Problem removing hooks from Smallmouth

[wees]

Hi guys. I went fishing yesterday and caught a bunch of smallmouth. I have very little experience with smallies (I usually catch largemouth). I had a heck of a time removing the hooks from most of the fish I caught. Granted I don't have much experience but I never have a hard time with largemouth. I couldn't seem to hook these fish in the lip. The hooks were set further back towards their heads sometimes near their eyes.

I was using offset-shank, extra-wide-gap, 1/0 hooks texas-rigged. Should I be using a different rig when going after smallmouth? I was thinking that maybe the wide gap of the hooks was the problem. Do you guys have any tips? I was thinking of just going completely barbless so I won't have trouble in the future. I was feeling really bad for these fish because I was taking so long to remove the hook.

Thanks

[D4u2s0t]

go barbless or get some needle nose pliers.  when removing the hook, try your best to push or pull so that the hook comes straight out, as opposed to just yanking and injuring the fish.  A quick jerking motion should get it out no prob.

[Crestliner2008]

go barbless or get some needle nose pliers.

I agree. Even when I fish for largemouths I crimp the barbs. No need for them - in my opinion. Also though, if the cover you are fishing isn't that dense or weeded, try using a circle hook, with the barb crimped down as well.

Barbs may have a place in tournament fishing when a lot of money is on the line, but there is no need when recreational fishing. You will rarely loose a fish this way. And so what if you do?

[SuskyDude]

Pliers and set the hook sooner.......problem solved.

[wees]

Thanks for the quick resonses guys.  I didn't mention this in the post but I did use needle-nose pliers when trying to get the hook out.  It makes sense that it may be that I'm not setting the hook soon enough.

At any rate I think it's best if I just go barbless.  At least until I can learn to set the hook sooner.

What kind of rigs do you guys use?

[D4u2s0t]

when using the pliers, make sure you're pulling the hook straight out, (so it's coming right out the way it went in) not just yanking on it which would damage the fish.  quick tug should get it free.

[Crestliner2008]

Thanks for the quick resonses guys. I didn't mention this in the post but I did use needle-nose pliers when trying to get the hook out. It makes sense that it may be that I'm not setting the hook soon enough.

At any rate I think it's best if I just go barbless. At least until I can learn to set the hook sooner.

I sometimes get a kick out this "ya gotta set the hook sooner" comments. A bass can inhale bait or a lure at lightning speed. It has to in order to survive. It's his nature. I'm sorry, but no one's reflexes are that good! Learn to use the equipment you have, apply some of the suggestions you learn here and you'll do just fine.

[Dan:]

Thanks for the quick resonses guys. I didn't mention this in the post but I did use needle-nose pliers when trying to get the hook out. It makes sense that it may be that I'm not setting the hook soon enough.

At any rate I think it's best if I just go barbless. At least until I can learn to set the hook sooner.

I sometimes get a kick out this "ya gotta set the hook sooner" comments. A bass can inhale bait or a lure at lightning speed. It has to in order to survive. It's his nature. I'm sorry, but no one's reflexes are that good! Learn to use the equipment you have, apply some of the suggestions you learn here and you'll do just fine.

I think those comments are assuming that the person setting the hook allowed the fish to take the bait for a few seconds and then swung. Obviously as fast as you can set it is fast enough but sometimes you need to let the fish take the bait a few seconds or you will be reeling in baits with bit off tails.