Embedded Hook Removal From One's Bod

[Apalach]

A recent mishap with a ladyfish hooking one of our members in a finger after he first hooked the ladyfish reminded me of a recent article in GAFF Magazine (May-June, 2007) by one of our former Florida State University pre-med students, Paul Hart, MD. Although nearly all such hookings of humans are strictly accidental, Dr. Hart PURPOSELY hooked himself to test a couple of the suggested remedies for hook removal-OUCH! I know, I know, but sometimes you just have to steel yourself to getting past the GAFF chick pics!

1. Here is the first pic that caught my attention (or mebbe it was the 12th, but no matter). This shows Dr. Hart with a self-hooked treble on a plug--more about this one later.



2. This pic shows Dr. Hart self-inserting two new Gamagatsu J-hooks side by side for a comparison of the “snatchâ€

[EddieJoe]

Dick:

Thanks. Great reprint of the article. Haven't had to use it yet, but do keep a pair of the small bolt cutters on board. They also come in right handy cutting away that ghost crab trap that sometimes gets tangled in your prop. When I needed one, didn't have one. Now I do.

I believe the snatch is for me, though.

EJ

P.S. Retiring at the end of the month. Will soon come calling looking for a fishing partner.

[Apalach]

Hey Ed,
Saw your earlier post about retiring--welcome to no schedule, no early drives to work, and no money!

Would love to join you on one of your fishing excursions--besides I would like to see the new boat. Maybe I can loan you one of my yaks for an excursion to the "dark side" as well.

Best,
Dick

[basstired]

I don't know if this is a reference to my mishap Sat. evening, but thanks for the post. I was missing two things for the snatch method, good light and a fishing buddy. I was not able to get my wire cutters, between the hook and the plug to cut the buried hook. I could get to the place where the treble comes together, but didn't have enough strength with the $5 cutters.
The first thing to do if the hook has to stay in for a while is snip off all the other hook ends. With that done I was able to paddle back, load the yak, and drive home. There is no pain unless you tug on the hook. I thought that once I was home, I could get it out. After a few painful tries, I took a shower and went to the ER.
They usually use the second method, but the Dr. chose to cut all the way down and surgically remove it, probably so he could more thoroughly, charge me, I mean clean the wound. The nurse was about to toss the plug in the trash and I stopped her. No, I can put new hooks on that. She gave me a look like this
1. Never assume a fish is through thrashing
2. Grab the fish, not the plug
3. Carry a syringe of lidocaine stashed away, if you are not allergic. If you've been paying for your childs braces, your dentist owes you.

[Apalach]

Hey BT,
Nope--not yours--it was JSuber! Sorry to hear you had to go the surgical route. but that seems to be what the docs know best (and costs the most)!

Glad you put the brakes on the nurse--I can see the expression on her face--and I wasn 't even there!

[reel therapy]

I had the same thing happen to me about 4 weeks ago, and it was with a ladyfish as well. I was throwing a red and white YoZuri Crystal Minnow, landed a small ladyfish, and when the fish started getting all crazy it slipped out of my hand and the hook went in one part of my index finger and out another part (about a 1/4 inch from the entry point).

I had to first cut the CM off from the line, then remove the hook in the lady fish, then I had to motor over to another boat and ask some fellas to cut the barb off the treble so that I could remove the hook. They snipped it for me and I was on my way.

I saw the article in GAFF a couple days after my incident.

[abcarias]

I try to always use a single hook with no barb when catching lady fish (great bait) because they are so high strung. I have a bag that I drop them into to calm them down before taking the hook out. I also use a boga grip to hold them while removing the hook. I have had many close calls removing trebbles from them.

Thanks for the link to Gaff. I particularly enjoyed the videos of the ladies/girls.

[jsuber]

None of that worked for me Friday night when I hooked a ladyfish and the Sprite Treble hook went in my thumb and under my thumbnail. I paddled back to the truck with a hook in my thumb, pulled my suture kit out of my truck (Which I should have had with me) and shot some Lidocaine in my thumb in few places and pulled the hook out. Sorry, I have a low threshold for pain.