Mashing the barbs down?

[Tjames09]

Was watching Fishful thinking (man that guys annoying to watch), but anyways, he mentioned he mashed his barbs down on his spinner when he fishing for pike. Was wondering if anyone here does the same for big fish. I've noticed the barbs often get in the way when doing hook removal and cause a fair bit of damage.

[Old Ironmaker]

If I get into one fish after another and or it's catch and release I always crimp the barbs on all my hooks.

 

I like Charlie, better than most plus he gave me a nice hat and some line, Seagar of course.

[Joeytier]

Everything I use for brook and lake trout is barbless, usually single hook too. It does make a huge difference in ease of unhooking, both for the fish and the back of your head.

[OhioFisherman]

The idea of a barb is to help keep a fish from throwing the hook, if you're not concerned with landing it why not? Of course flattening the barbs will help reduce injury, cutting the hooks off a lure will reduce it a lot more!

[AKRISONER]

lots of provinces have gone barbless...BC, Manitoba for sure maybe Sask?

 

i consider it sometimes...but dont see myself doing it just to do it even though i mainly C&R. Fishing is tough enough as it is if you are playing within the rules and practice good C&R then it is what it is.

 

As a rule if we mangle a fish due to a bad hooking...we eat it.

[AKRISONER]

lots of provinces have gone barbless...BC, Manitoba for sure maybe Sask?

 

i consider it sometimes...but dont see myself doing it just to do it even though i mainly C&R. Fishing is tough enough as it is if you are playing within the rules and practice good C&R then it is what it is.

 

As a rule if we mangle a fish due to a bad hooking...we eat it.

[Joeytier]

The idea of a barb is to help keep a fish from throwing the hook, if you're not concerned with landing it why not? Of course flattening the barbs will help reduce injury, cutting the hooks off a lure will reduce it a lot more!

I have not noticed a difference in fish landed since I started trout fishing barbless, but far less mangled fish yaps. trebles will lose plenty of fish too.

[aplumma]

Ive gone barbless it makes it easier to unhook both man and fish.

 

Art

[captpierre]

Landed a good ski a few weeks ago.

2 wild jumps with head shakes

Wondered if we would have landed it had in line bucktail spinner been barbless

?

[jimmer]

I used to always go barbless years ago when fishing specifically for muskie, it came in handy when the hooks went into my brothers hand with the muskie still attached. I don't think we lost many because of it, you just have to make sure you keep a tight line.

[DRIFTER_016]

Barbless is the rule here in The NWT.

I will go barbless when fishing places that don't require it as well when the fishing is hot and fast so as not to damage fish and aid in releasing.

I also use just one hook on multiple hook lures when fishing pike and lakers so they don't get hurt while rolling.

[OhioFisherman]

I have not noticed a difference in fish landed since I started trout fishing barbless, but far less mangled fish yaps. trebles will lose plenty of fish too.

 

I do agree on the trebles, when fishing bass tournaments I tried to avoid them if I could.

[esoxansteel]

I fish muskies with flies i mash the barbs down, allows for easier hook penetration on a strip set, and also easy removal on the fish

[Tjames09]

The idea of a barb is to help keep a fish from throwing the hook, if you're not concerned with landing it why not? Of course flattening the barbs will help reduce injury, cutting the hooks off a lure will reduce it a lot more!

 

Actually I believe the original idea of a barb was to hold bait on the hook, not prevent fish from shaking it. The latter might have been an effect of the former.

[Andy]

Musky and pike and some bass lures are barbless. Not keeping them anyway, less harm to them and me. Maybe the odd one gets away, but if they do I know that they will likely live.

Walleye jigs barbed because I like to eat the odd one.

[OhioFisherman]

 

Actually I believe the original idea of a barb was to hold bait on the hook, not prevent fish from shaking it. The latter might have been an effect of the former.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_hook

 

I don't believe that is the case and I see no reference to it, there are hooks that have barbs on the hook shank for that purpose.

 

It is hard to find large minnows in this area unless you happen to be near one of the lakes that has a population of big catfish or muskie. I used to fish at times for large minnows for bait, a tiny piece of worm or maggot on a size 10-12 hook with the barb flattened down, surprising how many of them can shake themselves free.

 

Some lake and ponds here have golden shiners in them 10-12 inches long, bigger than I cared to use, but a 6-8 was fine for bass here. Easy to damage a baitfish removing a barbed hook.

[buick14]

Sorry I disagree with many here, barbs exponentially increase your chance of landing your catch, especially when they run towards the boat.

Yes yes keep tension on it and your good...I lost a few of my biggest fish on barbless, never ever again (unless it's law). When u hook up with a biggun it's exciting and mistakes (even if minute)are made.

[Old Ironmaker]

Ohio, you are right. Baitholder hooks are made to keep bait from coming off the hook, not the barb at the tip.

[grimsbylander]

Sorry I disagree with many here, barbs exponentially increase your chance of landing your catch, especially when they run towards the boat.

Yes yes keep tension on it and your good...I lost a few of my biggest fish on barbless, never ever again (unless it's law). When u hook up with a biggun it's exciting and mistakes (even if minute)are made.

 

[dhickey]

The only time I mash the barbs down is when throwing some lures.

I have a couple lures that are very good at finding fish but are a pain to cast simply because they tend to tumble and often catch the line when they hit the water the barbs then nick the line or if a fish hits it the barbs can and do cut the line.

No I don't use braided line.

I have also gotten into the habit of taking the back treble hooks off a lure and replacing it with a single barbless hook if not removing it all together.

If there is one thing I hate more than any thing is when the back hook gets hung up in the gullet or gills.

 

Having said that when the fishing is tough and the bite is soft the back treble goes back on.

 

It's just a balance between what you think is acceptable .