono. For chods I tend to prefer a shorter D section because I find that the the angle the hook sits at in the water is more aggressive. But I also imagine that this could cause the hook to be less stable. Have you done any experiments or have any insight in this region? I'm sorry if I've missed something or this sort in your rig videos I'll have another look at them while I await a response. As per usual thank you so much for all the information and experience that you share. Cheers

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Hi there, I don’t fish chods and I hardly ever use popups… but if you need to, then a small D by the eye of the hook is what you need in order for them to sit right. Here’s a link to a video I made on how to tie the stiff hinge rig: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mXy6ZmOcr9tkoNE For bottom baits, you want a long D to get the weight of the bait down below the bend of the hook. Watch this video to see how I use a bit of tube to extend the D and how far down to extend it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kGO9mWhqmtKbiZY Hope that helps 😊

[@tomwinterfishing9065]

I am coming round to smaller hooks though, I’ll give you that. It makes sense: friction, although that works both ways of course. Pallatrax I’ve found very good on barbless waters, with no losses, so far. Around 20 fish on them this year👍

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Good to hear the feedback mate 👍

[@welshman197]

Your 100% correct about sharp hooks

[@snaxx117]

Hey Matt what are the hooks you use called and size all we have are off set octopus hooks here

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Hi mate, I had to look them up because I don’t know them. I’d say, don’t use the circle design, beaked point is fine, off set point is OK if that’s all you can get. I use the Nash pinpoint chod twisters (barbless, straight point, out turned eye) for most of my fishing, size 6 mostly.

[@IntrinsicPalomides]

A very good video. For the longest time i used barbless, but switched to micro barbed after i moved to a new water where if you lost a fish it could be a monster, so didn't want to take the chance. As you mentioned about the old wives tale where a barbless hook moving around in the fishes mouth would cause more damage, i've always know through experience this to be complete rubbish. And the mains reasons fishes mouths get wrecked is due to people not knowing how to remove a barbed hook correctly, as well as you say rigs getting stuck in a net etc when landed. A barbless hook almost completely removes those 2 main situations. And as you demonstrated leave little to no marks in a fishes mouth, and far far less bleeding i've noticed for sure. I'll seriously consider the move back to barbless after this video. Out of interest, have you tried those Pallatrax Gripz hooks? barbless but with a kind of grip indentation near the point, seems interesting but no idea if it's any good. Would love to hear your opintion! Thanks for another great video.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Hi mate, great to hear your experience and that you may go back to barbless 👍 I’ve had a look at the Pallatrax hooks, and they’re not for me. I did a side by side comparison of the twister and the pallatrax and the twisters are longer, sharper and finer which is exactly what I’m looking for. The pallatrax gripz hooks have a very aggressively inturned point which gives them a narrower gape and I’m sure the hookholds are very secure. For me, they’re less likely to catch hold if you’re fishing for carp with hard mouths. I think they’d be great on a runs water where a short, stubby point can withstand multiple captures. Cheers, Matt

[@Ninja-re5qk]

What about weedy waters. Did they do any studies on them and hook pulls?

[@matthewcollinsangler]

The study was done over a number of different venues, including some very weedy waters. The consultant told me they found horrendous mouth damage on the weedy venues when micro barbed hooks were used.

[@mattfearon4813]

Another brilliant video. Barbless size 6/8 here we go 🙌 100%

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Go for it mate 👍

[@Kb11466]

Was pondering about this the other day. I wonder what people think about beaked points causing more damage than striaght. Kinda seems that they might

[@matthewcollinsangler]

I haven’t seen any evidence that beaked points cause more damage than straight, having said that, I mostly use straight.

[@Kb11466]

@@matthewcollinsangler just a passing thought, feels like they would. But no idea really. I only use straights as I use micros, would beak up in weeded barbless venues

[@crnaovcabelavrana1986]

for example, on the lake in Austria where I fish and where there are fish of 20 kilograms and more, those hooks are banned. Fishing with micro barbed hooks from some known good quality manufacturers is a must.

