[kg4kzv]

I'll try to keep this as short as I can but if you know men then well lets move on.

I have just got back into fishing. Been out a few times in the last few weeks but have not caught anything till today. I like to lure fish and the fish around here seem to like the gold Cleo. Today I found a good spot and I started watching fish follow the lure and nip at it. Then I hooked one real nice clean lip hook it was a small trout. Took it out the water just long enough to de-hook it and turn it loose.

Then like 3 cast later I got a hit right when the lure hit the water. I reeled it in another small trout. But this time one of the treble hooks looped up and came out the fishes eye.

I suddenly realized part of why I lost interest in fishing. I set the fish free but it kind of stayed at the top of the water was swimming in circles for a little while then went under and did not resurface.

So I quit for the day and came home to see if I could google how to become a better catch and release fisherman and anything available that will help to return the fish back to the water as healthy as possible. Found lots of info some things I have already been doing and some I will now do.

My question is something I did not find a clear answer on. What things can I do with lure fishing to make it safer for the fish?

I read about switching to single hooks instead of treble hooks and de-barbing hooks.

I thought about circle hooks but will they work for lure fishing? Can I bend hooks in a way to still work with lures but help with lip hooking?

Any tips will be appreciated!

(and yes I know the safest thing is just not to fish)

Chris

[RockyClymer]

Here in CO on the Gold Medal C&R streams, I flyfish and spin with with a barbless hook and have yet to damage the fish other than removing the hook - worst case was when the fish swallowed the fly and I just cut the line...

[Cuder]

You can bend the barps down. Trout are very soft fish that get hurt easy.

After you fish for a while longer your reflexes will improve and you will get more fish in the lip.

[kevlarr]

X's2 on the fly fishing. It is much more of a challenge also to figure out what the fish are feeding on and then temp them to take your fly...Once you catch a fish this way you will never go back to worm fishing again...

[kg4kzv]

Thanks guys. I might try fly fishing at some point we are in a good area for it. Don't know if you'll ever catch me out there in hip waders at 18* though. That must be for either the pros or the real hungry.

I already have the barbs pinched down next step I think I'm going to replace the treble hooks on my lures with single hooks see how they work. Worse case it makes fishing more of a challenge which is fine for me.

Chris