Skip:

I too, have similar convictions about fish conservation. I don't hang 'em on the wall and I might fillet only two or three on a week-long trip...sometimes none. Catch and release is catching on with more and more anglers these days.

I've been thinking about going barbless for some time. I've caught enough fish in my life and wouldn't mind losing some in the future by giving up the advantage barbs provide. In fact, I think the additional challenge would make playing the fish more interesting. Also, I would have to guess that if you're careful, you wouldn't actually lose that many of the fish hooked.

So...I've got a couple of questions for you. How do you go barbless? Can I just crimp down the barbs on the hooks that I use, or should I file them off, or should I replace them with hooks manufactured without barbs? Finally, in your experience, have you found that going barbless causes you to lose very many more fish?

With regard to your last paragraph, that's definately been my experience. Just because you found a spot that is hot, doesn't mean that it'll always be hot.

By the way, smallmouth are definately "good grazing," as my fishing partner likes to say. And the smaller ones taste a lot better than the breeders.

...Tom

Posted by Tom Swulius on March 01, 2000 at 00:34