[kcritch]

I always pinch the barbs on all my hooks....especially worm hooks when texas rigging. I have had many deeply hooked fish that would have been impossible to get the hook out without a pinched barb...at least not without seriously injuring the fish. Not worth it to me. i don't believe you lose many fish to a pinched barb. I think you would have lost that fish anyway...other factors play a much larger part in losing the fish in my opinion.

"Now I have to puled through the shore scum, thick, fibrous algae." That probably caused the loss not the barb.