Are you crushed?? - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Rappin Mikey · 03-09-2007, 07:55 AM

Just wondering how many people out there are fishing with crushed barbs? I started doing this a little more last year, especially from the kayak.

fishsmith · 03-09-2007, 07:58 AM

vanstaal · 03-09-2007, 08:01 AM

I was thinking about it still up in the air

daceman63 · 03-09-2007, 08:02 AM

never did it. I don't catch many so those I do hook I want to land. lol

JFigliuolo · 03-09-2007, 08:05 AM

When fishing a bluefish blitz (which is not that often) yes.

Hunting bass, no way. I use one trebble hook and a siwash tail hook (to reduce foul hooking), so there is little damage done.

afterhours · 03-09-2007, 08:10 AM

i always crush my barbs. go in fish easier- come out of fish easier- come out of me easier. i don't believe you'll loose fish if you play them well.....my .02

good2hook · 03-09-2007, 08:24 AM

man, i don't think i could get past the fact of losing a 50lber. because of something i intentionally did to a hook, it's bad enough losing one to the unintentionals i do already. just my .02

2na · 03-09-2007, 08:03 AM

You shoulda started before you drilled that treble into your thumb in the middle of the blitz 2 Junes ago -

I've been dremel-ing mine off for about 7-8 years now

MrHunters · 03-09-2007, 08:52 AM

nope i need all the help i can get... doesnt mean i don't feel bad when i foul hook one and its a small surgery trying to save the lil guy

UserRemoved1 · 03-09-2007, 09:15 AM

ALWAYS unless I am fishing tunoids cuz they can turn so fast I can't reel quick enough and you will lose them. Never lost a big bass with barbless.

Swimmer · 03-09-2007, 09:45 AM

In the spring I do Mikey. Can't see mangling the mouth on all the schoolies.

jim sylvester · 03-09-2007, 09:58 AM

never....why put yourself in a predicament to loose the fish of a lifetime

I'ld rather cut my hand open to get a barbed hook out than loose a big fish

Rockport24 · 03-09-2007, 10:01 AM

yeah, based on the advice of #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& and others I don't do it. I want every advantage I can get.

LeCounts1099 · 03-09-2007, 10:07 AM

Every hook I throw into the Ocean has a crushed barb-- I truly feel the advantages of greater hook- penetration into a Cows' bony jaw greatly outweighs the distant fear that this will allow my dream- fish to come unbuttoned! You have to solidly hook up that Monster first, to have any chance to land it!-- a feat sometimes with plugs sporting largish- trebles, no matter how sharp! I can honestly say that I don't feel I've ever lost a big Bass because of this... bent- out fresh 4x-strong trebles way more often is my bane!

However, I've gone to what I'd describe as a "75% crush"... where the barb is still there, but crushed enough that it lays roughly parallel to the hook- shank. I feel this give me the advantages of having some/ enough barb... but still the advantage of easier penetration, & easier/ gentler unhooking of released fish (99.9% of mine, esp. cows). Works for me after 10+ years of field- testing!

shadow · 03-09-2007, 10:15 AM

only my spring time schoolie plugs other then that never.

goosefish · 03-09-2007, 11:54 AM

freshwater yes, saltwater no--I have no idea really why I do it that way?

Sluggoslinger · 03-09-2007, 10:01 AM

I have certain lures with crushed barbs just because its much easier to release the schoolies in the spring. That is the only time I use those lures though.

Goose · 03-09-2007, 01:35 PM

I had a dream once I useing a barbless, what a nightmare. Heads shakes.

MarshCappa · 03-09-2007, 02:07 PM

I crush em all! But I've lost more than my share. I hate what it does to them when I need to use the needlenose.

luds · 03-09-2007, 05:14 PM

Only when I'm targeting schoolies.

numbskull · 03-09-2007, 05:50 PM

Crushed Mustads for years, they worked much better. VMCs dont have much of a barb and I get lazy about it, but expect I'll regret it some day.

gone fishin · 03-09-2007, 11:28 PM

I agree with Mike - only one exception, when targeting schoolies in the spring I use barbless hooks. If i loose them it doesn't matter. Fishing without barbs make you concentrate on keeping the line tight and landing a fish quickly.

Al in Westport · 03-10-2007, 05:22 AM

Hi All,

Up ‘till this year I haven’t given crushing the barb much thought. Never did crush. Now, after reading these posts, I’m going to start fishing barbless. At least when plugging for schoolies this spring in the river.

Al

l.i.fish.in.vt · 03-10-2007, 07:57 AM

i chrush the barbs on all my plugs,both trebles and siwash. i don't think i lose any fish because of it. i have seen PTmike land enough big fish for me to believe that it doesn't effect his landing rate. i know several other anglers who have landed more big fish than most and i mean 50 to 60 lbfish and they crush the barbs,thats enough for me to trust crushed barbs

tattoobob · 03-10-2007, 11:35 AM

Never Did it never will

chuckg · 03-09-2007, 02:56 PM

Crush them on smaller plugs/plactics for springtime school fish.

EricM · 03-09-2007, 03:27 PM

I go in phases. I crushed barbs for a few years, and then I hooked into something massive with a crushed barbed fly and five minutes into the fight -headshake bye-bye. I could have fought the fish better, but...Sayonara barbless.

thortum · 03-09-2007, 08:09 PM

I bend the barbs flat on all flies, and partially bend them on all of the larger hooks.

Rappin Mikey · 03-09-2007, 10:53 PM

OOCH!!!

fishgolf · 03-11-2007, 05:23 PM

Always on leadheads...
Not on plugs.
Usually fish leadheads...