[@robertbabbs9694]

Ever since I took up carp fishing a few years ago I only use barbless and a running lead .

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Can't go wrong with that 👍

[@robertbabbs9694]

Got all the advice from watching your videos thx Matthew.

[@jeremybrill4635]

Used barbless owner spade ends since 80s , never had an issue

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Good to hear 👍

[@WildCarpAngling]

Valid valid valid! Will be giving the barbless a try!

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Great to hear mate 👍

[@chriscarter9708]

Totally agree . The damage caused in the landing net can be awful , seen it with my own eyes , don’t understand why some people disagree with you . I base my theory on 35 years of carp angling and now a lake owner , barbless is safer for the carp and easier for the angler

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Great to hear that mate 😊

[@Cameron_Jamie94]

Thanks to your videos I've gone from size 4 micro barbed back down to size 8 barbless. This was another interesting watch, which pretty much confirmed a lot of the stuff spouted in favour of barbed over barbless is at best flawed or at worst total nonsense!

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Glad the videos gave you the confidence to try something new, all the best with your fishing mate 👍

[@alpinism]

I have used barbless for many years. Easy to unhook fish in net and if the hook falls out , it’s easy to get out of the net as well.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Great to hear Stephen 👍

[@friedshrimp4472]

I've had 0 problems using barbless hooks. Easy to take the hook out after you net it too.

[@carpmon7016]

Yup...I've been barbless since you could actually get them. The odd gudgion/ silver fish flicked off but the time saved with barbless ment I caught more over time.... and you had clean holes, if noticeable. The finer the wire gauge the better, the easier the hook beds too. Gawd i cant list the greif i used to get for using barbless over the years lol.(and for being "stoooopid for using finer wired hooks".....).

[@matthewcollinsangler]

That's absolutely spot on mate, the finer the gauge, the sharper the hook 👍

[@arachnoskull6311]

i still can't get barbless hooks made for carp in the usa, though i have ben using the Gamakatsu R19-B for small stuff like chub and trout for a wile now.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Shame, you have to use what you can get hold of.

[@arachnoskull6311]

yeah till i can find them online i'm just going to have to keep mashing the barb. @@matthewcollinsangler

[@lees9401]

Just got in to fishing and using barbless, as that's what the fisheries tell us. But will continue to use them elsewhere as we know any different and are catching plenty fine enough.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Great to hear 😊

[@dazcoop4225]

Mathew. I’ve only ever used barbless hooks in all of my 50 years of fishing, my lad has never used any other. Totally agree and back up with what you say on the matter and have experienced the same findings, just a pity it’s taken you this long to find out. Also lot has to with how you play the fish as well. Hauling them in as you see on the videos using broom sticks an’t going do you any favours. Good video, well said 👍

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Thank you very much mate 👍

[@andrewsangling]

Not carp, but for dace, roach, chub and trout, I don't think I have lost any due to using barbless hooks. I love how easy they are to unhook. Less stress for wild fish I tend to target.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Great to hear, thanks for sharing 👍

[@filipthegoblin]

Was wondering if the things said about barbless hooks apply to whitefish. I'm very pleased to see that they do. By the way, I would always use size 10 for smaller fish just to avoid gut-hooking them. I guess with barbless hooks, I could use smaller sizes, maybe 14?

[@matthewcollinsangler]

@@filipthegoblin If I'm fishing for small silver fish with a couple of maggots, I'd use a size 18 barbless. Depends on the size of the fish and the size of your bait.

[@filipthegoblin]

@@matthewcollinsangler Thank you very much for the reply. It's comforting to hear that you use barbless for whitefish too, most of the info online about barbless hooks is connected to either carp or trout fishing. One more thing, the only available barbless hooks in my country are the ones for carp fishing. Will the shorter shank and slightly curvier design be a problem for catching whitefish?

[@matthewcollinsangler]

@@filipthegoblin Should be fine, it's personal preference.

