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hooking flesh

2K views 6 replies 7 participants last post by  TinMan 
#1 ·
can anyone please tell me the correct way to remove a fishing hook from human flesh?

i just returned from a fishing trip in the middle of no-where, when my fishing buddy got himself hokked on a no12 hook before his first cast.
the hook was in past the barb in the palm of his hand and was not keen on coming out. we tried to remove the hook with various methods which had no effect other than to get my 120kg fishing buddy pissed off.
we then had to drive for 5 hours to the nearest hospital for the hook to be exreacted in less than a second.

i know that every angler will eventually get himself badly hooked, including myself eventualy, but i would like to know the best extraction procedure for when it happens, at least to save on fishing time.

also is getting hooked really as sore as it seems. my buddy didnt seem to mind to much at fist, but after a couple of hours travling time he was stating to panic.

thanks
 
#4 ·
Like Roop mentioned, pushing the point through is great if you can do it. You then break off the barb and pull the rest of the hook out (I have done that on myself once).

The other method, for firmly embedded hooks, requires the aid of someone else. It's the mono loop system. The idea is for the helper to take a strand of thick (strong) monofilament and loop it around the bend of the hook. He will eventually pull hard on the mono to extricate the hook. Before the actual pull, the helper will push down on the eye of the hook with the other hand. This helps line up the direction in which the hook will come out. Thankfully I have not had to try this myself but I've been told by at least two people who used it that it works well. And yes, it does sound barbaric.
 
#5 ·
just crush the barbs, I heard Lefty Kreh speak last month, and he said, "even though you'll lose a few more of the fish that bite, you'll land more fish going barbless. because your barb will keep you from setting the hook on many" (not a direct quote, but close enough). then you'll be able to pull those hooks right out. i can attest to the fact that hooks hurt like hell in flesh. clousters and deceivers on 1/0 hooks, OUCH!!! but they at least came right out. Tom
 
#6 ·
Trutta's right,

The Mono Loop trick is the best way to dislodge a (small) barbed hook from human flesh. The speed with which the hook is pulled out helps not to feel too much pain. More speed = less barbaric! I had to do it on some less enlightened flyfisher fellows and it always worked fine. Note this were people using small flies with equally small barbs. I wouldn't do it with a size 3/0 TMC 800 'Poon hook deeply embedded in someones neck or so. Please crush all barbs on your hooks! This will help your hooks penetrate, too, fishmouthwise, I mean!! And a fish hooked on a barbless hook properly played won't comme loose in most cases.
 
#7 ·
Yes, this happened to me with a Gibb's 3.5 oz. popper trble hook. These things have VERY large barbs. I never crushed the barb on my hooks before becoming a fly fisherman - just didn't know you should. Hook went into the side of my pinky as I was reaching down to unhook a big schoolie. He shook his head violently - lure flew out of his mouth and right into my finger.

You asked if it hurt much and it was just like you described - I was severely bummed emotionally when I saw the lure in my hand - but that's the only way I would have know, that I saw it. It didn't hurt at all when it happened (endorphins?). As time went by (on the ride to the hospital since it wouldn't push out) it started to burn and then throb. When the EMT's wrapped it so it wouldn't move around causing more damage - it hurt alot. I think alot of it had to do with the concern of what they will do to get it out. ER doc had a really bad time getting it out since they try to back it out by sliding a small slender scalpel down the shank to try to cut a path for the barb. Evetually, she had to push it through. NOTE: you do NOT want to just try to push it through - depends upon where the hook is on your body. You CAN cause severe and permanent damage to nerves that may NOT have already happened.

I was "lucky" - it hit tendon and skin, but apparently didn't permanently damage anything. It was however infected for quite a while even after antibiotics. They wound up cutting it open 6 months later and pulled out "something", which everyone thought was part of the fish's mouth. Turned out to be part of me - a cyst that formed due to the folded in skin from the hook pushing through.

Yes, crush the barbs - I would have been in ALOT better shape (probably would have kept fishing and got a tetnus later.
 
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