crush barbs,release standing in chest deep water i see no problem.how about all the stripers killed in gill nets and just thrown back.i think of post last year all the nets boats after ocean hearing throwing large poundage of dead bye catch stripers back.so what are we talking about here.maybe a very few c&r do not make it.i can say i personally barbless standing in water release quite a few and maybe a couple a year are bleeders so i feel almost 100% make it ok.have spent time in ct b&t tackle shop and personally saw bunker sellers come in to sell bait.ask them what else they got and get answer quite a few stripers,when asked what they do with them.they knife through so they sink to bottom so fishermen will not bother their nets.again'st ct law to sell stripers.
