How many mash the barbs down on their hooks?

rsieminski · Post by **rsieminski** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 8:02 am

Do you mash the barbs down? Does it reduce the chances of landing the fish? It would seem, if just for a second, if you let a little slack in the line, it would throw the hook.

Shep · Post by **Shep** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 8:09 am

I mash em.
I've noticed that you actually have to hook a fish to worry about it throwing the hook because the barbs were mashed down.

It's just so much easier and quicker to dehook a fish from a barbless hook. Spends less time out of the water, and I spend less time twisted around and hunched over, resulting in a healthier fish, and less pain from my back.

MrSpectaculous · Post by **MrSpectaculous** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 9:22 am

Barbs are for bait chuckers...REALLY!...mashing is the difference between minor and major injury.

Redfisher · Post by **Redfisher** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 9:44 am

There have been a few times when I resorted to catching trout for a while just to salvage a trip. A couple of those time I was using only topwater and with all those hooks I did mash them down.With reds a snook it doesn't seem to cause so much harm and I'll admit to leaving them intact.

nikonjedi · Post by **nikonjedi** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 9:49 am

I do mash my barbs down on about 99% of my flies. I do leave a few for when I am targetiung fish for the table... If I am gonna eat 'em a barb ain't gonna hurt 'em any more. On my trout flies I mash ALL the barbs down... As for crank baits and such, about 90% of the time I remember to mash them down but I do admit I have a few crankbaits and spoons with barbs intact...

DaveR · Post by **DaveR** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 10:14 am

All of my trebles are mashed. With larger hooks I have noticed little increase in fish throwing the hook. I'll admit that small trebles (pins minnow and such) don't have the holding power with the barbs mashed but they difference isn't worth the risk to me and the fish. How many times have you used trebles and the fish, esp. trout and snook, have twisted that thing around in their mouth and their jaw is just a plain mess when the hook is removed. Those fish will most likely die a slow death of starvation. While mashing the barbs doesn't entirely eliminate this problem it does mitigate it quite a bit by allowing easier hook removal.

mudfish · Post by **mudfish** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 10:27 am

DaveR wrote:...How many times have you used trebles and the fish, esp. trout and snook, have twisted that thing around in their mouth and their jaw is just a plain mess when the hook is removed. Those fish will most likely die a slow death of starvation. While mashing the barbs doesn't entirely eliminate this problem it does mitigate it quite a bit by allowing easier hook removal.

good point but it makes me wonder; if a fish can pass a gutted hook and or leader, surely it can heal from a hook puncture in it's mouth, ...yes, no, maybe so?

Before i get jumped i'm not being a smart ass, just asking a serious question.

Redfisher · Post by **Redfisher** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 10:37 am

I haven't had too much trouble with snook but I must admit that my snook catches on artificial have been limited. I have only caught a few with lures with trebles the rest were DOA shrimp and jigs. The snook didn't seem to be a problem but trout get all screwed up. I'm open to change though, especially when I see post with hooks buried in fingers.

BTW-A circle hook in the nose of a greenback is very effective and doesn't do much damage at all.

pbr · Post by **pbr** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 5:29 pm

I tested both ways and found mashing barbs did not result in significant loss of fish, so I mash.

J.P. FROG · Post by **J.P. FROG** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 5:39 pm

I mash all my trebles and most of my jig head hooks. The exception would by if I'm fishing for table fare, or a tournament. Oh, I also like my potatoes mashed.

Uncle Tommy · Post by **Uncle Tommy** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 6:27 pm

I'm Irish. I was born to mash.

Pmoconnor89 · Post by **Pmoconnor89** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 7:41 pm

Mashing is the difference between a $600 emergency room bill or a 10 dollar Walgreens bill for some pain releivers and bandaids...

Chief1600 · Post by **Chief1600** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 8:05 pm

I always do unless I just plain forget. When I do forget I'm usually sorry I did. I haven't noticed any real difference with fish throwing the hook and the prospect of having a barbed hook buried in my hand, or the back of my head doesn't appeal to me. There is the idea that barbless hooks may actually penetrate better as well

Rooster · Post by **Rooster** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 11:39 pm

Trebles, I mash no matter what, single hooks, depends on the size of the barb, if its a big barb, I'll mash it, if its a small barb, I usually don't.

BearsFan · Post by **BearsFan** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 2:28 am

Always mash. Last fly swap I was the only one who did. WTF?

Blindmullet · Post by **Blindmullet** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 7:09 am

If I mashed down the barbs yesterday I wouldn't have caught the 347 foul hooked pin fish

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How many mash the barbs down on their hooks?

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How many mash the barbs down on their hooks?