Hot times at Lincoln Beach 7-6-20

[TubeDude]

Ya should have said something when you where dropping off those poles I didnt even see you limping,, I could have had that out in a second one way or another, I have had to do it before,  had one of those slimers get me with a treble in the finger, darn things wont hold still, glad my daughter was with me to push down on the hook after I trimmed the other 2 hooks off, she was a trooper, did what I told her to get line off another pole, and the wire cutters, she wasn't to sure about pushing down on the hook, especially when I said you got to push down harder and she could see the grimmis on my face, but it popped right out,  boy that sure felt good to get it out,

When we met up I still didn't know what I had in my foot.  It hurt like %$#@ when I stepped on it, but the pain subsided to "manageable" afterward.  But I couldn't get my foot turned around to see what it actually was.  I was thinking maybe a small piece of glass.  But I could deal with it.  Numb at both ends I guess.  And I think my long-suffering wife probably suffered more during the removal than I did.

Over the years I have performed multiple "hookectomies"...both on myself and others.  My all-time favorite was while I was living in Sacramento...and casting big flies for summer-run steelhead on the American River.  I was standing out in fairly strong current, in water about waist deep...slinging a big shooting head out into the flow coming out of Nimbus Dam.  A gust of wind (not a sloppy cast) caused the big fly to bury well past the barb in the flesh of my forearm.  Didn't know about the line loop method at that time.  So I took my long-nosed pliers, forced the hook point around and back out of my tender flesh and cut off the barb.   As I removed the now barbless fly, a trickle of blood ran down my arm.  The old guy who had been fishing near me...and who came over to see if he could help...turned green and sagged.  I grabbed him just in time to keep him from fainting and floating downstream.  After a tough "ferrying" job, I got him to shore and seated on a rock.  As reality returned, he blinked a few times and said "That was the damnedest thing I ever seen."

Having been a deck hand on several So Cal party boats, I have seen it all when it comes to hooks in various parts of the anatomy.  I never sneeze to be demazed at the ingenuity of fisherfolk when it comes to acquiring new "piercings".   Not many locations on the human body that I have not seen perforated by fish hooks.  Protruding body parts like fingers, ears and noses are common hook attractions.  Less commonly are lips, scalps, arms and legs.  But I've seen all of those punctured...even eyeballs.  Yuck.  Probably the worst have been been gaping scalp lacerations caused by errant backcasts of anglers using big jigs or spoons...ripping forward with lots of gusto.

One of the best was a large treble on a deep water jigging spoon...that had been left lying on a seat.  The good part was that the doofus who sat on it had about half a load on (drunk) and was being rude and obnoxious to both the other paying passengers and the deck hands.  Only a modest amount of righteousness...and a lack of opportunity...had kept me from tossing him overboard.  Then divine intervention happened.  A combination of the boat's rocking in the swells and the bozo's impaired equilibrium caused him to sit down suddenly...without looking where he sat.  We were miles out to sea, fishing a deep water rockfish bank, but I'm sure his reaction registered on the Richter scales on the mainland.  The best we could do for him...until we returned to the docks...was to cut off the other two barbs, remove the hook from the big jigging spoon and encourage him to take on more "anesthetic".

---

I hope the heel heals.

Yes, I am biguous.

And punny too.

---

The loop technique is money when done correctly, not so good if not. Just pulled out a #2 Treble from Brother hand a couple days ago big slimer zigged when he zagged and tagged him good. Once we got the lure and other hooks out of the way, with the proper alignment and pressure on the shank it popped right out no pain he put it back on the lure and started fishing again. LOL .....YOU MUST DO IT RIGHT
I hate to admit how many times it has been used to remove hooks from me and how many I have pulled out of other people and it has worked every time. Once on a 2/0 treble in a kids hand at the gorge.
Fishers should learn the technique, we used to practice at the shop on a Naugahyde covered cushion, it was pretty good substitute for skin and would work when done right and no if you did it wrong

Right ye be.  Proper technique is important.  Especially the pushing down on the hook and a sudden sharp pull on the line.  A slow pull only creates more agony.  Oh yeah, it is not something you want to have someone else do for you if they are A. inexperienced or B. squeamish.  My wife was all of the above and could not make it work...even after showing her a couple of good videos on Utube.  In the end she used my long-nosed pliers, closed her eyes and just hauled it out.  Oweeeee.

Here is one good video for anyone wondering what this is all about.  HOOK REMOVAL