HOOK SAFETY

[Out Fishing]

Damn if it didn't take 10 years. It finally happened. I got a 4/0 vmc treble into the fingerprint of my pinky, straight in well past the barb right to the bend. Left pinky. I opened the side door of my van to take out some big signs and when I tried to pick up the first sign it slipped and my finger got caught by the hook on one of the display lures. Tried to get it out right there, even pulled my leatherman to try and pull it but was way in.

I decided that it needed to get cut immediately before the sign fell or something else happened. I carried it inside the shop and to the bench, knipex cut at the bend so there was now just a 1/4" stub sticking out. Couldn't budge it and it was bleeding pretty good. Spent 15 minutes sweating on it trying to remove it before I decided to use a fresh xacto knife to cut the skin a bit to find the barb. I knew what side the barb was on and looking at another hook I could tell it was in about 1/8", I cut it 3 times little by little and still couldn't get it out. DAmn! then all of a sudden while working on it POP and it came right out.

Damn that hurts.

I have a policy of ALWAYS having hook guards on hooks in the shop.  It took 10 years for it to happen. Even fishing I am SUPER careful. One slip and it figures it's on a hook that the guard was missing. Freakin wonderful.

I fell in a manhole this week and wrecked my leg up pretty bad. Now this. What's next.

 

[Out Fishing]

Jeremy I have a very high pain threshold I have dealt with permanent nerve damage in my hand for 5 years now

On top of that I have a serious arthritis problem in my neck, my elbow has had tendonitis for over a year now.

And I got a fat head

Seriously I'd rather do it myself than pay a $300 ER charge when $300 could go towards food or mortgage etc right now.

[Out Fishing]

One stupid little slip. And yea that 4/0 is a NASTY barb. I fish 100% barbless but these were on a display board.

Of interest to note is how easy that barb slid right into my finger. I was actually surprised. That thing was gone to China.

[Out Fishing]

My career record is four trips to the ER to have hooks removed - two trebles and two flies. The last time was a Mutu Light circle hook between two knuckles on my left hand. (freaking wind) Even barbless, it wouldn't come out. They've got a good technique now: they go in behind the hook and back it out, rather than push it through. Does less tissue damage and it heals right up. I won't even have a treble in the house any more. There are quite a few guys around here who use barbless Siwash hooks on plugs, and they catch as many fish as anybody else. I rigged a couple Bomber-type swimmers like that and they swim OK, even in a heavy current.