Bending the Barb

[Paul Roberts]

Muddy, you're so quick to become aggressive.

You claim you've killed three fish in so many years, and "multilated 11". So, this issue doesn't pertain to your experience. Is your beef with me real, or perceived? How have I "peed on your sneakers"?

I guess this is getting "off-topic". PM me, if you want.

[Muddy]

You retract from what you write and then put it on me like I can not read and have something personal against you. I do not like being talked down to and dismissed and if you wrote something, that others took" the wrong way: maybe a look at the wirter and not the reader is in order. Thats when you are wetting my shoes.

I am agressive, I strongly state my points , what is wrong wioth that? I am not Threating .

What I stated was I killed 3 fish in 11 years, not 3 which would be in "so many years"

You are right I apologize we are off topic, I have no desire to pm you

[Catt]

Misrepresent you I think not I responded to what you wrote and in your words For me, seeing mutilated bass mouths is an ugly reminder of the carelessness with which fish can be handled and then as if an after though you added -if inadvertently. I would like to assume that was not your intent but then again I don't like to assuming anything. You have a problem on your body of water and decide to take action good for you but what I've read your point is that we should all go barbless.

If we look at all the way us as anglers harm bass we would just as soon stop fishing.

[atx_newbie]

I agree with those that don't bend.  I have a hard enough time just getting them to bite that I don't want to risk one getting off  ;D

But seriously, if you choose to go barbless, that's your choice, but don't make anyone else feel badly about their decision not to.  Either way, it's going to hurt the fish.  For instance, a couple days ago I got a really good hookset, and set the hook through his eye.  Did I feel badly about it, yeah.  Would that eye be any less blind had I been using a barbless hook?  I doubt it.

That kind of thing comes with the territory of fishing.  Complaining about people catching fish using barbed hooks is like being the mom on the football sideline, complaining that the other team is tackling too hard.

[Muddy]

Now I have one more thing to add to the list of things I like about AUSTIN

6th Street

Antoines

SRV

atx!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mayassa]

I bend them down, and usually only handle the big ones.  Shake off the little ones.  I don't want to wipe off there protective slime coat.

[Paul Roberts]

Tom,

OK, I can see where my comments could be seen as some kind of ethical imperative. I do not want to be taken in that way. If you go back and read all my posts in this thread, you'll see I don't suggest that all anglers should go barbless, notably with certain techniques, and as you suggested, fishing pressure varies greatly across water bodies.

My point is that, from my experience so far, going barbless is a viable alternative.

I do not like being talked down to and dismissed and if you wrote something, that others took" the wrong way: maybe a look at the wirter and not the reader is in order.

Muddy, I apologize -seriously. My wife said the roughly same thing (in a much nicer way) when I told her about this thread. She just chuckled, "Men: So quick to be aggressive, or defensive, rather than apologize and explain." She thought it was an easily misunderstood analogy too.

My comment on "beer cans" was meant to portray the idea that part of my fishing is aesthetic, being in nature, and appreciating the beauty of healthy fish in a healthy water body. Mutilated mouths, and beer cans, don't fit that aesthetic. I can see how the analogy could be misconstrued. You came on so aggressively I came back with a mirrored response.

Again, sorry to have gone on the defensive and dismissed your comments.

[Catt]

Ok after this #@$%^&* in the Gulf I suggest we put it to the test  

[Grey Wolf]

Is the war of words over yet ? Is it safe to come out yet ?

[fivesixone]

Come on guys, get back on topic! Heh

Anyways, my last couple of outings, I've been bending the barb on my hooks to experiment a little. I've actually had nothing but good experiences with this. Haven't lost any fish that I know of and taking the hook out was 100x easier on pretty much every fish I caught. I think I'm gonna keep doing it until I have a reason not to.  

[Paul Roberts]

Yeah, Bass Brat, it's over for me. Sorry for my part in it. You can come out now LOL.

[tyrius.]

Anyways, my last couple of outings, I've been bending the barb on my hooks to experiment a little. I've actually had nothing but good experiences with this. Haven't lost any fish that I know of and taking the hook out was 100x easier on pretty much every fish I caught. I think I'm gonna keep doing it until I have a reason not to.

Went fishing yesterday using soft plastics.  Started off with the barb intact, but after really having to wrench to release a few fish I mashed the barb down.  No issues after that.  So, my one experience (so far) has been a good one with mashing down the barb.  I will probably continue this for a at least a while to determine if it is negatively affecting my landing ratio.  

However, I don't stress out about fishing for anything.  Fishing for me is a way to get rid of stress, I don't need to add to it while I'm out there!