Do you crush the barbs on your hooks ?

[Snow Fly]

All points are very well taken! For what it is worth I had an "Old Head" many years ago asked me what goes into a piece of cloth the easiest a nail or a straight pin? You know the answer the pin.He claimed that you will get far more hook ups and probably lose no more fish than you already do. I found he advice does work, pinch the barb.

[Terry Beeson]

I pinch the barbs for the following reasons:

1. Easier to get the hook out of your finger, ear, back, shirt, waders, dog, Tanycomo Man-Eating Squid, truck seat, etc.

2. I have not noticed any difference in hook-ups barb vs. no barb. (Some will argue that point...)

3. I fish a lot of Catch and Release water where barbless hooks are required and I don't want to have an "uh-oh" about the time the game warden walks up.

4. Easier to release the fish. (C&R or keeping)

5. If you tie your own flies, it will probably be a habit you pick up from the instructor who introduced you to fly tying. And he would hunt me down and give me a thrashing if I forgot to pinch the barb before loading the hook into the vise...

I just wish they would offer more barbless hooks in the sizes and styles I tie...

[RiverRunner]

After 3 trips to the ER in one year for hook removal, I fish barbless on anything I can. The little barb smasher pliers that BPS sells work great. I would agree that you do get a better hookset, you just have to be careful that you maintain pressure at all times.

[Danoinark]

Yep, just before setting the hook in the vise.

Dano

[Kicknbass]

Yes, the minute I fight the barb free from my landing net and I remember.

[Andrew Schaefer]

Nope, I only do it when required by law. I've never had a good enough reason to do it. I've never had a problem unhooking fish with barbed hooks. I accidentaly bought some barbless scud hooks once and I think that I lost a lot more fish with them than with barbed hooks. To each his own...

[SilverMallard]

Always. 2 reasons: I'm lazy and a klutz.

[MrDucky]

(Mrs. Ducky)

I just tied about 15 flies and forgot to do that! Well, hope I don't break any! (Never have, but famous last words and all that...)

The worst hook stuck/barb not smashed story...I'm a teacher, and earlier this year one of my students got hooked...at school...on a classmate's hat hook! Very nasty. They weren't sure how to get the hook out without more damage than already done! It was a freak accident, but still it brought home the point! (Pun intended!)

[Bob A]

I always go barbless and no exceptions, no matter what size fly. And I can honestly say I lose very few fish as a result, as I fish with a fairly tight line. Mostly, for my own safety but also easier to release the fish and not lose flies in my net.

Bob A (Springfield)

[jOrOb]

Did anyone catch the video of a guy with a Gold ribbed Hares ear embedded in his eye? That alone is enough for me to go barbless.