Bending Down Barbs on Trebles ?

Breamskin · #1 16-09-2010, 12:42 AM

Just wondering who bends down the Barbs on their Trebles and Jig heads ?

Obviously you wouldn't do it in comps but I was thinking of doing it when rec fishing to give our fish a better chance of survival when catching and releasing. Plus making it easier to remove hooks from the mouth or throat of the fish.

Has anyone dropped many fish when practising this method ?

And do you think it makes a huge difference to their survival rate ?

Regards
BS

zhaoyun999 · #2 16-09-2010, 01:01 AM

I squashed my barbs down once for trout fishing. Lost many, many fish. Never squashed down the barbs for trebles ever since that day. Bream dont do the gill flaring jumps like trout do, but i think it will affect your catch rate.

Ilovebreams · #3 16-09-2010, 01:24 AM

I have squashed the barb on my breaming HBs and vibes ... I don't find it a problem as long as you maintain a tight line....

I guess it may be different for other species that might fight differently or jump....

nuzzy · #4 16-09-2010, 01:33 AM

i squash all the barbs on trebles but not on jigheads. for the average joe, i dont think there would be any difference whatsoever to the hookup and landing rate. i personally think it would improve the landing rate because you have to keep constant pressure on the fish when it is hooked and keep in contact with your lure when trying to catch them.

i have found my hookup rate to actually increase since i squashed my barbs and im landing alot more bigger fish that are just mouthing the lures.

macca33 · #5 16-09-2010, 06:08 AM

I crush EVERY barb on EVERY lure / fly hook and have never noticed any detrimental effectto catch rates or dropping fish. It is also a heap safer, in the unfortunate event that the hook enters some part of YOUR body.

cheers

ben k · #6 16-09-2010, 06:32 AM

most of our trebles these days (owners etc) have a very small barb anyway, ive never done any harm to a bream un-hooking it with a barbed hook.
im not saying not to de-barb though.........

oh, and if a bream goes into a snag you wouldnt be able to give it slack to come out and expect the fish to still be on.

BlackBreamer · #7 16-09-2010, 08:39 AM

No way possible id de-barb the hook, i like to see what i hook and fishing as light as i do for mullies etc it's hard enough keeping the hooks in on good fish..

The G factor · #8 16-09-2010, 08:45 AM

ive done it once or twice on some vibes as they can be am absolutely b!tch to get out if the bream eats the whole treble. Havent noticed that i drop more fish either, but generally speaking i dont squash them

Fishigan · #9 16-09-2010, 09:34 AM

I'm in a fresh water club and it's mandatory to use either barbless hooks or squash the barbs down so I squash my trebles and fly hooks down. I havent noticed any difference

brad mcdonald · #10 16-09-2010, 08:16 PM

always fish barbless even in comps.

apart from it being better for the fish and for me when it goes wrong, i reckon the time saved unhooking fish means more time fishing so there for more fish hooked.

keep a tight line and they wont get off, even if they jump.

Breamskin · #11 16-09-2010, 11:47 PM

Thanks for the feed back fellas.

So it sounds like its ok to fish barbless providing you maintain a tight line during the fight which I mostly do anyway except when im being lazy

I didnt want to squash barbs on some of my trebles only to find out it was the wrong thing to do but you boys have given me confidence to do so. I,ll give it a crack next time i'm out on the water.

Laterz
BS