Quick story, then a question...

[BTFS]

Fishing on the Ogden, got a hook stuck in my finger. Too big of a wimp to pull it out. Finished fishing. Drove home. Watched the fireworks. Drove to the hospital. Paid $50 emergency room copay. 2 minutes later, I am back in the car driving home.

I have since heard 5-10 people say they know (or have seen) some sort of "trick" to pull out hooks. I tried putting line around the shank of the hook to pull it out. I tried pushing it trough the skin. I tried pulling it out with pliers. Nothing worked. Teach me the "trick" so I can save $50 next time.

BTFS

[cheech]

Interesting you post this. I had to do some surgery on meeself this weekend. I didn't even have a stick to bite on either. I was casting a #14 klinkhammer, when a wind gust came up. On my forward cast, I nicely placed the fly deep into my scalp in the back of my head. Now, it wasn't just in there a little bit, it was in there up to the dubbing with no desire to come back out. With no ability to see my nice hook set, I was working by feel only. I gave it a swift tug, that prompted nothing but a swift profanity. I decided to punch it the rest of the way through so I could de-barb the hook. I had to push the skin down onto the hook point to get it to pop through... another profanity. Once I had prorper working space, I took TOOTHLESS forceps and smashed down the barb. I was able to eventually back the fly out of my head. There were two factors in my safe release. 1- toothless forceps that made it easy to pinch the barb. 2- use of a high quality hook with a micro barb. Had I been using a Mustad, or Eagle Claw, I probably would have bled to death by now. It was not a fun experience, but I lived through it. I think I hold a catch and release state record for a Utah Sucker.

[icthys]

BARBLESS!!!

I was fishing a community pond a couple weeks ago. The only others there were some kids across the lake. Soon enough they started to yell for help. I ran over to see what the problem was. One kid about 8 years old was crying and had his hands over his cheek, poor kid had got stuck. He wouldn't show (it would hurt to much to show me) so I asked the other kids to show me the hooks they were using. They pulled out a size six eagle claw with a barb the size of cheech's dingy. I was certain he'd need to go to the hospital.

I convinced him to let me see it or go to the hospital, he let me take a look and fortunately the barb had just barely entered the skin. It was going to be no big deal to pull it out. The only problem was to convince the kid to let me pull it out. After 30 min and the restraint of some neighbor lady he finally let me pull it right out. The kid couldn't keep thanking me enough, if he had a million bucks he would have given it to me.

[Stoney Clarke]

For $50 bones he didn't tell you how it is done? Hell after all my stiches I can now do it myself, plus I always walk out of the ER with the hemos, scissors and tweezers they used. They toss them anyways.

SC

[Trav]

I have to agree....Use barbless for the fish and yourself or in my case my friends. :-)

[thor444]

LockJaw Baby! Make sure you have your Tetanus Booster every 3 or 5 years. Eye against the skin, definitely. Not that bad. I have been hooking myself and practicing.

[Jason]

http://www.utahonthefly.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8362&highlight=stuck

[highcountry]

when i felt resistance behind me, i looked and just started laughing. he wouldn't let me touch it, so i cut the line.

[BTFS]

I watched the dr. dude yank the hook out of my skin. He only did this after he numbed me with litocaine (sp). The damn tetanis shot was the worst part of the whole experience. This happened on Saturday and I could barely lift my arm this morning.

Cheech, you are way more tough than me. One time I had a similar experience but the fly got caught in my chin. I just pushed it through the skin (swore like a sailor), crimped the barb (again, swore like a sailor), and pushed it back through (then took it out on the next white fish I caught). I think because I couldn't see it on my chin, it hurt less.

Still looking for the magic "trick" that everyone says they have either seen or someone did it to them to get the hook out...

BTFS

[steelie]

The loop method works good, it is better to do it FAST! Also much better if someone else is doing it, instead of the person hooked. It really helps to be cheap, I think it would be easier for me to grab a 4/0 that was piercing my nose than to pull 50 bones out of my wallet and give to a doctor.

[Crosby]

http://www.idahostatesman.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040629/IDOUT/406290315/1059

[newtyer]

Dear God Cheech, that is the most painfully funny thing i've ever read.