Hooks

I remember the first time a guide told me to switch to barbless hooks. I scoffed. “You want me to lose more fish?” I asked, imagining all my hard-won catches slipping off before they even saw the net. Years and countless lures later, I’m here to tell you: the guide was right. Asking are barbless … Read more

I remember staring at a damp patch on my bathroom ceiling, a slow drip-drip-drip turning into a small waterfall after a particularly steamy shower. My DIY attempts to hang things in there had gone spectacularly wrong. I’d grabbed what I thought were ‘waterproof’ hooks, slapped ’em on, and figured that was that. Turns out, ‘water-resistant’ … Read more

I remember staring at a tackle box overflowing with hooks, feeling completely overwhelmed. Some were shiny, some were dull, and some had these little barbs that looked like miniature shark teeth. My dad always swore by them, muttering about how they ‘gripped the fish better.’ But then I started hearing whispers, you know, those hushed … Read more

I remember the first time I stared at a bare ceiling, envisioning a perfectly hung macrame plant holder. It looked so simple in the Pinterest photos. Then came the reality of actually trying to screw a hook into what felt like… nothing. The question of are ceiling hooks hard to screw into a canvas is … Read more

I remember the first time I tried to land a decent-sized pike on a relatively small lake. My lure was cheap, my knots were suspect, and my hooks? Well, they were barbed, and I figured that was just how fishing hooks were supposed to be. Then, a buddy snagged a monster that just kept ripping … Read more

I remember the first time I hooked a big one in the surf, only for it to shake loose right at the sand’s edge. Pure frustration. That’s when I started looking at my hooks more closely, wondering if I was using the right gear and, more importantly, if it was even legal. So, let’s cut … Read more

You’re standing by the roaring South Platte, rod in hand, ready to pull in that monster trout. But a nagging question pops into your head: are barbed hooks illegal in Colorado? It’s one of those things every angler wonders about at some point, especially when you’re eyeing a particularly aggressive-looking lure. Forget the fancy gear … Read more

I remember the first time I heard someone ranting about barbed hooks versus barbless. It was down by the Bow River, and this guy was practically spitting mad, accusing everyone with a barbed hook of being a monster who didn’t respect the fish. Honestly, it sounded a bit over the top then, and frankly, it … Read more

I remember my first time fishing in Washington. Armed with what I thought were the best hooks money could buy, I barely snagged anything. Later, I heard whispers about specific hook types being frowned upon, or worse, illegal. It made me wonder, are barbed hooks illegal in Washington? The truth isn’t as simple as a … Read more

I remember the first time a seasoned angler scoffed at my tackle box. “Barbless? What are you, trying to lose fish?” he grumbled. I’d just spent a small fortune on a new set of lures, all proudly advertised as barbless. I bought into the hype, thinking it was the next big thing in catch-and-release. Spoiler … Read more

I remember the first time I heard about barbless hooks. It was years ago, on a fishing trip up north, and my buddy scoffed, “You’re still using barbed hooks? What are you, a caveman?” Honestly, I thought he was full of it. What difference could a tiny barb possibly make? Turns out, quite a bit, … Read more

I remember staring at this pile of fancy articulated fly tying shanks, thinking, ‘These have GOT to be the future for big streamers.’ I’d seen the pros use them, making these massive, undulating baitfish imitations that looked like they’d swim themselves right onto a trout’s jaw. But then I tried to tie one up, and … Read more

I remember the first time I saw a tackle box overflowing with what felt like a million different hooks. Sizes, shapes, colors – it was overwhelming. And then there were the discussions, the endless debates online and at the bait shop: are 5/0 hooks too big? It’s a question that pops up more often than … Read more

I remember staring at my tackle box, the sheer volume of hooks a dizzying array of shiny metal. For years, I just grabbed whatever looked sharp and seemed like it would hold a fish. Then came the day I got flagged by a conservation officer. He eyed my tackle bag and asked, point-blank, about the … Read more

I remember the first time I saw a fully barbed treble hook staring back at me from a saltwater lure. It looked like something out of a pirate movie, all teeth and menace. My initial thought, and probably yours too, was: are barbed hooks illegal? It seems like they’d be overkill for catching fish, maybe … Read more

I remember the first time I saw a friend tie on a hook that looked like a medieval torture device. Sharp, aggressive barbs, designed, he claimed, to guarantee fish. I’ve been fishing for what feels like forever, and I’ve seen plenty of gear come and go, plenty of advice that turned out to be bunk. … Read more

I remember the first time I saw a truly massive pike yanked from a Northern Ontario lake. The guy holding it looked like he’d wrestled a bear and won. Then he showed me the hook – a monster, barbed thing that looked like it could snag a small boat. It got me thinking, and honestly, … Read more

I remember the first time I saw a treble hook with barbs down the shank. My buddy swore by them for pike, said they locked onto a fish’s jaw like a vice. I was a bit spooked, honestly. Felt a little… unsportsmanlike, maybe? Like cheating. But I’d been losing too many good fish on finesse … Read more

I remember standing on the bank of a murky river in Cheshire, feeling utterly smug. I’d just landed a chunky trout, and then I went for the hook. It was a barbed monstrosity, and wrestling it out was a bloody mess – for me and the fish. It got me thinking about what’s actually allowed … Read more

I remember staring at a tackle box overflowing with shiny, menacing-looking hooks. Some had tiny little backwards-facing barbs, others looked like miniature shark teeth. My uncle, a seasoned angler, just grunted and said, “Use what works, kid.” But back then, I wasn’t sure what ‘works’ meant, or if some of those teeth-like contraptions were even … Read more