Barbless circles - anyone stock 'em?
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: General Forums
Forum Name: T.A.S (Tackle Acquisition Syndrome)
Forum Description: The forum to discuss Tackle Aquisition Syndrome
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=135319
Printed Date: 29 Jan 2026 at 11:14am
Topic: Barbless circles - anyone stock 'em?
Posted By: kingiFiddla
Subject: Barbless circles - anyone stock 'em?
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2021 at 7:51pm
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Yeah, can crush or file the barbs but I'm keen to experiment with the factory made barbless circle hooks but do you think I can find a NZ distributor that bothers with them? Not many, if any, so far at least. Can buy them overseas. Mustad, Owner, Eagle Claw, Gamakatsu. But can't seem to find them here and may have to bite the bullet and buy from overseas. Does anyone know where I can get them here please? Am I the only freak who doesn't want to crush or file the barbs? Maybe nobody here even uses barbless? |
Replies:
Posted By: Steps
Date Posted: 31 Mar 2021 at 9:19am
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long shot.. get hold of marine deals (??) |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 31 Mar 2021 at 10:30am
------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
kingiFiddla wrote:Posted By: kingiFiddla
Date Posted: 31 Mar 2021 at 11:25am
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Thanks Steps. Couldn't see anything on the site yesterday so asked the question on their chat feature on the website but an answer wasn't forthcoming so gave up. But it is leading up to Easter so no doubt they are flat stick. Wasn't an urgent thing anyway so no worries. Greg at GoFish has made a few noises about getting some in next order, around November. Looks like I'm ordering from overseas for now though, or killing time by crushing barbs. |
Posted By: MB
Date Posted: 31 Mar 2021 at 12:08pm
| I think it's fair to say that most NZers fish for food as well as sport, so that probably explains why barbless hooks are hard to find. Personally, I'm not too keen on C&R, preferring to catch what I need and then go home, but each to their own. Livebaits with barbless hooks will be a headache, but there are ways around it. |
Posted By: kingiFiddla
Date Posted: 31 Mar 2021 at 12:39pm
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Yeah, if the demand was there, the stores would stock 'em. That they don't is a pretty clear indication the demand isn't there. I wonder if it's a chicken or egg thing. I guess, if GoFish start stocking them and then stop, we'll have an even clearer indication it's a dead end for retailers. I'm not convinced those fishing for dinner are going to eat less using barbless, but open to persuasion. I mean, if they are eating kahawai that can jump and shake a hook if no tension on the line, sure, but snapper and kings? I'm by no means an experienced fisho but I've never met a snapper that launches when pricked, and whilst I'd be keen to experience it, that goes for kingis too.
On bigger fish, barbless on sharks seems a no-brainer to me. Am utterly unqualified, unfortunately, to muse on barbless for marlin or tuna though. Hoping to find out next Summer though :-) There's some smoked snapper in the fridge from a 16.5 lb snapper that I couldn't release that really upset me. Whilst not being a fisheries scientist nor researching it in any great detail, it looked to me like a perfect breeder and I killed it. Contrast that with a >20lber a week or so ago that went back and that was without doubt one of the best buzzes in my yak fishing - watching a good, caught fish swim off strongly. *edit* the thought just ocured to me that perhaps those fishing for food should be advocating for the adoption of barbless hooks. The more fish the rest of us C&R, the more available for your kitchen table. |
Posted By: Steps
Date Posted: 01 Apr 2021 at 10:14am
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The subject og barbless hooks came up in the forums some years back. So as I do , I decided to have a 'play' East coat, bottom end and fishing for a feed more than anything. Smudges comment, "hard to keep bait on the hook" Well yes and no. Found several things... we use mullet, KY , trev.. solid baits. 1/ there is a saying , big baits big fish. yes The hooks must match the bait size. use baits too big for the hook pickers tend 'lift', take it away with barbless 2/ good size, hung well, good shape, worked well, and especially well on fixed keeper hook stray line. I fish with the barb end of the hook thru one end of the bait only And the barb end very exposed from the bait. If a little thick meat on the bait ( ie bait is too big for the hook) I will then put the hook thru so the barb end is on the skin side.. often do that anyway. Basically if the bait looks too small for the hook you are good to go  , and a 7 or 8/0 with a good hung bait will pull a smaller mid 30 cm snapper nps.KY on barbless is just hopeless, espec on a lighter sb type rod. We have a lot of experienced crew come out with us.. always willing to learn I watch, ask..its surprising the number of regular rec fishermen who 'over bait' their hooks... very much big bait big fish.. but wrong hook size/ type for that size.  I played with barbless..... works if done right.. have not done so again for a few yrs now. |
Posted By: Pcj
Date Posted: 03 Apr 2021 at 4:29am
| Was and have using 8/0 circle hooks and found snapper getting them to gill area.so now gone back to J hooks and strike on bite and found lipped hooked. Better release rate for me anyway. |
Posted By: Steps
Date Posted: 03 Apr 2021 at 3:20pm
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using 8/0 circle hooks and found snapper getting them to gill area Maybe how you hang the baits cause the circles not to roll well? I have questioned myself on that...then constantly hooked baits at one end, hanging , doesnt seem to happen now so now gone back to J hooks and strike on bite and found lipped hooked. Have been using a few older packets of J hooks on top or bottom, random, of my ledgers...Thu still fish circle.. 'give them at least 5m run, 15+m in winter' then just loooaaad it up 'feel the hook roll and go in' Doesnt matter if J or circle... ot the heavy jig Im using as a sinker at the bottom. They all seem to be working as well as each other since late spring. |
Posted By: kingiFiddla
Date Posted: 03 Apr 2021 at 4:56pm
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MD got back to me and are going to chase it up and see what they can do. Reckon about a month if at all. |
Posted By: kingiFiddla
Date Posted: 12 Apr 2021 at 11:00am
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No go from MD.
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Posted By: Fish Addict
Date Posted: 12 Apr 2021 at 3:01pm
| Out of interest I checked out the major tackle shops on my side of the ditch without any success either. It looks like the US is probably your best bet. I think I'd be getting the pliers or crimps out rather than pay the postage. |
Posted By: Muppet
Date Posted: 12 Apr 2021 at 5:13pm
| Think Greg at Gofish who still has stock had Eagle Claw ones. Shop is closed but he is still contactable. |
Posted By: kingiFiddla
Date Posted: 17 Apr 2021 at 9:55am
| Thanks M. Yeah nah, it was a mistake on their website. He did say he'll be getting some in around November. |
Posted By: Fishb8
Date Posted: 28 Oct 2022 at 9:27pm
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I managed to hook myself while aiding a mate who caught a kahawai on a 8/0flasher rig. Turned the hook until it popped out, flattened the barb (Gamakatsu) and removed he hook. Used the same rig for several trips and no fish got off on the barbless hook. A fish has to swim backwards with pressure on to un-hook itself. ------------- Be yourself; everyone else is already taken |