[@michaeldemetriou1399]

That is exactly how I fish light ledger on a running rig barbless hook and I don't bother taking the fish out of the water unless it's a klonker and I don't use big hooks.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

That's absolutely spot on 👍

[@michaeldemetriou1399]

@@matthewcollinsangler The advice you give is sound because it works. I also use a small method feeder, I often and use a small back lead and core out a plug of boily and replace it with a plug of foam to negate the weight of the hook and use short hook lengths made of supple coated braid. Now the summer is here I will use a bolt bubble with a rubber dog biscuit the bolt bubble works only in the absents of birds. I have seen too many idiots catch birds as I am sure you have. I hope you have the best of summers This year.

[@doogled6749]

Hi Mat thanks for video, very intresting. Once many years ago i had an occurance with a barbless size 8, i hooked a fish close range down the margin, i had a running rig with light lead maybe 1oz... it was a particuarly agressive take the fish was maybe 12lb, when it surfaced at the net i could see the line coming from near its gill, and the hook had slid from its mouth leaving a clean scalpel like cut all the way to the bottom of its gill plate which was hanging off loose. I returned the fish after showing the baliff but i think it later died of its injury. This experience put me off barbless for life.

[@Kb11466]

There's a Simon dew video where he tests rigs out and one comes out mid fight and hooks somewhere right at side of mouth maybe the outside. So I totally believe you

[@svt9165]

I can confirm this. There is a commercial lake that banned barbed hooks. And the conditions of the fish are horrible. So many cuts in the fish their mouths. I fish at a very heavy fished water now. With no ban on barbed hooks. Similar to this. And the conditions of the fish are so much better.

[@A10011]

I use barbless exclusively and have never lost a fish that I could attribute to it. Often the hook falls out in the net which I find quite helpful!

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Great to hear, it's exactly the same for me 👍

[@-pyro-7392]

Not very helpful when the hook that falls out in the net ends up the carps stomach.

[@A10011]

The unlucky carp in question would need to swallow hook, line and sinker.

[@-pyro-7392]

I think you misunderstood my comment. Not to worry, as you were.

[@Kb11466]

​@@-pyro-7392yeh hate the hook falling out in net, if the carp thrashes that easily end up anywhere. Barbed all the way

[@4sythorder664]

Hi have you got any links to the study can't find it

[@matthewcollinsangler]

I got in touch with the consultant/lecturer through a facebook group for fishery owners and we chatted about the findings of his study. Unfortunately, it’s not a paper that’s available to everyone, I don’t even have a copy of it, this is something he uses with the fisheries he works with.

[@4sythorder664]

its a really good video this i just subscribed i think its impossible to get to know as you will need to have every fish same weight, hooks in same area and same length of fight time to get the correct evidence to confirm

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Yes, absolutely, and that study was done over 7 years across a range of waters for exactly that reason, there's a lot of factors to consider. Thanks for subscribing, I hope you enjoy the content we have 😊

[@tonythorne4543]

Been using barbless hooks for at least 30 years I even squeeze the barbs right down to nothing on my sea fishing hooks never had a problem with fish coming unhooked, also easier to unhook yourself !

[@weeeeee374]

I've only ever used barbless, and I've only lost a handful of fish.

[@stephenhollinrake916]

I use barbless for barbel now ,, cant say I've lost anymore fish ,,, certainly dace fishing , grayling you lose fish tho a different pattern slightly curved back dose improve it alot ,,, tho I'm not sure about micro barbs doing fish damage, more like bad anglers. I have caught plenty of fish with barbless hooks stuck in them with seriously seriously damaged moths ,,, and all big fisheries have no barb rules but the fish are a mess ,,, certainly anglers rather than hooks ,,,, tho I prefer barbless as its a pure clean sharper hook up, ,in my opinion.

[@franko19870315]

I use barbless only for years, fishing is exactly the same!

