Name that hook model

[nightfish]

This is a Tiemco model 2487 #14 fly tying hook. It’s my favorite hook to
tie with. I like it for a few reasons…it’s very sharp, the continuous
bend of the shank effectively imitates all the life stages of several
aquatic insects, and the round, short hook gives me a leverage advantage
against the fish.

There are a few problems with this hook, however. First and foremost,
it’s stuck in the big toe of my right foot. Deeply stuck. I must’ve
brushed it off my desk, unnoticed, while tying up a batch of bugs. I have
pretty calloused toes, but I just got out of a long, hot shower and they
became quite supple. Second problem with the hook…it’s fine point is
touching at least 239 nerves, one of which is causing a sweat to break out
on my forehead and the back of my neck. The other 238 are all pain
receptors. It hurts to touch it, hurts to walk to get the camera (but
it’s late & I’m the only one awake), and hurts when a breath of air
grazes it. I’m a wuss, I know. You should see me at the dentist.

[nightfish]

So I’ve got to get this hook out before I can go to bed. There are three
possible methods, not counting amputation:
1. Push the hook fully through the skin, beyond the barb, clip off the
eye, and pull the rest through. No thanks. I already don’t like how far it’s
currently sticking in me, and if it hurts to touch it, how will it feel while trying to cut it in half?
2. Cut the skin (and presumably the flesh beneath the skin) to expose the
point and shank. That sounds like a surgical procedure to me. It’s hard
to do a surgical procedure when you’re passed out from the pain and
gore.
3. The String-Yank method. It’s said to be relatively painless. That
means it’s painless for you, if you’re the one removing it from a
relative. It’s more like the string-doorknob-tooth method. To do it to
yourself takes a lot of courage and a few last second chicken-outs.

Normally used in the field, the string-yank employs a loop of flyline or
monofilament placed around the bend of the hook. I just happened to have
some 20lb Dacron backing on my desk, so that’s what I’m using. Lucky
you, it also improves the visibility for demonstration purposes. That’s
step 1. Next, you apply downward pressure to the eye of the hook. This
causes the sweat glands to double their production and has brought a few
more nerve endings to the party. Now for step 3…the action phase. While
pressing down on the hook eye, firmly grasp the looped string and yank in
the opposite direction of the hook penetration.

Did I mention that you need to firmly grasp the string? Please remember to
do that. When you don’t, the hook doesn’t come out, but it does move
significantly. What happens is that the tender flesh and angry nerve
endings are rearranged, causing some of those nerve endings to hotwire the
Turret’s Syndrome portion of your brain. I can’t believe my wife slept
through that. It might have come out on that first weak try if it hadn’t
been a curved shank hook. Like I said, I like that because it gives me
better leverage against the fish, resulting in fewer slipped hooks. It’s
not so great for self-release.

So, a firm grasp, firm pressure downward on the the hook eye, and a firm
yank. I could concentrate on this if it weren’t for all the shrieks of agony. Let’s do this on a three count.

One…two…YANK-poink-tink-tink…

…Hey, it came out! That really wasn’t so bad, once the pain of
anticipation faded.

There is one problem with the string-yank method when performed at home.
When I yanked, the hook came free of both my toe and the loop of string.
Somewhere in my semi-shag carpet is the hook. Now it’s tipped with a bit
of flesh. Should I inadvertently re-insert it into my toe in the future,
I’m probably going to develop a nice infection. Well, at least I’m
free for the moment.



Crap. I have a dentist appointment next week.

[Jason]

Oh man, just grab a pair of hemos and pull the sucker out in one quick pull...just make sure you have a good grip. Good luck.

[Jason]

Ah, nevermind...looks like you got it. Should have used the hemos. :-)

[«°Ñøvã°»]

Soak toe in whiskey take a few shots while ur at it. Tie some string to the end of the hook and the other end to a door and have Steph slam the door. JK

Good luck Nick.

[«°Ñøvã°»]

So I’ve got to get this hook out before I can go to bed. There are three
possible methods, not counting amputation:
1. Push the hook fully through the skin, beyond the barb, clip off the
eye, and pull the rest through. No thanks. I already don’t like how far it’s
currently sticking in me, and if it hurts to touch it, how will it feel while trying to cut it in half?
2. Cut the skin (and presumably the flesh beneath the skin) to expose the
point and shank. That sounds like a surgical procedure to me. It’s hard
to do a surgical procedure when you’re passed out from the pain and
gore.
3. The String-Yank method. It’s said to be relatively painless. That
means it’s painless for you, if you’re the one removing it from a
relative. It’s more like the string-doorknob-tooth method. To do it to
yourself takes a lot of courage and a few last second chicken-outs.

Normally used in the field, the string-yank employs a loop of flyline or
monofilament placed around the bend of the hook. I just happened to have
some 20lb Dacron backing on my desk, so that’s what I’m using. Lucky
you, it also improves the visibility for demonstration purposes. That’s
step 1. Next, you apply downward pressure to the eye of the hook. This
causes the sweat glands to double their production and has brought a few
more nerve endings to the party. Now for step 3…the action phase. While
pressing down on the hook eye, firmly grasp the looped string and yank in
the opposite direction of the hook penetration.

Did I mention that you need to firmly grasp the string? Please remember to
do that. When you don’t, the hook doesn’t come out, but it does move
significantly. What happens is that the tender flesh and angry nerve
endings are rearranged, causing some of those nerve endings to hotwire the
Turret’s Syndrome portion of your brain. I can’t believe my wife slept
through that. It might have come out on that first weak try if it hadn’t
been a curved shank hook. Like I said, I like that because it gives me
better leverage against the fish, resulting in fewer slipped hooks. It’s
not so great for self-release.

So, a firm grasp, firm pressure downward on the the hook eye, and a firm
yank. I could concentrate on this if it weren’t for all the shrieks of agony. Let’s do this on a three count.

One…two…YANK-poink-tink-tink…

…Hey, it came out! That really wasn’t so bad, once the pain of
anticipation faded.

There is one problem with the string-yank method when performed at home.
When I yanked, the hook came free of both my toe and the loop of string.
Somewhere in my semi-shag carpet is the hook. Now it’s tipped with a bit
of flesh. Should I inadvertently re-insert it into my toe in the future,
I’m probably going to develop a nice infection. Well, at least I’m
free for the moment.



Crap. I have a dentist appointment next week.

So I see ya decided on carpet for the tying room?

[Tyson]

Not long ago I absolutely buried a #10 Daiichi scud hook (2x thick) into my thumb. I normally pinch barbs down but for some reason I forgot to on this one. I won't bore you with details but I ended up just ripping it out so I could keep fishing. I bled a lot but never hurt that much afterwards. Not as much as I anticipated.

[jim m.]

This is one of the best post I've seen here. Good job and thanks for the pictorial!

I debarb everything right at the vise. It's just as much for me as the fish. Junge and I were discussing the semi-healed hole in my upper lip just this morning over a coffee. I managed to bury a little stimi there last weekend roll casting into the wind. I gritted my teeth and yanked it out. No problems and actually quite easy.

Of course, it looks likes like I have herpes now with this healed over sore on my upper lip, but things could be worse.

[colbyatepaste]

This is the first time I have had a good chuckle in a while thank you.


I was driving one day and ran my hand threw my hair and low and behold there was one really long hair on the back of my head. I grabbed that sucker and gave a yank. Wow that one long hair is really stuck on my head, another really good yank. Dang whiplash and still a really long hair in my head. I now know how this hair made it through the last trim (they are few and far between). It is the toughest hair in the world. I follow this hair up and there is a little bump where it meets my scalp. Fear starts to set in with a bit of confusion. I roll the hair threw my fingers, wait that does not feel like hair so much. A bit more like 6X. It had been two days since I was on the water and popped off that size 22 midge on a back cast.

[Raff]

Booze.....lots of booze and some hemos. I just hope you're not one of the drunks that cries a lot. That would be embarassing.

[raposaNegra]

Imagine this..... fishing streamers on a deep whole of the Portnuef in mid summer and somehow bury a size4 hook in the back of your hand. Ok, now one hand is pushing down the hook eye, and the other has the hook buried in it...... so how do you perform the yank....? Well wrap the string around the bend and grasp string firmly with.... your teeth. Not as easy as the normal method but it worked out ok.

[Tough]

I don't want this post to sound like one-ups-man-ship, but because the incident happened years ago, I don't mind telling it, and showing how dumb a guy can be.

The first one was a small #16 elk hair caddis, placed carefully in the end of my nose while fishing in Montana. After I clipped the fly off, and continued to fish, I kept thinking that I had a real fly on my nose, and would brush it away with my hand. Only when I touched it did it pain me. Fished with it the rest of the day, and removed it that night at camp. (yes it hurt).

Second was more noticeable, it was a #4 3X long shank streamer, again in the end of the nose. (must have something to do with the way I cast).
This one could not be ignored, it bled like a stuck pig, and yes it really hurt from the time of impact to removal.

The third was in the ear lobe, and is another long story.

These stories are a good reason to always wear glasses while fishing.

[wildnative]

I think they teach the string yank method in medical school. You are suppose to put some string or mono through the eye of the hook and pull down on the eye making the shank as level as possible. When you yank, the mono through the eye keeps the hook from flying to unknown destinations. (At least that is what my doctor told me.)

[jim m.]

Keep in mind, I only play a doctor on TV.
But here's some info from the American Academy of Family Physicians:

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

[FishOn!]

Maybe I'm just lucky, but I never have been "hooked". Ive stuck myself and have drawn blood plenty of times while handling flies, etc. but have never had a hook go deep. Ive been fishing all my life and fly fishing for the past 6 years...knock on wood. I do feel vulnerable when I fish without sunglasses though. The last place I want to be hooked is in the eye. Good post, when my luck runs out I'll be prepared. Do they make any hemos with wire cutters on them?

[nightfish]

Nova, we're definitely going with a hard surface for the tying room. That's still a way out though. Right now I'm either tying at the kitchen counter or at my office desk, where my toe was recently perforated.

I have yet to stick myself beyond the barb in the field. I hope I never do. As bad as that little hook was, I can't fathom the pain a big nasty streamer or stonefly would bring about. I told you I was a wuss.

[«°Ñøvã°»]

Ive gotten nabbed in the field tryin to unhook the fish when the fish thrashed the trailer fly lodged in my hand. Whats even worse is fish dont listen when ya tell em to be still so basically im hooked in the hand with the weight of a 14" brown thrashing about......not fun.

[Don]

Now that we are sharing accidental hooking stories, here's one I'm not proud of....

I'm tying flies in the living room watching TV with the wife the night before. The next day I get a call from wife freaking out. By the time I get her calmed down to the point where I could understand her, she informs me that our 8 month old has a hook stuck in her head from crawling on the carpet.

Luckily is was a size 18 and was barely in. It came out super easy (barbless) and barely bled. One more reason for barbless... I think my wife is still upset over that one...

Fast foward 6 yrs, I now have my own tying room, i rarely tie in the living room, I keep a magnet for follow up for the rare times I do. My 6yr old daughter that got stuck can now point out the diffrence from a caddis fly, mayfly, and stonefly, and loves to fish with her dad... I tease my wife she's been stung by the fly fishing bug and there's no going back...