I have been watching some fly tying tutorials, before I buy a fly tying kit. I have noticed that most people bend their barb down. Why would you do this and does it affect hooking fish?

Thoughts from a warm fresh and saltwater tyer: I only bend the barbs down for bluegill because they have a tendency to take the fly DEEP and a barbless fly is easier on the fish and me to remove. All others I retain the barb and when releasing use a good pair of forceps to remove the hook with the least trauma to the fish. Some would argue that a barbless hook provides a deeper hook set. That might be true in some instances, particularly if the hook is dull in the first place. I sharpen all my hooks prior to tying to a razor sharp point and usually slip an pencil eraser over the point to prevent damage to my thread and me while tying the fly. I have yet to have a hook depth issue. Ever. Just my thoughts.

Oh, the fly tying kit thing. You might re-think that. There was a recent article in Fly Tyer, I think by Dave Klausmeyer (sic?) entitled something like "If it's not here, you don't need it." Starting out, consider a good vise, good bobbin, good scissors, a good whip finish tool and maybe decent hackle pliers. "Good" = NOT cheap, but reasonably priced. A bodkin is nothing more than a large needle with a handle, and a bobbin threader? Those cheap gum threaders in your local pharmacy work great, come in a pack of about 20 and last until you loose it. Then grab another. Buy only the materials and glue you need to tie the flies you want to tie and let the rest take care of itself. Just my thoughts.

I always de-barb the hooks on my flies.

First of all, I catch and release. I have hardly ever killed a fish when de-barbing the hook.

Second, I speak from personal experience as many others on this forum. It is much less painful and damaging to pull a de-barbed hook out of your thumb or other body part.

I have never had any issues losing fish due to de-barbing the hook. Yes, it does help to keep the hook from slipping out but as long as you maintain tension on the line there isn't a problem. I've also read that it is easier to get a good hook set without a barb on the hook. I personally have lost a lot more fish on conventional crank baits and plastic worms in which I don't de-barb the hooks.

I've been demonstrating this when I've tied at Federation shows for 30 years:

Take two identical hooks out of the package... Then de-barb one of those hooks...

Now, get a friend to hold a small plastic bag taunt (i.e. spread it tightly by two corners)...

Next, one at a time, pull the point of each of the hooks into/through the tight plastic...

Did ya' notice that the de-barbed goes through the plastic (i.e. sets) 3-4 times easier than the barbed hook? Yeah, you may occasionally lose a fish with de-barbed hook, but overall, you will hook (and land) many, many, many more fish with those de-barbed hooks than with the same, barbed hook (Yeah, it's been proven via several studies)...

Now, take the hooks out of the tight plastic...

Notice how much easier it is to get the de-barbed hook out? When ya' tie on de-barbed hooks, your flies will last much, much longer, because you can retrieve them with our destroying you fly!

Oh, and it's the pressure on the hook bend, not the barb, that holds a fish, not the barb!

Let me repeat that:

"It is the pressure on the hook bend, not the barb, that holds a fish!"

Additionally, most people think of de-barbing only their bream flies, so that they may retrieve their fly from the fish's small/hard mouth with less or no damage to the fly and fish, but de-barbing is even more important with "soft/thin membrane mouthed" fish, such as crappie and bass... Why? Just think about the razer-sharp tip of that sharp barb moving and "cutting" that soft/thin mouth tissue, as the hook works back and forth during the fight... How many times have you landed a soft/thin mouthed fish, only to see a huge hole behind the hook? Hummm... Makes ya' wonder if that sharp barb is actually helping or hurting....

So,I de-barb almost everything!

Tight lines,

Bowfin47
Lifetime Member IFFF

I bend the barb, or buy barbless hooks, but it is for saving my own skin. Pain makes my eyes water.

Kirk

All my fishing flies are barbless or de barbed at the vice. Never had a problem with losing a fish
Mike

I lose just as many fish with no barb as I do with a barb.

Seriously, you'll find it much easier to remove the hook from a fish, from your hide, and from fabric. Because you will hook all of the above, especially the clothing, PFDs, and those hook-attracting nylon carry handles on your kayak. As a teenager I was casting a big tarpon fly on a stiff breeze, and I kept thinking -- but not doing anything about it -- that I was going to hook myself. Sure enough, that fly whacked me in the forehead. Put me on my knees, and the world got a little fuzzy for a minute. I thought someone had ambushed me with a 2X4. My forehead was numb, and I couldn't get the hook out. Naturally, that was long before I began crushing the barbs. Since I didn't have a mirror, I had to cut the tippet and ride my bicycle back to the subdivision and get a friend of mine's mother to get it out. I gotta tell you, I really felt brilliant pedaling down the road with that big fluffy fly hanging out of my forehead.

Crush the barbs; you'll thank us later. More than once, likely.......

Great tip, I never thought of that. Makes sense.

On a side note, in bass fishing (conventional) the Trokar hooks are popular. They are laser sharpened and like a scalpel. I have killed a bass by setting the hook and it ripping it's throat. I set the hook hard....too hard for Trokar. It's great for light hook setters and older fisherman. You just lean on em. It's not fly fishing, but it related to your topic.