[@dafarsher9738]

Matt whilst much of what you say here is in my mind quite correct I feel some points require expansion or emphasis. Particularly you make the point that competently sharpened barbless hooks are safer than micro barbed hooks, this is a wide ranging comparative and it is important to underline a few issues; 1. Anglers that sharpen hooks can have a propensity to mistakenly sharpen three flat faces onto a hook point (in a triangular fashion) this is particularly dangerous as it will ultimately create three cutting directions on a barbless hook point (also true of barbed hooks where the barb acts as a pivot to aid the faces to cut). 2. new out of the packet barbless hooks may not be sufficiently sharp and so can be prone to slip causing striations in a carps mouth (sadly as a fishery officer I have seen this on far too many occasions on stock on one of my local club lakes which has a barbless only rule and lots of potamogeton beds). 3. Even sharp barbless hooks can develop double or even multiple hook holds in a carps mouth during a fight because as the angle of pull changes there is nothing to stop the hook point progressing forward these can cause cutting and tearing under pressure. 4. certain barbless hook patterns actually do far more damage than many micro-barbed hook patterns (a case in point were Drennan Continental cutting point barbless hooks which were known to be able to slice in 3 directions). All that to be fair is counter balanced by inexperienced anglers that do not know how to remove a barbed hook safely. My personal preference is to use micro-barbed hooks as in my experience they do not move around as much however I am not adverse to using barbless hooks when rules dictate albeit I always disapprove of multiple hook holds when I see them.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Hi Mark, very good discussion points, thank you. As an ex toolmaker, I’m very comfortable working with metal and hook sharpening. For me there is a big difference between touching up with a hone (as demonstrated in this video) and actual hook sharpening. Although I personally still practise the three sided sharpen technique, it is not something that I recommend as most anglers don’t know the skills and if done wrong, it’d make the hook much worse. The carp in my lake have very hard and tough mouths due to the nature of the lake bed and I have never had an issue with one of my hand sharpened hooks causing damage in the manner you describe. Because they are so sharp, they go in and stay in. We get feedback from guests with regards to the condition of our fish. They are always really impressed by how perfect their mouths are. While carp are carp, the environment does shape them. A soft silty venue will result in soft mouthed carp and I can see that in this situation a hand sharpened hook can cause issues. I have no direct experience of this as I only started hook sharpening 14 years ago and I’ve been in France for most of that time. I’ve used most of the hooks on the market and for sure, some are simply not sharp enough out of the packet. At the fishery we only use the Nash pinpoint range which are excellent but I still recommend inspecting every hook before each drop/cast. I have guests get through 5 packs in a week due to the savage nature of the lake bed but it’s the only way to keep catching. I’ve been coaching holiday anglers for the last 12 years and in my experience, most anglers are fishing with blunt hooks and don’t know that they are doing so. Blunt hook will cause mouth damage and hook pulls. It makes no difference whether the hook is micro-barbed or barbless. Blunt hooks are the root cause of such problems. My experiences are obviously shaped by the waters I’ve fished and it’s certainly interesting to hear very detailed examples from other waters and points of view.

[@Ginty11]

I use pallatrax Gripz. They are Barbless. 🙂👍🏻

[@uhtredragnarson7969]

Couldn't agree more i prefer barbless just look at bluebell lakes UK barbless rule and those carp are immaculate

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Great to hear 👍

[@mexicanroadsweeper]

Bottom line? The voice of a fishery owner will always be considered to lack impartiality (by definition). A link to the study you referenced would be helpful. That said, another really interesting and enjoyable film. Thank you

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Hi there, totally get what you’re saying, each fishery owner is responsible for their own lake rules. In my own fishing, I’m 100% barbless as well. I got in touch with the consultant/lecturer through a facebook group for fishery owners and we chatted about the findings of his study. Unfortunately, it’s not a paper that’s available to everyone, I don’t even have a copy of it. This is something he uses with the fisheries he works with.

