Easiest way to debarb a fly hook

[KoldFusion]

The little hooks are too tiny to get my pliers in there to squish the barb down.

Anyone have a quick and easy way to debarb a fly hook?

I was thinking a tiny little file.

Also is there any brands of fly sold without barbs?

[C & C]

I am not sure about flies but I use a dremal tool i got at Canadian Tire for my lures. It came with the 100 and something bits for it. Quick little touch and the barb is gone. It has some really small bits but not sure if they are small enough for those super tiny flies.

[KoldFusion]

I'm going to try putting on in a vice today and running emery paper over the barb. It's like sandpaper for metal.

Last year I was trying to debarb in the field and got my first taste of being stung by a fly hook.

It took 20 minutes of whimpering --I'm not proud of it, but I did whimper-- before I manned up and asked my friend to help get it out. He took entirely too much pleasure in the ordeal. And he definitely did not have the hands of a surgeon... more like the fins of a sturgeon.

[shakeyleg02]

Pinch it with a small pair of needle nose pliers

[ÜberFly]

I have no problem pinching the barb down to #20 hooks so you can always buy better haemostats!! You can also use your vise to pinch down the barbs... Yes they sell hooks with no barbs but there is a price difference.

[Saltmania]

Originally Posted by ÜberFly

I have no problem pinching the barb down to #20 hooks so you can always buy better haemostats!! You can also use your vise to pinch down the barbs... Yes they sell hooks with no barbs but there is a price difference.

Yep, the forceps I have are slender enough to pinch pretty much any fly I've come across. Much easier to use and handle than pliers IMO especially when slippery fish are involved