De-barbing your hook

[FlareKing]

So every lure I buy has barbed hooks. Is crimping them down with pillars good enough?

[tonypower]

Thats what I do but sometimes i have a hard time getting them off. Is there a better way than using pliers?

[Albertafisher]

As long as there is no metal from the barb that is poking out to catch the membrane.

[FlareKing]

So pretty much it is gonna do the trick then. Guess I need a small file.

[Bigdad013]

If you pinch them down, I use needlenose pliers, run your finger where the barb is, if it catches your skin, needs more crimping. They will ticket you if there is any type of point, even if you crimped it.

[BeeGuy]

Pinching the barbs on lures is always imperfect.

On some hooks the barb will break off leaving a ledge.

Until more barbless hooks are offered in stores, or lures come with them, I will not worry about the microscopic details.

If you pinch the barb as best as possible, you will not have a problem.

[Okotokian]

I guess until you have a fish cop run his fingers over your barb you'll never know (arrrgh, makes me feel dirty just saying that LOL). I've never had one test mine so I'm running on assumptions. But it only takes a few seconds to do what looks like a competent job.

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by FlareKing

So every lure I buy has barbed hooks. Is crimping them down with pillars good enough?

If you do it well. I'll use foreceps and finish it off with a little filing if it still catches my finger.

[BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES]

I use a fly tying vise , Or Whatever flyfisherman call them they are like Hemostats , that make quick work of a barb , or Simple get barbless hooks , Which I use for river fishing , but they sell Barbless treble hooks.

[DanaS]

I use the dremel as well. It does work very well. I have been concerned about the integrity of the hook. I have not had a problem yet and I have used some of these hooks for Salmon fishing. I de-barb all my hooks now whether legal or not. Also use single hooks as much as possible. It does make for a quick and easy release.
I had a F&W guy call me on a barb I had pinched down. He ran the fishing line along the hook against the barb. If there is resistance, it is ticketable. He did just give me a warning though. He was kind of rude, but it could have been worse. I have been using the dremel ever since.
I agree that the intent should be good enough. If you have made your best effort to bend down the barb, that should be good enough. Unfortunately, it looks like that is not necessarily the case. The barbs don't always cooperate. I was finding I broke a lot of barbs using the twisting method described here.

[nekred]

time and place for everything: explaining how absurd the barbless hook law is is not a good idea when fish and feathers is checking your hooks to see if they are barbless...