Pinching Barbs

[Saltamontes]

I don't want to risk damaging the jaws on my vise, so I use some non-serrated needle nose pliers to pinch the barbs of my hooks. However, lately I've noticed that the point in a susbtantial number of hooks breaks off when setting the hook, resulting in many lost fish. I use mustads and tiemco hooks, so the brand is not the problem. Possibly, I am squeezing too hard when pinching the barb, thus weakening the point of the hook. I'm curious to hear what you guys do/use to pinch the barbs.

[Kyle]

I bought a pair of needle nose pliers from can tire, I believe master craft was the name. They are great for pinching smaller ones(20's) up to about a size 6. About 8 bucks and I've never broken a hook with them..

[Guest bigbadbrent]

he means breaking a hook once he is fishing with it...

 

I havent had a problem breaking hooks from debarbing, i think anyway, i find its mostly from rusted out hooks

[OneMoreLastCast]

.... I use mustads and tiemco hooks, so the brand is not the problem.

 

Tiemco are good, but don't underestimate the brittleness of Mustads. I stopped using them years ago, but don't worry, if you didn't lose the fish because the tips broke off, there's a good chance the Mustads would have just straightened out anyways.

 

Try Diachii hooks as well. They cost a little more, but I think they're worth it in the end.

 

I agree with a nice pair of needle nose pliars is the answer, and try to just use the tips directly on the barb itself keeping the pliars away from the tip.

[Kale]

My old man use to use a small file b/c he said it didn't sause a stress point on the hook but I still use my Letherman and it has worked fine for me so far

[SilverDoctor]

I use a mini pair of needle nose pliers at the bench as I tie. The trick is to keep horizontal as you squeeze and only use enough pressure to pinch the barb. That said some brand of hooks are more brittle than others. I got a batch of tiemco's a few years ago that fractured every time you pinched barbs. I have been using some Partridge hooks lately that are barbless. The perfect way to go, unfortunitly not all hook makers offer barbless.

[Guest rusty]

I've used my vise for years and have never had a problem. I have a Regal springloaded style. The nice thing is that if the hook breaks, it's before you've tied the fly.

 

Will totally agree with Brett though - those Mustads are complete shite. I only use them for size 10 and up.

[Riverpup]

I don't want to risk damaging the jaws on my vise, so I use some non-serrated needle nose pliers to pinch the barbs of my hooks. However, lately I've noticed that the point in a susbtantial number of hooks breaks off when setting the hook, resulting in many lost fish. I use mustads and tiemco hooks, so the brand is not the problem. Possibly, I am squeezing too hard when pinching the barb, thus weakening the point of the hook. I'm curious to hear what you guys do/use to pinch the barbs.

 

 

Hi I use small nose plyers, they work well for me, I apply very little presure to the barb.

[Kyle]

I guess I should read before I post..

[Brunsie]

I use a pair of needle nose before tying the fly.

As Rusty says, better to break them before tieing the bug

I use mostly Daaichi/Mustad hooks and usually only break them when I get stupid.

[KnotLikely]

I use a pair of curved needle nose pliers, and try to pinch from the front of the barb to the back using as little pressure as I can get away with. If I'm tying on larger hooks with bigger barbs, sometimes I'll take a pinch at the front to start the barb downward, and then one at the back to finish it flat instead of reefing down on one pinch trying to get the entire barb.

[chidders]

I had the same thing what happened to Salty the other day to me as well. I set the hook and after a few seconds the fish was off. It was a quality fly I purchased at a fav fly shop and I pinched the barb with small non serrated pliers. I was back in the same shop the next day talking and he mentioned it could have been a really hard take and has heard that before so he wasn't surprised. It only happened once so I'm not to concerned but Salty you make mention to several hooks? If you have always pinched your barbs the same and all of a sudden you are getting lots of break-offs then is it possible you have a bad bunch of hooks from the manufacture?

[Grizz]

I usually just sneak up behind them and give their butt a squeeze.

 

Works fine for me...

 

I do the same for Susans, Wendys, and many others too!