[@Mike-cc1kb]

As long as you keep presure on whilst playing the fish barbless is fine. But i will use barbed in verry weedy lakes because if a fish burys its self in a weed bed and you have to rest the rod and wait for it to swim out you have a good chance of still being attached to the fish !! Compared to barbless But i do agree with you that a barbless will penatrate easier ive always said that to my mate and he could not get what i ment till i said if you was stabbed with a needle realy quick that you would hardly if not atall notice but if it was a screwdriver you would certanly notice then the penny dropped and he switched to barbless and his catch rate deffo improved

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Great to hear Mike, thanks 👍

[@carpnstuff]

It is believed that the first fish hook was invented 23,000 years ago.....two weeks later the first barbed verses barbless debate was held.....and it's been raging ever since!!! I've been using barbless hooks for my carp fishing for the past 40 years...a barbed hook is a complete anathema to me. Your point that the real danger time for the fish's welfare is once it is in the net is so so true and as anglers we have a huge responsibility to get it right at this critical time, and unhooking the fish in the net whilst still in the water is paramount. I'm in total agreement about a light running lead too, coupled with a slack Fluro-carbon mainline and a tightish clutch...it just woks for me.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

That's great to hear David, glad you're a fan too!

[@jimbob71]

See you sharpening nash hook i used sharpen them but the tips snap off spoke to alan personally and he said u cant get them any sharper than marc voosen does the pin points

[@matthewcollinsangler]

I use the Nash pinpoints straight out of the packet because they are one of the sharpest hooks on the market. I do think you can make them sharper but I was a toolmaker so I get on well with metal lol. In the video, I wasn’t sharpening the hook, I was using a hone to touch up the point after I’d had a fish to get it back to perfection!

[@jimbob71]

​@@matthewcollinsangler so you resharpened it then

[@kieranberney8620]

Simply making an observation but any hook sharpened to a "needle point" is as Sharp as a hook that is a gauge thinner the force required to pull the hook home would increase due to increase in friction etc but one is no sharper than the other.

[@Sixx2099]

Another enormously informative video Matthew. I like barbless hooks aswell. I use them for carp and smaller fish like roach.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Thanks for the support mate 👍

[@Sixx2099]

@@matthewcollinsangler Thank you for the videos!

[@Accyboom]

I think it was Kevin Nash who said that you can only call a rig a safe rig if using a barbless hook.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Yes mate he did, wise words indeed 👍

[@Squarehead123]

Forgive my ignorance I’m new to angling. But if your using a free running lead and setting your drag fairly tight like I’ve seen Matt Collins advising to do a couple of videos ago. There no way the lead is staying anchored on the deck like he’s saying in this video? Tho only way it would act like he’s saying @ around 6:30 is if you had your drag backed all the way off ? 7:04

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Hi there, not sure I understand 🤔 There’s a huge amount of elasticity in mono and even with a fully locked up clutch, the carp can pull 3 metres of line through a running rig and the lead will stay on the lake bed.

[@Squarehead123]

@@matthewcollinsangler hi mate, thanks for the reply. Maybe I’ll have to go out and try replicate the conditions and see. I just thought in a scenario where your using a free running rig, with a tight clutch. If the fish pick up the bait and swims towards the rod, I would imagine that yes your right there will be a certain amount of line that will flow through the weight but as soon as it stretches out surely the weight will pick up of the bed and run towards you? Which at by this point back at the bank, you’ve had nothing but a drop back indication? I guess most scenarios the fish will swim on the 180 degree axis away from you equaling in a good bite indication. Like I say I’m new to fishing and trying to watch your videos to ensure fish care is optimal. Thanks 🙏

[@matthewcollinsangler]

@@Squarehead123 The fish will always swim against resistance. It doesn’t matter whether he swims away from you, left, right or back towards you. I’ve had all those scenarios and you will get a massive amount of indication each time with a running rig. There’ll be no doubt when you get a take, trust me. All the best next time you’re out 😊

[@raygrange7312]

Have been using barbless hooks for 40 years.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Great to hear Ray 😊

[@Kb11466]

If you use an ultra sharp hook, chances are the point will go over during the initial pentration and fight. Maybe that helps to hold a barbless hook in place, almost acts as a micro barb at tip 😅

[@elGringo69]

