rw wrote:
Peaceful Bill wrote:
Scott Seidman wrote:



I've heard stories about Conservation officers checking for barbs in
barbless only areas by sticking the point through a stocking and
seeing how it comes out. It would be much harder for a bent-over
barb to pass this test.

I don't know if this is real or rumour.


On the tailwaters of Norfork Lake in the C&R area (Norfork River), F&G
checks with paper. Bent barbs often catch on the paper. Even when
barbs that are broken off by twisting, they could leave a burr than
can catch on paper. A friend of mine got a ticket even though he
clearly had the barb bent down because it caught on the paper.

Do you mean to say that they didn't confiscate all his gear and his rig
and haul him off to jail? That's the way I've heard the legend goes. :-)


No. Doug said that they warden gave him a ticket (maybe $150?). Might
have taken the fly. And he wasn't the only one. He said the warden
just went from fisherman to fisherman and checked each one for license
and barbed hooks. Was giving out tickets to most everyone. I guess if
the warden got DL#s, he could give out a lot of tickets without hauling
anyone in. Could make his ticket / revenue quota easier that way.

I've been checked several times for license (mostly in Tennessee), but
not for barbs. Never been ticketed. I just figure its less stress and
hassle to stay within the regs.