[PeasantoftheVise]

I have used both pliers and the vise. IMO the pliers are very easy to use on larger flies size 10+, but with smaller flies I find it easier to use the vise. With the pliers it can be very difficult to pinch down the barb without increasing the gap and for some reason getting the smaller barbs completely flat can be a challenge.

 

Overall, I would be much happier if our local suppliers only brought in barbless hooks, it is an extra step in the tying process that sometimes gets missed and then you are forced to pinch down a barb with your forceps (a job that they are not really designed to do).

 

That my 2 cents!

 

I would be very interested to know if any of you tyers out there who have been using your vise to pinch the barbs have found it to be a big contributing factor in the wearing out of your vise jaws. As I have certainly seen how the metal in a pair of pliers gets dented up over time.

[hydropsyche]

I've always used by vise (Traveler). I don't think it will wreck them. After all, the amount of pressure I use to hold the hook is far greater then what I use to bend that little bitty barb down. I've never heard of anyone being concerned about it before this. Maybe I should be?

[Brownstone]

I use an old vise, saves the jaws on my tying vise, and it does a great job..I have had "quality" hooks that i have purchased from a fly shop break off after using my hemos to flatten the barb...I tie with Mustad, Tiemco & Daiichi hooks

[marchbrownn]

I fish areas where the regulations are – single point barbless hooks only, artificials only, catch and release only. In the past, I simply de-barbed ALREADY TIED FLIES when I needed them. For this reason, I decided to de-barb all my fly hooks before I tie my flies.

 

Most of my hooks are Orvis hooks – dry (#14 to #24), wet (#8 to #16) and streamer (#8 to #12, 6X and 4X long). Since I have never fish nymphs, about 5 years ago I bought 1X, 2X and 3X long wet/nymph hooks. Since my eye sight is not getting better with age, I bought some Daiichi #1110 hooks about 2 months ago. This is equivalent to the Orvis Big Eye hooks. Somehow, Daiichi and Orvis are associated in making these hooks. Since I never had any scud hooks, I also bought these about 2 months ago.

 

In the past, I just pinched the barb. I have come to realize that these so-called barbless hooks were not “legally barbless” hooks. Here in Ontario, these hooks (just pinch) would not pass the Q-Tip test if stopped by a CO. I use the wool patch that comes with a fly fishing vest.

 

Do not suggest that I purchase barbless hooks. I have between 3,500 and 4,000 hooks to de-barb. If all I had to do is to pinch the barb (as in the past), it would be easy and quick. To de-barb hooks and get them legally barbless is not so easy and time consuming.

 

The tools that I have used are – Orvis clamp (fine point), regular pliers (both 4” and 5” long) and Dr. Slick, Eco Barb Crusher - 4".

 

I have used two methods to de-barb my hooks. One method is NOT good and the second method is my recommended method.

 

I have not used my vice to de-barb hooks and I never will. I have read more than a few threads where people have stated that after a period of time, they wear out the vice jaws. .

 

TOOLS

 

Whatever you use, I suggest that the tool be at least 5” long with a fine tip, non-serrated. Four inches is hard on your hand. I will have to find a place that sells the Dr Slick Barb Pliers - 5" to replace the 4” Dr. Slick that I now have.

 

TECHNIQUES TO DE-BARB HOOKS

 

I have used two techniques.

 

The first technique involves in having your tool perpendicular to the shank of the hook. I will not use this method again because of the negative results.

 

This method can widen the gap. In most cases using this method, I have broken the hook at the gap. If you have not ended up with one of these 2 results, you probably have weakened the hook in the gap area. This would explain why a large fish “breaks off a hook.” In the gap area.

 

The second technique involves in having your tool parallel with the shank of the hook. This method is good and it will become better when I replace my Dr. Slick, Eco Barb Crusher, 4” with Dr Slick Barb Pliers, 5".

 

I am sorry that this long. The above is only my opinion.

 

I could have sworn that I was already a member of Fly Fishing Calgary.

 

If I may say so, you guys have an excellent forums site.

 

I have a question. How does one use a vice to de-barb a hook – especially when it is a #24 or #26 hook or even smaller?

 

marchbrownn