Leaderboard

This might sound like a stupid question to a lot of you but I have to ask to make sure I do things right. I have always fished venues that allow barbless hooks only but i would like try a new venue but they only allow barbed hooks. I have seen all the arguments with regard to barbed hooks vs barbless and so I understand why the fishery in question have imposed this rule. A lot of people seem to agree that barbed hooks cause less damage to the mouth but ONLY when people know what they are doing when they remove the hook. So here is my dilema, I have never had to remove a barbed hook before and yet it is clear that I will be if I fish this new venue so can anyone give me any tips? Maybe I will find it natural and easy but the last thing I want to do is hurt the fish. There must be techniques that peopl use to allow them to be removed easily? All comments welcome.

Hi The hook should be pushed out following the entry route as close as possible. Barbed hooks tend to go in then not move and if pushed the opposite way cause less damage then trying to twist them etc as this only enlarges the entry and internal hole. The best way to achieve this is to either use a discorger pushed down the line to the bend of the hook and then keep pushing the opposite way to the entry. Or a pair of forceps on the bend of the hook and again push the opposite to entry. All but the most stubborn hooks will come out neatly like this. Big barbs sometimes stop the hook moving if embedded in cartilage and will take a bit more moving, hold the hook tight and give the back of the holding hand a sharp tap with your other hand If the point and barb go right through to the outside cut the hook in half with a pair of cutters Whilst I am at it I will try to explain the correct way to remove a barbed hook from ones own person. Imagine the hook is embedded deep in the end of you left index finger, Get a length of fishing line 60cm long; tie the two ends together so you have a continuos loop. Put the loop over the hook and slide it down until it sits on the bend of the hook, now trap the shank of the hook with you left hand thumb tightly against your index finger, With your right hand get hold of the loop of line and give it a quick sudden jerk or better still get someone else to do it. I was shown this way to remove hooks by the late Fred J and was again shown in hospital when I got a size 4 single embedded in my face. It works a treat and I have successfully removed barbed hooks as big as 8-00, painful but no long lasting problems. Frank