A bait flag question

I'm fishing a venue this weekend that has a barbless hook only policy. After speaking to the owner about using semi barbed to help with the bait staying on the hook, he responded 'use bait flags, everyone else does'.
Now, on previous inspection, I'd put bait flags down as something bright and red tackle manufacturers have started putting on there traces to catch the anglers eye (I can see the point about that it 'might' help catch a pikes eye, but I doubt anyone's done any serious side by side testing,or am I being cynical).
Am I missing something here? The only way I see it working is to pierce the bait, bring the hook point back out, and push he flag over the exposed point, but I'm not sure I'd trust that on the cast, just hooked under the skin? Can anyone help me or am I resigned to bait elastic?

Hi Pete, as far as I am aware, at any barbless hook venues that my mates and I have used in the past. The term "Barbless" has been used generally for coarse and carp fishing, but gets carried over to piking. However when I have questioned this the response from owners or bailiffs tends to be that the treble has the one barb for secure attachment to the bait ( so essentially semi barbed as you suggested ) .
Some on here may use bands, pva or wire to help with attachment,
Darren , ( pikehunter 20 ) is big on bait flags at the minute, he may shed some light on this one for you. Cheers Craig.

Barbless and semi barbless hooks are shite, there intended to help towards fish care but there's always been a debate that they do more damage as they are designed to be easily removed from the fish. Now when you think about how easily they come out then this more often than not applies when the fish is been played so therefore doing more damage than a barbed hook which 99% of the time stays put and not coming free and getting hooked into another part of the pikes mouth like semi barbed or barbless, that's presuming they don't come free altogether and you lose the fish, which could be a fish of a lifetime aaaggggghhhhhh. I know rules are rules and you must adhere to them, can't see how bait flags would stop the hooks coming free Pete   ,  bait elastic or some other similar means is your best bet for peace of mind mate, good luck.....

P.S.
Don't forget to try and always keep a tight line when playing the fish......

try a beak point it will help a little use red elctrical tape and make your own flags rather than pay the extorsionate prices from tackle companies

Cheers for the replies guys.
I use semi barbless quite a bit, my local club requires them. I guess this time it'll have to be bait elastic.

hi, been using bait flags for over a year now, work great with single hooks barbless through the mouth, stops fish coming off when live baiting or deads but put the hook through the flag not the hole in it when float fishing them. rubber bands cut to size do the job just as good( large ones). when casting deads with barbless hooks i always put top treble in trunk of tail all way through and nip second around dorsal fin works for me,i don,t catch owt but looks good  strike early fish is already in there tight lines

Class Suv, spat my drink out laughing    .  He does catch as we shall see tomorrow 

petestanley wrote:I'm fishing a venue this weekend that has a barbless hook only policy. After speaking to the owner about using semi barbed to help with the bait staying on the hook, he responded 'use bait flags, everyone else does'.
Now, on previous inspection, I'd put bait flags down as something bright and red tackle manufacturers have started putting on there traces to catch the anglers eye (I can see the point about that it 'might' help catch a pikes eye, but I doubt anyone's done any serious side by side testing,or am I being cynical).
Am I missing something here?  The only way I see it working is to pierce the bait, bring the hook point back out, and push he flag over the exposed point, but I'm not sure I'd trust that on the cast, just hooked under the skin? Can anyone help me or am I resigned to bait elastic?

not a lover of bait elastic  you can lose fish using it as the hooks don't come away from the bait on the strike  that's why I use the casting clips  very lightly hooked but you never lose your bait  and I use the big elastics cut into small squares as bait flags  just to hold the bait on they are a lot better than shop bought ones.....  when you say testing its a matter of bait flag off bait comes off . bait flag on bait stays on simples well it does for me anyway

I've got round it methinks, but I won't say, the purist will shoot me. I've got some casting clips too come to mention it, bought them and never used, I could give those a whirl too. Cheers for jogging my memory stubbo!

  
would it be hair rigging?




  

petestanley wrote:I've got round it methinks, but I won't say, the purist will shoot me. I've got some casting clips too come to mention it, bought them and never used, I could give those a whirl too. Cheers for jogging my memory stubbo!

It rhymes with 'late float'

petestanley wrote:It rhymes with 'late float'

love it      

petestanley wrote:It rhymes with 'late float'

thats cheating