[Chris Guest]

After spending my first real season lure (plug) fishing for Bass and seeing the damage that two or three trebles can do to the fish, members of the forum would you advocate crushing the barb and what are your experiences of doing so.
A story...... at the end of last season I had a bass with one treble in its Gill Plate another hook point through my left forefinger and one through my Life Jacket I was "stiched" and was bleeding like a stuck pig with the Bass under my arm thrashing about and my mate on his back pissing himself, needless to say the Bass survived, I ripped the hook out of my finger and tore my life jacket!

I'm going to nip all the barbs next season, whats your thoughts?

 

[Mick Ward]

I totally agree with you, but I dont do it myself, i always think I should but dont do it. Maybe I will next year, cos when you crush the barbs it still leaves a small bump that acts as a kind of barb. I think Henry crushes his barbs as soon as he gets a lure out the box.

 

[Alex Jordan]

I crush them too - considering trying singles next year as well as I do it on my big poppers

 

[Mick Ward]

I crush them too - considering trying singles next year as well as I do it on my big poppers

I been tempted to do that too, I recon it may be more apealing on gin clear days too, give the lure a slimmer profile etc

 

[Keith White]

I will crush barbs but, not always.

If I'm fishing and I've already patterned the Bass then yes, I do.

If I'm fishing suspenders in clear and sometimes cooler water then no, not always.
I try to use outpoints (generally Partridge) or out-barbed on really finicky fish on dead stops or suspends.

Like the ones on the vision 110. Katsuage style. I have used VMC 8570 and Gamakatsu TR-120.
Better and less damaging according to research and I've noticed some improvement when I've used them.

 

[kevin white]

i crush the barbs on everything, easy release and no problems when you hook yourself

kev

 

[Simon Clapham]

All mine get squashed and almost all the three's get stripped down to two's....que some response about killing the lures action maybe, but seen loads of damage caused by that extra treble, especially when stuck in the bass's eyeball!

 

[James Davis]

I crush all mine and as of this year I removed the middle hook on all plugs with 3 trebles.

In fact I am even thinking of sniping off 2 of the 3 hook parts on each treble as close as possible or maybe just 1.

I'd love ot have my own test tank at home so I could see if it really does make a significant difference in action.

 

[Keith White]

It removes 'keel' weight.

Add the equivalent weight by hanging a split shot under the hanger or add equal distributed weight
fore and aft. Most floating minnows already ride too high in salt. Put the weight back.

However, some plugs seem immune. We remove middle hooks on Bomber 16a but we use those as wake
style mostly.

If in doubt, add the weight back.

 

[Henry Gilbey]

My views have not changed one single bit from my original blog post here on the subject :

http://www.henry-gilbey.com/blog/treble ... _them.html

 

[Gary A]

I've only been plugging for about a year so far, but since reading Henrys article last year, I always crush straight out of the box. I haven't lost any fish because of crushing, and the thought of a barbed hook in my hand (or worse my face) and the extra difficulty of unhooking the bass means I'll keep crushing in the future

 

[Nick Phillips]

I have always crushed or 'peened over' the barbs of all my hooks,even when bait fishing for Pike/Zander.
Its the first thing that I do with new hooks or a new plug.
I have seen some really ham fisted attempts at de-barbing over the years,I used to fish with a bloke that had all the finesse of a sledge hammer and I saw him break many hooks.
I have a very small pair of propper stainless flat nosed 'nippers' that seem to me to be totally made for the peening or teasing over of those nasty barbs.
The teasing over process leaves that tiny 'witness' that helps with the hook hold.
I actually like teasing over hook barbs,I dont know what it is but I find it very relaxing in my totally stressed existence. :rollineyes: :lol: