My friend Danny H has informed me that 80% of pike anglers still use barbed treble hooks when fishing for pike. I am willing to accept this figure as true although the use of barbed trebles is not only unnecessary, but damaging to the fish. Here is a tip to get some of the 80% to drop their barbs.
Firstly squeeze down the barbs on two of the three hooks on a treble with a pair of pliers. Choose the two hooks that are connected and leave the single hook barbed. Then use the pliers to force the barbless hooks together a little bit. This will help the free hooks stand off the bait and give you better ‘hook up`s’.
Unhooking fish will become so much easier and the pike will recover better because they are out of water for less time.
Please remember that the big females don’t live very long so they must be treated with terrific care..

Barbless hooks = more pike, bigger pike, healthier pike

Op -JB