Dont know if this is relevant for the UK but most of our top end trout waters here in Ontario are barbless due to the regs. Everyone who fishes trout fishes barbless for everything else because you just get use to it. As long as you shift a little focus to line tension, barbs are pretty irrelevant

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Cool, thanks for sharing 👍

[@scaromanga2236]

In 35 years of fishing many venues I can tell you for sure fisheries with a barbless hook rule in place have the most mouth damage stocks .plain and simple.i can also say it tends to be on the smaller carp up to about 25lb (probably) down to the skittish fights smaller carp give So what ever so called official test was done it's just rubbish barbless hooks need banning

[@catalickconverta6823]

Barbed hooks snap where the barb is as well ive had it happen to me

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Yeah, I'm not surprised, it's happened to me too. You have to cut the metal to put a barb in and that weakens the hook.

[@catalickconverta6823]

@@matthewcollinsangler exactly mate i use them guru micro barbed hooks on the canal as i was having trouble keeping the bream on as they seem to spit the hook very easy, ill always hook the hook in my shoe an pull on the hook link to test it, an with the barbed or micro barb they snapped of at that weak spot i did send guru a email but i doubt they care

[@jamesbarr6379]

Whether sharper or not, stronger or not, better hook hold or not .. for me it simply comes down to fish welfare and if barbless means they can’t get tethered and less damage overall I use barbless whenever I can & relay that message on the bank … imagine the king or queen of the lake getting tethered and dying because it couldn’t get rid of a hook? Or any fish for that matter … so many big ‘chuckers’ cracking off on big pits etc and poor fish trailing rigs is not good, end of story for me.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Great to hear mate 👍

[@johnbethea4505]

I would like to see someone in the swamps of SC, USA try to get a fish without a barbed hook..

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Very different fishing indeed!

[@t3angling575]

I’d say that sort of fishing while different than a pristine pond, can still fished barbless, and require angler skill more than a piece of gear. Grew up in Carolinas, fished both N. and S., never had an issue.

[@johnbethea4505]

@@t3angling575 maybe some places and some fishermen can do it. But at 76 and fishing around cypress knees, I have never be able to do it.

[@DjDolHaus86]

I've never had any problem landing fish on barbless in anything but the weediest waters, if the hook set is good (ie. it hasn't just nicked the flesh) and you maintain tension then there is no way that hook is coming out. The only reason this is different with mega weedy waters is because it is easier for the fish to gain enough wiggle room to throw the hook if it's buried in a ball of weed. However, this doesn't I advocate barbs on weedy waters, I am happier to lose a fish and retrieve my rig than to risk leaving a rig in the fish in the case of a line failure. One thing that I feel is neglected in discussions surrounding mouth damage is transfer of disease/infection. If you've hooked two fish on the same hook then you've potentially just given the second carp the old dirty needle treatment. By hooking the fish you've opened a vector for any pathogen or disease to get in and do harm, it's the same as a small cut that turned septic after cleaning the toilet without gloves on. If that wound is larger or more ragged as you'd find where a barb has been pulled back through then that is more area for those little nasties to get in and cause problems. I think this problem is most obvious on high stocked waters where disease is naturally more prevalent and fish get caught a lot more regularly due to competitive feeding behaviour. Big hooks is another point of contention but my point of view is that a bigger hook with a thicker gauge disperses load better during a fight which will lead to less distortion of the wound cavity and a lower chance of tearing out. If you've ever seen those circus freaks who hang themselves up on meat hooks you'll notice that they use big, thick hooks for that very reason, I have been told this first hand by such a person who I met at a party once (if you've never been to a party with circus folk then I'd highly recommend it, just don't try to keep up on the drinks 😂). I personally wouldn't recommend any treatment that requires a dry surface to work on, fish skin is very sensitive and never supposed to be dry so you may end up doing more harm than good (this is my opinion as a biologist).

