Barbed Vs. De-Barbed Hooks?

[Adam Snodgrass]

I'm curious if you all leave the barbs on your fly hooks or if more people de-barb them. I've read that getting rid of the barb reduces the fish mortality rate while obviously making it easier to remove the hooks. However, you'll also lose more fish w/o the barb, which has happened to me plenty. Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Adam

[wackaloo13]

I debarb bigger hooks. I don't debarb little stuff.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I can't say I've ever lost a fish because of the lack of a barb. Lets face it a smallie can throw a face full of barbed trebles at you so it's hard to say the lack of a barb caused a fish lost. I love the fact that i can slip the hooks out easily.

I've gotten lax in my debarbing, but I need to get back to it.

[rps]

I have been seriously considering flattening the barbs on my bass lures. Every once in a while, an easy to remove hook would help the odds for the fish to survive unhooking. In addition, with as many self inflicted sticks as I have suffered in the last several years, I have to admit it would be easier on me.

I have mashed barbs in the past for trout fishing. So here is the question: How does everyone debarb once the size reaches 4 or 2 or larger? Do you mash? Do you file?

[wackaloo13]

I use my tying vice to crush the barbs

[Fly_Guy]

Mash w/ Leatherman on all size hooks. I like barbless for bass worm hooks - those suckers do enough damage w/out the barb added. The only other thing I always de-barb are trout hooks when I'm fishing w/ powerbait (whether I'm keeping or not).

[Al Agnew]

I mash the barb on all my trout flies, just because it makes it so much easier to unhook the fish. It's hit or miss on bass lures, sometimes I do but usually I don't.

[Gavin]

I debarb flies if I remember too...Always on nasty treble hook lures.

[stlfisher]

I have been debarbing lately, but I don't always remember to pinch them down. I still have quite a few with barbs on them that I will use up. I hear it can actually be easier to set the hook with a debarbed hook (it should slide in easier), but you might loose a few more fish. Just try to keep a tight line and it should be minimal. I don't really debarb with bass, but might give it a go. I don't throw many treble hook lures with barbs on them though...I have hooked myself releasing bass way to many times with those.

[3wt]

I debarb everything. I don't think the barb is the biggest culprit, but the time and effort to get a barbed hook out can really make it tough on the fish.

I actally find smaller barbed hooks to be the worst because they can make a full loop - going in and back out completely, so you have to get the barb into the hole it made and out again. Rough on fish and a good way to destroy a small dry.