My kids are talking me into fishing before i feel that the fish are "really" large enough to catch. My BG and RES are between 3.5 to 5 in max right now after stocking them in january. I have let the kids fish a few times but the mouth size of my fish is at a point that i have to use a rather small size hook so they can bite. If i use a "normal adult size" BG hook they cannot bite it and will continue to pick at the bait until its all gone then the kids dont catch fish and then they loose interest in fishing. Currently i am using an eagle claw size 8 or part #215a-8. My problem is the fish are swallowing the hook so far down that i end up mortally wounding the fish. If i had a pond full of fish i would not worry about that but these are my first stocked fish and i want them around to spawn. I would like a long shanked hook that is easy to get a hold of and make removal more humane. I have been de-barbing these hooks currently. Any thoughts?

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