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A couple of years back I started bending down the barbs on my hooks and I have had much better luck returning short fish alive. I do tend to loose more keepers I think because of this but it is worth it to me. Does anyone else do this?

no.

I used to. I should start doing it again. Yeah, you'll lose a few more fish doing this, but it's worth it to me for the ease of getting hooks out of places they shouldn't have been allowed to go.

And it makes releasing a fish easier, and is easier on the fish.

Nope.... but I often think about it while chain-catching...

AJ, I bend the barb down on all my flies/lures and lose very few fish. If I keep pressure on them they generally won't come unglued. I release everything so barbless is a no brainer for me (also easier to remove a fly from your ear with the barb mashed . . . trust me ).

NFF, are you doing a little peircing? I don't loose many but I think it is worth it, and it makes it easier to get hooks out of nets, pants and fingers (remember, I have a 13 and a 9 yr old who have fished with me since they were old enough to stand).

AJ wrote:A couple of years back I started bending down the barbs on my hooks and I have had much better luck returning short fish alive. I do tend to loose more keepers I think because of this but it is worth it to me. Does anyone else do this?

No sir, I seem to release enough right at the boat without bending the barb down

yes.

I crush the barbs on all my hooks , regardless of what I am fishing for and any fish I lose are not as a result of having little, or no barb.

I also decided many years ago to stop using stainless steel hooks , now I only use bronzed hooks.