Research indicates that annually anglers keep about 40% of the trout they catch. The other 60% are caught and released back into the water.

With catch and release becoming more and more popular, a common misconception is that only fly fisherman are practicing this type of fishing.

This is not so, we know many lure fishing individuals who commonly use lures to catch and release trout. If you read the laws and the catch and release signs posted along side of the rivers you will notice it does not specifically require you use a fly to catch your trout.

At the moment I am aware of only two sections of rivers that are posted fly fishing only, this is on the Nissitissit and the Swift river, otherwise how you catch your trout is not limited to flies only but artificial lures only.

We believe the catch release law should take artificial lure fishing one step further to help protect trout from harm done by treble hooks, by using a single hook on your lure. Using treble hooks many times does too much damage to the trouts mouth. The trauma from the treble hooks many times is unavoidable and can kill the trout, because of the damage to the trout’s mouth.

If you decide to release the trout you catch do so without harm.

Many times fisherman will pinch the barb to make releasing trout quickly and minimal damage. Lure fisherman should consider fishing with a single barbless hook like most fly fisherman do to help with minimizing any trauma to the trout.

Since almost all lures come with a treble hook, a simple technique of creating a single hook from the existing treble is very easy and quick to do, eliminating having to remove the existing treble hook and placing a new single hook onto the lure.

Please view the photos below how this can be done in just a few quick minutes

With wire cutters cut off two hooks from treble and leave one hook

Pinch the barb down on single hook for a quick release

.This is what a finished modified treble hook will look like below

A quick review for making a single hook artificial lure

Take wire cutters and cut off two of the three hooks

Using pliers pinch barb down of single hook to minimize damage and aid for a quick release.

This will take you less than a couple of minutes to modify your lures for catch and release areas.

Remember catch and release will benefit no one unless the trout is released unharmed and using a single hook lure is a quick way to assure the least harm.