Go Barbless or Go Home

When I started fly fishing, I hadn't considered fishing barbless hooks.  In fact, I wouldn't have considered it out of fear of losing fish.  I thought hooks had barbs for a reason, and that reason was to keep fish on the hook.  I worried that removing the barb would cause me to loose that "fish of a lifetime".  It wasn't until a few years ago that I began to realize the great value in utilizing barbless hooks.  That "turning point" in my mentality was mostly due to my continued education on handling fish.  It is well documented that fish mortality is still an issue, even as catch and release fisherman handle their catch with great care.  Death, for trout especially, can come fairly easy when stressed or injured.  It depends greatly on a number of factors:

• Fight time
• Injuries sustained to fish during fight/landing process
• Handling of fish while on land (excessive touching, flopping on shore/against rocks, etc)
• Time spent out of water (remember, fish have gills, not lungs and lack the ability to store oxygen.  10 seconds is all it takes for significant damage to occur)
• Water/atmosphere temperature/Oxygen content of water (will both be factors during the fight and recovery process)
• Other situation dependent factors

As you can see, fish have a lot going against them.  Not only did crimping the barb on all my hooks make fishing more convenient, but it proved to be a timesaver on the water and gave me a bit more piece of mind knowing I've done all I can to release the catch as unharmed as possible.  And it will make you a better fisherman, more adept at fighting and landing fish without the safety net of a barb.

Because I tie all of my own flies, it's easy to prepare each hook properly.  I crimp the barb on each hook with a set of pliers before I begin tying.  If you purchase flies, it's a bit harder to stay on top of it.  Take note before tying one on.  If catch and release is your thing, go barbless for a more fruitful fishing experience.