We did used to just cut the leader off and we would catch fish with 3-4 leaders and hooks in their mouths. Grabbing the hook with a needle nose plierls and then holding the pliers facing up and the fish facing down and shaking usually usually got the fish off cleanly. The weight of the fish pushing down released the fish from the hook.
I've not found any benefit from making hooks barbless inspite of so many comments to the contrary.
Barbless circle hooks are a completely different matter. 98% of the time the fish is lip hooked. The other two percent of the time, we can easily rotate the hook out. Bullheads almost always get gut hooked but these circle hooks worked even with them.
