[STARMedic]

What is the preferred method for making barbed hooks barbless for fishing areas that require barbless?

I can see dremmeling, or tryin to mush it down or file it off, but figured I would ask the experts....

Thanks in advance,

Bruce

[Bruce]

I normally buy barbless hooks, but I have found that it's not that hard to crimp the barb on most of the better quality hooks by using a small pair of needle nose pliers or forceps. Once the barb is crimped so that the barb is either flat or bent back toward the shank, it is considered barbless. Tiemco and Daiichi crimp very easy.

[GeorgeMcFly]

a squeeze of the trusty needle noses!

[Frank Whiton]

Hi STARMedic,

The best way is to pinch down the barb is with pliers. The best pliers will have smooth jaws with no serrations. Many use needle nose pliers but I prefer one of the small pliers made for de-barbing. If you tye flies the best time to pinch the barb is at the vise.

Remember that you should use de-barbed hooks all of the time, not just on water that requires it.

Frank

[STARMedic]

Thank you guys for the replies and info.

Bruce

[ZGreenlee]

For what it's worth, the Fish and Game fellas that walk and boat the lower Stanislaus in CA have been reported to take a piece of cotton accros that barb of a hook and if it grabbed any of the cotton fibers they'd fine you. This is just one of those "friend of a friend" type rumors I've heard, but I'm extra careful to check my barbs in a similar way prior to taking to the water.

Tight lines!

[GeorgeMcFly]

I debarb all my hooks also now that I have read it on here. never seem to have lost a fish because of it yet. bit I did read somewhere that barbless hooks could be bad for a fish. wait here is the post.

"Some researchers have noted that barbless hooks can cause what is called a "stiletto effect," which occurs when a hook comes loose one or more times during a fight and impales a fish multiple times. This, in turn, increases the chance of the hook causing severe damage to the fish. Barbless hooks certainly make releasing a fish (or angler) easier, but I believe that their effectiveness in reducing latent or immediate mortality in released fishes is still yet to be determined, and may well vary with different hook types and species. "

[STARMedic]

Im still tryin to get my head around the whole barbless requirement. I understand it in the C&R areas, however Im looking at attending the Trout Days put on by the Texas Hill Country River Region, and the rules apart from the barbless requirement dont stipulate C&R......

So if there isnt a C&R requirement whats the point of a barbless hook....

But rules is rules.....

Bruce

[Frank Whiton]

Hi Bruce,

Here are my thoughts. Most fly fishers practice C&R anytime they are fishing for Trout. If you want to keep a few fish to eat, you should be fishing for planted trout or warm water fish. All wild Trout or wild Steelhead should be released if we want to sustain the fishery.

Frank

[trout champ]

Sometimes I can find barbless flies at my local shop. If not I just use a pair of pliers, the ones that are flat edged work way better than the ones with grooves.

Whenever I go fly fishing I practice C&R. In Colorado a lot of waters are C&R because of over fishing. If I fell like eating any fish I just tie on a hook and worm on a regular pole and head out to the lake.

Randy