Pinched barbs

[jimcnj]

This morning fished a local Union county park pond (Fast Eddie said there are big bass in there). Caught the fish in the pic. Two casts later, the Senko landed smack in the middle of an algae float right on the sun/shade line I figured I was gonna have to drag the mat in (about 25 yards out). Fish explodes out of the water.I'm thinking, holy crap a carp on a Senko - to big to be a bass in this pond. I 'm using a my daughters 4' Walmart special rod. Fighting this thing for a minutes or two, and getting closer, I notice it is a beautiful LMB. Certainly bigger than the fish I just landed. Now I have to puled through the shore scum, thick, fibrous algae. Two feet from shore, it open its mouth all the way and wiggles free. I'm heartbroken.

No way of knowing, but If I didn't pinch the barb, might I have landed it?

How many of you go barbless?