for those who fish

Sploke

Sploke

resident boozehound
Staff member
Oct 20, 2005
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South Windsor, CT
Real Name
Matt
I was thinking about fishing and such, and the sport persay doesn't bother me that much as a fishkeeper, but I was thinking, sometimes regardless of the effort you put in, fish can get pretty beat up by a crankbait with 2 large pointy treble hooks hanging off it...you know, the front one hooks the lip and the back one hanging off gets stuck in a gill plate or fin or whatever. the thought crossed my mind about things to make it easier on the fish, i.e. less injury. What immediately came to mind was switching all the treble hooks to singles, and possibly bending down or snipping off the barbs on the hooks. True, it would make it harder to land fish, but might make it more challenging, and it would save a lot of injury to the fish in the process. Has anyone every tried any of these things?
 
when i used to fish i would snip the barbs off. it made it a lot easier for me, and a lot easier on the fish too. don't know as far as the more 'complicated' lures, all i used was a hook and a few worms.
 
if the barb is small enough, i'll leave it alone.. if it's large and gaudy and i have a hard time removing it more than twice, i'll file the tip off when i get home.
 
Many of the streams and small lakes I fish are "barbless." Even when they are not I bend/file/crimp/clip the barbs (or tend to buy barbless). It is more challenging and yes I have lost a few beasties. Lost a smallmouth last summer on the Snake River that I swear would have set a state record (no I am not lying/embellishing/exaggerating), I have 2 witnesses. But I tend to catch and release all my fish. So there is no reason to cause anymore damage than possible.

So in the end, the ones that we land are more rewarding and the ones we lose are the stories and laughs that get us through the day.
 
one major reason to go barbless if you fish in brackish water - EELS! those little buggers are difficult enough to try and get off the hook let alone getting a barb past them. we used to have to step on them to keep them still enough to take off the line, the amount of slime they produce under stress is just absolutey disgusting.
 
Yeah depending on where I'm fishing I carry a rag with me if I have to grab one....they are pretty gross to handle.
 
I've removed the barbs on all my rapalas

it's true it is much less damaging to the fish in the long run...but it significantly lowers your chances of landing the fish

obviously everyone knows how to keep tension on the fish from the start of the first hit until you land the fish...but fishing any species that loves to jump (bass especially) once they leave the water...it's all up to luck

most of the time when the fish hits the water again it's already free

it's kind of a sacrifice you have to make one way or another as a fishkeeper and avid fisherman...and it is a tough one
 
I've never thought about removing the barbs--I try to use only the smaller ones though.
About the Eels....you are sooo right. I used to fish the Connecticut River (in Massachusetts) and catch the eels and cut them up and use them for bait. :yuck: I don't think I'd cut them up now.....Some people actually eat those things! :crazy::barf:
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