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Hi there, very interesting to read, thank you. Haven’t had the pleasure of having a drink with a circus performer 😂 I personally favour small hooks over big hooks, I only fish with 8’s or 6’s, I’ve done a video on that if you are interested: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gH_TZHmfbLt8itE. I’ve seen horrendous mouth damage done by large hooks. I’d never thought of the risk of disease transfer between hook points. I personally advocate using a hook per cast and absolutely a new hook every fish. Cheers, Matt

[@DjDolHaus86]

@@matthewcollinsangler if you look at the scars that are left on fish with mouth damage it is fairly evident that the majority of the damage has been done by an infection rather than the wound itself. The distortion and exaggerated scarring tell a tale of otherwise healthy flesh dying in the following war between the infection and the immune system. Surface treatments definitely help and we can't ensure our hooks are surgically clean but personally I think a fresh hook after every fish is best practice. A thought that just crossed my mind as to whether copper coated hooks might help due to the antimicrobial properties?

[@matthewcollinsangler]

@@DjDolHaus86 They very well might.

[@svt9165]

I never fished barbless. And i never will. Used to fish in a lake where barbless was mandatory allthough i used micro barbed. Never seen so many damaged mouths. It was crazy how many cuts i saw from the hook that is able to move without a holding point. Meanwhile i have a lake around the corner. With not a lot of fish in it that get caught at least twice a month. With micro barbed hooks and the fish are in top condition. No damaged mouths. No cuts. Because the hooks have a holding point. Which is essential for me. Not because i'm afraid to loose fish. I want to get the fish back in the condition it came out. Lucky to see many lake owners especially in France ban barbless hooks.

[@jeremybrill4635]

Used owner barbless spade ends for 30 plus years, no issues

[@walkaz]

Most lakes I fish are now moving back to barbed only due to the damage barbless hooks do

[@gwl78]

My club rules are micro barbed only.

[@twistedbam5842]

Exactly. Same here. What Matt does not take into consideration, is the range you are fishing at. If you fish on a lake at 150 meters, you're gonna use really fast rods. Fast rods... damage the mouth of the fish, if you use barbless hooks. I speak from personal observation and fast rods and barbless hooks are a bad combination.

[@user-pv1cd4ye3t]

Try Pallatrax Gripz, best of both worlds

[@davidgrant3437]

Whys my comment been removed ? Thought it was a valid point concerning leads and penetration?

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Hi David, I have no idea what happened, your comment wasn't removed, I never do that. I think it was a glitch with KZbin, it's happened a couple of times before a while back. If you don't mind posting your thoughts again, I’d be happy to answer any questions if I can. Cheers, Matt

[@fcgash]

Having a barb just increases the overall diameter, there is no way they go in as easily as a barbless hook will. Barbless was the rule on club waters i used to fish, and i rarely, if ever, saw much mouth damage from a hookhold. And after having fished a few waters where barbed is the rule, i see more blood. There is no way a barb will stop a hook moving, its a small sharp piece of metal designed to go through flesh, it will just tear the flesh inside where you cant see it. Given the choice it's barbless all the way for me.

[@matthewcollinsangler]

Great to hear mate 👍

[@gerardvandijk1173]

These are sharp and durable. Use them for catfishing and they have never disappointed.

[@andym5900]

No choice my local lake is a maximum size12 barbless hook I have no problems landing fish even with plenty of brambles round the edges Biggest problem is snagging the net on them before or worst case after carp in net

[@andrewaulton1043]

Matt, I have been using Pallatrax gripz hooks in size 6 & 4 found them to be very reliable, good hook hold, and 9 times out of 10, fall out in the net, any thoughts?

[@matthewcollinsangler]

I haven't tried them mate. One of our guests this year is going to use them so I'll have a good look.

[@andrewaulton1043]

@@matthewcollinsangler Thanks Matt, I team them up with your shock & run system, screaming takes, always a firm hook hold & 9 times out of 10, as soon as you get the fish in the net, the hook drops out as soon as the line goes slack. I used them at Lac Rose last year and the owner was impressed, so I will be taking more down for him in July, and like a Barbless hook, no sign of mouth damage. Another great video, which has got people thinking👍