Wekusko Falls Lodge owner Bryan Bogdon reflects on barbless hooks in Manitoba and how that regulation has improved the overall quality of the fisheries in the providence.
Barbless Hooks in Manitoba
If you are planning a trip to come up to and fish in Manitoba there’s one regulation that is very important to follow, and that is that all baits must have barbless hooks in Manitoba.
It is mandatory to have all your baits barbless.
This covers all baits down to the smallest crappie jig, to a big lake trout tube and everything in between.
You can remove the barb with the flat section of a pliers or with the debarring section. The key is to just make sure that the hook is flat and there is no way for the barb to catch.
By removing the barb you are doing less harm to the fish and there is a realistic chance it will survive even if it is deeply hooked.
A lot of anglers think without a barb you will loose a ton of fish, and that just isn’t the case. Once you get the hang of it, you really don’t loose fish. The key is to keep steady and even pressure.
Using a longer rod will also help you keep fish pinned. A longer rod will absorb more head shakes and the fish will be less likely to throw the bait.
Another thing you can do is to use bigger hooks. If you upsize your hooks a bit there will be a bigger gap and you should get better hook ups when setting the hook.
When fishing on any of Manitoba great waters, be sure to remove your barbs before heading out onto the ice.
For more information on ice fishing in Manitoba, visit huntfishmanitoba.com