In 2011, why not be a better sportsman? - two tips inside!

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Redearsunfish

Redearsunfish

Piranha
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Aug 6, 2009
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1. reduce the size of your hooks, specifically the trebles. On most lures, the hooks are far too big for their own good. try reducing their size, I always do. This accomplishes two things. A. Less damage is done to the fishes mouth and or body. B. It presents a more stealthy, natural presentation, which could lead to more strikes. You may lose a few more fish in the long run, but you'll be a better sportsman all around when you release your fish

2. Squish down your barbs. On your trebles or other wise. Here's a tip, leave a little rounded bump, but squish down the point of the barb. This will do much less damage to the fishes mouth or body when you remove hooks. You may lose a few more fish, but not that many if you have the proper drag set-up. Again, you'll be a better sportsman all around when you release your fish.

Try these two tips this season. Why they may reduce your overall landed percentage, you strike percentage may go up and its good for the fish.
 
Redearsunfish;4890182; said:
Try these two tips this season. Why they may reduce your overall landed percentage, you strike percentage may go up and its good for the fish.
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I appreciate what you're preaching but the part I bolded is what I have a major problem with. tried the trebel flattening thing and lost a 2-3lber right at the bank, not making that mistake again
 
Oh yes, you will lose more fish for sure, but its a good practice in pressured waters, or at least those waters that you able to fish on a regular basis.

Perhaps squishing barbs would be best for any fish you catch AFTER the catch of the day, i.e., a nice 2-3 pounder. I.e., keep a set of squished barbed hooks on hard to swap after you've made a nice catch or two.
 
hmm.. understandable i suppose. at this point i just want to go fish some, its finally getting warm enough to potentially catch some, thursday can't come soon enough i have the whole day off :P
 
The best thing about smashing down the barbs is you wont have to go to the emergency room to get a treble from a 1/2 oz kastmaster removed from the back of your head...I definately debarb almost all of my hooks now lol.
 
I really don't see the point. I don't generally fish without the intent to keep and eat what I catch (legal of course). And I am not going to lose a 4 pound bass that could be my dinner to try to make a few fish slightly more likely to survive C+R. If a fish is going to die after being released when caught on a barbed hook, then it most certainly is going to die with a barbless hook. What makes you think a barb will be the difference after a 10 minute or longer fight with a human 40 times it's weight? Personal experience or pure speculation?

And for most places you can hook a fish, if you do it right, you can remove a barbed hook as easily as a barbless.
 
i just catch fish with my hands :D, its a lot harder to do than using bait and it doesn't harm the fish enless you squeeze em real hard.
 
Joe M;4891426; said:
I really don't see the point. I don't generally fish without the intent to keep and eat what I catch (legal of course). And I am not going to lose a 4 pound bass that could be my dinner to try to make a few fish slightly more likely to survive C+R. If a fish is going to die after being released when caught on a barbed hook, then it most certainly is going to die with a barbless hook. What makes you think a barb will be the difference after a 10 minute or longer fight with a human 40 times it's weight? Personal experience or pure speculation?

And for most places you can hook a fish, if you do it right, you can remove a barbed hook as easily as a barbless.
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IME, fish caught with barbless hooks are released much easier than those caught with barbed hooks.
 
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