# De-Barbing Hooks



## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

OK, I'd never ever considered de-barbing my hooks before (for fear of dropping a good fish) but with some gruesome injuries befaling AKFFers over the weekend I'm now re-thinking my logic....I'd rather lost the occasional fish than attach myself permanently to my rusty lures

Having never done this before, what's the best way to do it?

Do i just squash the barb down along the shaft of the hook or do I twist and snap it off?

Over to you..


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## Peril (Sep 5, 2005)

I twist and snap, but have only done this on small hooks. Sometimes the hook breaks, but usually only on crap hooks that would fail anyhow


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## wolfy (Apr 27, 2007)

The recommended method is with pliers to crush the barb flat against the hook shaft. Don't do it the obvious way, sideways, as that can very easily twist and strain the hook bend and fatigue the metal. The ideal method is to hold the hook point lengthways on in the plier tips and gently crush the barb point - easy and safe!


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## Tim (Nov 11, 2005)

I do a bit of both, depending on the size of the hook.

Squeeze them with pliers and give a gentle twist, small barbs will snap clean off, bigger ones will go down flat against the shaft.

You will snap some points clean off, but I'd rather do that now, than in a fish's gob.


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## johnny (Aug 12, 2007)

Davey G,I'm a fan of simply crushing the barbs down{I have a big set of pliers to twist off a fish,or to thread through and cut off hooks in me}.Never touch a fish with a single ,let alone a treble in its mouth is my rule-unless with good pliers on the hooks first.[hope that Trevor is better]
Regards,
johnny


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## DougOut (Dec 31, 2006)

like santas little helper said


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

wolfy said:


> The recommended method is with pliers to crush the barb flat against the hook shaft. Don't do it the obvious way, sideways, as that can very easily twist and strain the hook bend and fatigue the metal. The ideal method is to hold the hook point lengthways on in the plier tips and gently crush the barb point - easy and safe!


me too 8)


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## Guest (Dec 10, 2007)

I have a pair of split pin pliers( well I did have I dropped them overboard yesterday) they had a flat side in the jaws. I just line up the barb in crossways and squeeze it flat.

Nine out of tens times they crush flat which is ok, occasionally they snap off.

Cheers


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## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

so for those of you who DO already crush your barbs, would you consider that you now lose more fish mid-fight than before?


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## DougOut (Dec 31, 2006)

no slack in the line=no problem

Hey Davey....when Richo makes 5000 Posts..... 
can we please do something about his beloved Floppy Hat


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## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

doug-out said:


> no slack in the line=no problem
> 
> Hey Davey....when Richo makes 5000 Posts.....
> can we please do something about his beloved Floppy Hat


No chance at getting him into a cap ... he's already got the battle scars from too many years in the sun....

I reckon he should go for this option...total sun protection.


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## Guest (Dec 10, 2007)

Davey G said:


> so for those of you who DO already crush your barbs, would you consider that you now lose more fish mid-fight than before?


Hardly Ever,

Cheers


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## DougOut (Dec 31, 2006)

Davey G said:


> No chance at getting him into a cap ... he's already got the battle scars from too many years in the sun..


 :shock: so there's no truth to his Mike Tyson sparring partner tales :shock: 
must admit the bag is a better "over all' option :lol: :lol:


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## DougOut (Dec 31, 2006)

Davey G said:


> lose more fish mid-fight than before?


 that's always a possibility with species that "take the fight to/above the surface".....you should of course try and keep the heads or these fish down even with barbed hooks....so the same scenario/tactics exists
Poppers may however be another fishy tale....I've not used them consistently enough to pass comment on Hook-up v/s loss rate
my guess is with poppers...barbs down means fewer hook-ups


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## wolfy (Apr 27, 2007)

Iv'e thought so in the past and switched to barbs again; then lost a heap of fish the same way. It doesn't make any difference, really.


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