Getting hooked is something that if you fish long enough, will happen. I have a link to a site from the American Academy of Family Physicians (link at bottom of the post)that details different fishhook removal techniques. Most of these require "numbing" except for the "String" technique. Everyone who likes to fish should learn how to do this, it very well might keep a good day of fishing from being replaced with a wait in an ER.

To do this, either loop (or tie) a length of doubled fishing line ("two-ply")or a length of dental floss to the bend of the hook where it is sticking out of the skin (leaving about 2' extra length so you can wrap it around the hand that you will "yank" with), push the "eye" of the hook to the skin, make sure the skin around the hook is "tight", while pushing the hook eye down to the skin push it backwards (in the direction that the hook will need to go to come out) and then give a quick yank on the string at about a 45 degree angle to the skin surface. About 80-90% of the time, the hook will pop out, esp the smaller hooks that we use for salmon on the lake.

This sounds really confusing written, but try it with a hook and an apple or orange and you will see that its pretty easy. I have removed at least two hooks from dogs this way and it worked first try each time. I also removed one hook deeply embedded in the tip of my thumb using this technique. I had to do it "one handed" and it still popped out first try. I taught my wife (a nurse practioner) how to do this and she has successfully used it at times when she is working in the ER. It usually results in a minimum of pain also...it is also the least traumatic to the tissue as you are left with a tiny puncture wound.....seems like it should really hurt, but it doesn't.

Lastly, if you do it yourself....VERY IMPORTANT....need to go get a tetenus booster if it has been 10 yrs or more since the last booster. If you are not sure, call your doc or go to the ER to get one.......Better safe than sorry.

Give it a try the next time you find yourself in this situation and it might save the morning of fishing. (might consider printing that set of images from the article and taping it to the lid of your tackle box so you can refer to it....

http://www.aafp.org/afp/20010601/2231.html

Good info.

Thanks,
Salty

I have never been hooked myself but have seen others do it and hear about it. It looks and sounds like a real pain and almost always seems to happen when the action is hot.

If you are going to release your fish anyways, try using barbless hooks. A sharp barbless hook is less likely to loose a fish than a dull barbed hook. And the bigger benny is that if you do hook yourself it is not a near surgical operation to remove.

I personally like to use as small a guage sharp hook as I can. The wire size has a lot to do with how much tearing occurs and the smaller and tighter the hole the better the fish stays on. I never thought of it but this may be another hook that I would prefer to get stuck with over other hooks.

Santa is going to buy us all kevlar fishing gloves this year (make sure you are wearing them when you check your stocking stuffers too in case he got you some lures). :)

Be safe and good luck out there.
Brian

Rec in the article is tetenus booster for FIVE years since last one for this sort of penetrating trauma not the usual 10 yrs. Just wanted to make sure I am not misleading anyone. Tight lines.

I hooked myself once, fortunately I had a pair of snips with me and cut the barb off and backed it right out. I've hooked myself several times over the years but only once up to the barb, ouch.

My son David got a hook in his ear once pretty bad, emergency room trip took care of it, I wont mention who was holding (casting) the rod when this mishap occured.

John S.