Newbie Story and Pic

[Digifish]

Hello everyone, :smile:
Very glad and honored to be joining all of you on this helpful and entertaining site. I found it just a couple of months again and was blown away with all the activity and the generous sharing of great fishing info and insights. And so much on the mighty Columbia!

Well, on with the story. A few years ago while doing a little mid summer fly fishing on Mt. Hood I hook a little more than I bargained for! I was using light gear and the wind was up. On my back cast the wind caught the fly and before I could say "Lookout for that flying Royal Coachman" ---- WHAM-----I'm (sorely) HOOKED! Right in the cheek! :blush:



Here you can see, one of my buds taking an unsuccessful whack at removing it. If ever there was a case for barbless hooks this is it! This baby was not coming out with out a struggle.

So, after many failed attempts, much contemplation and a few beers it was clear that there was only one way it was coming out--- shove it all the way through and cut it off. If ever there was a case for sharp hooks this was it! Long story short---it worked like a charm!

I'm sure I'll have many more chances for embarrassing screw-ups but this is right up there as one of my best!

Great to be aboard!
Kelley Wilson

[ 04-17-2003, 09:50 PM: Message edited by: crabbait ]

[Grantspastor]

Ow! An inch higher and it could have been much worse. I stuck one in my thumb last year. Had to have it removed at Urgent Care. Welcome to ifish!

[crabbait]

That looks painful! Lucky you missed your eye.

Here is a method for hook removal:

Hold the eye of the hook down with a thumb so that the hook arcs away from the skin then enters. Make a loop of strong line (Tuff works great) and secure to the bend of the hook.

While pressing the eye of the hook down into the flesh, pull with the loop of line in the bend of the hook away from the eye of the hook. This will allow the barb to exit in the hole it made on the way in.

I have had to perform this operation a couple of times and have had good success. Key is to keep the eye of the hook pressed firmly against the flesh as you pull on the loop. A little tug and it pops right out. (OUCH!)

[skein]

Crabbait is right. It's amazing how that little trick works. I got to do it with a 2oz jighead out in the briney, with my wife doing the tugging. I told her, "No timid stuff. Snap it out like there's no tomorrow." It popped out so cleanly that I had to work to get it to bleed.

Lots less painful than pushing it through or letting the doc whittle it out. ...And you can keep right on fishin'.

Skein

[Lucky Bamboo]

Ohhhhhh OWWIEEEEE!!!! Beerbellyfisher hooked his Mother's 'backside' up at Northwestern Lake about 30 years ago :shocked: That wasn't a pretty sight, either (I say that with a smirk only because she's my Mother-In-Law)