Hey,
I tie all my flys and developed the habit of crushing the barb on the hooks before I put them in the vise. I've noticed that most all the tutorials start with debarbing the hook. I'm going to make the leap to buying them without barbs, but until then I crush em all.

I was rewarded today for my debarbing. After releasing a fish the current go hold of my line and pulled the leader up through the guides. I had to grab the end of the leader to try to pull it back through but it hung up in the guides and I hooked my thumb. I must have been quite a cartoon in the middle of the river having caught myself. I had to chew the fly off then back it out of my thumb. No barb made it alot less painfull.

Just a reminder to crush those barbs. The flesh you save may be your own. Toodles,Frogge.

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Midge Master