Fishhook Removal Trick
- Thread starter DrOrFish
- Start date
Depending on how the hook is embedded it might be easier to rotate and push the tip (and barb) of the hook up through the skin, clip or press down the barb, then slide the hook back out with ease and no pain.
Had to have that done to a treble hook in my forehead once.
Also, another reason to purchase/tie with barbless hooks.
Had to have that done to a treble hook in my forehead once.
Also, another reason to purchase/tie with barbless hooks.
satyr
Well-known member
That doesn't always work.
I once embedded a 6.0 hook into the side of my thumb, thru the knuckle tissue and up to the tip of the finger. All driven home by a falling 3 pound weight! I've never gone rock cod fishing again since. Captain but the eye off and tried to drive the hook thru. Total failure. He couldn't get the thing to move a millimeter. Ended up in the emergency room. It took getting needle nose vise grips from the electrician, getting them sterilized, then cutting into the tip of my finger until they could grab the hook below the barb with the pliers. After about 15 minutes of pulling the hook finally came free.
Of course, that left me with an inch long hole thru my finger filled with anchovie guts. Took about a month of constantly soaking in betadyne and getting the two end holes cut open once a week to drain before things finally settled down enough that I was pretty sure I wasn't going to have to have my thumb cut off.
Oh, and it was damn expensive!!!
I once embedded a 6.0 hook into the side of my thumb, thru the knuckle tissue and up to the tip of the finger. All driven home by a falling 3 pound weight! I've never gone rock cod fishing again since. Captain but the eye off and tried to drive the hook thru. Total failure. He couldn't get the thing to move a millimeter. Ended up in the emergency room. It took getting needle nose vise grips from the electrician, getting them sterilized, then cutting into the tip of my finger until they could grab the hook below the barb with the pliers. After about 15 minutes of pulling the hook finally came free.
Of course, that left me with an inch long hole thru my finger filled with anchovie guts. Took about a month of constantly soaking in betadyne and getting the two end holes cut open once a week to drain before things finally settled down enough that I was pretty sure I wasn't going to have to have my thumb cut off.
Oh, and it was damn expensive!!!
el jefe
Well-known member
I just ripped it straight out of my tongue right after it buried itself there. It's like ripping off the Band-Aid quickly. It was kind of cool because a little piece of flesh was still stuck on the end of the barb. I spit blood for a while, and couldn't eat green chile for a week. Or red chile, for that matter. No chile, period. It was a bad week.
jpbfly
Super Moderator
The best way ....is to use barbless hooks....I realized and understood that long long ago.
Easier to release fish too ,isn't it
Easier to release fish too ,isn't it
philly
Well-known member
I've been fortunate. I've only impaled myself three times. First time, I removed it myself. Numbed the finger with ice, pushed it through, and cut the barb off. Went to my doctor the next day, he told me "good job" and gave me a tetanus shot.
Second time, at the end of a long day fishing I caught a crease fly in my ear.
The hook was debarbed. The guy who removed it made the observation that when the hook goes into flesh it creates a channel and when it comes to rest it will "fall" out of the channel. With a barbless hook you can move it and feel when it "falls" back into the channel and it will come right out. This was the easiest one to get out. No pain, not much blood, no tetanus shot.
Third time I wasn't even fishing. I was tying flies, when my hand slipped and the hook, which I hadn't debarbed went into my finger to the bend. Maybe I was older and wiser. I couldn't bring myself to try and push it threw. Headed to the ER, fortunately it was a slow day. They took me in right away. The doc gave me a shot to numb the finger, and proceeded to push it through and cut the barb off, removed it and gave me a tetanus shot.
Several years ago, I was at a lodge in Ontario, and had a medical emergency, fortunately not life threatening since it was a 19 mile boat ride to where the EMS wagon picked me up. I was
lying on the ER table waiting for the doctor to come and I notice that walls above a certain level were decorated with fishing lures. At least a hundred, if not more. When the nurse came in to put the various monitoring devices on me I asked her, "What's with the lures?" She said they get so many fisherman that come in to have hooks remove, that part of the cost of getting the hook removed was that the ER got to keep the lure for their "trophy" wall
Second time, at the end of a long day fishing I caught a crease fly in my ear.
The hook was debarbed. The guy who removed it made the observation that when the hook goes into flesh it creates a channel and when it comes to rest it will "fall" out of the channel. With a barbless hook you can move it and feel when it "falls" back into the channel and it will come right out. This was the easiest one to get out. No pain, not much blood, no tetanus shot.
Third time I wasn't even fishing. I was tying flies, when my hand slipped and the hook, which I hadn't debarbed went into my finger to the bend. Maybe I was older and wiser. I couldn't bring myself to try and push it threw. Headed to the ER, fortunately it was a slow day. They took me in right away. The doc gave me a shot to numb the finger, and proceeded to push it through and cut the barb off, removed it and gave me a tetanus shot.
Several years ago, I was at a lodge in Ontario, and had a medical emergency, fortunately not life threatening since it was a 19 mile boat ride to where the EMS wagon picked me up. I was
lying on the ER table waiting for the doctor to come and I notice that walls above a certain level were decorated with fishing lures. At least a hundred, if not more. When the nurse came in to put the various monitoring devices on me I asked her, "What's with the lures?" She said they get so many fisherman that come in to have hooks remove, that part of the cost of getting the hook removed was that the ER got to keep the lure for their "trophy" wall
wthorpe
Well-known member
That idea of pushing the hook thru, debarbing, then removing, sounds good. But when i tried it on a hook in the thumb, it hurt so bad trying to push it thru, i opted for just "ripping off the bandaid." That hurt a lot too, but it was done.
i have seen the method illustrated in the op work well at least twice.
i have seen the method illustrated in the op work well at least twice.
You knew I'd spot that, right? No, I'm not gonna ask.
I also won't jinx myself by talking about not being hooked but you all know I want to, alright I will. Never, one day in high wind back in 1980 I believe it was I got a muddler stuck in the right sleeve of a 100% wool sweater I was wearing. It was October and of course I was swinging streamers on a big creek in PA.
This century saw me change to 2 hand rods and it was I no brainer that a Spey cast on a breezy day could be dangerous. My way to avoid trouble is to be hyper aware of the location of that fly before making every single cast. I also crimp my barbs. Sometimes I have a rainbow leap and then come loose after they land but I've gotten over being concerned with that.
Oh and the video? That would have been way better if the guy had been more gentle as he demoed the technique.....
Welcome to the forum
Had a Pike lure bedded in my gonad once . I just left it there til the hook rotted and fell off
Hellbender
Well-known member
I’ve tried all these methods 3 different times with success. I liked the ER method best.
kevind62
Well-known member
Ok. This is all fine and dandy if you get a hook stuck in your pet pig's foot. Now, what do you do if you get one stuck in your own foot or hand or whatever???? :fishing:
kevind62
Well-known member
Seriously though, I've done this multiple times to friends while fishing. You DON'T pull on it slowly as it shows in the video. Especially one the size of the hook in the demo. You do it in one swift clean jerk. You hold down on the tag to the eye end with your thumb (keeps the hook in position for a nice straight exit), tell your buddy "on 3" then snatch on "one". Works every time. Had to do it to myself once. Fishing buddy didn't have the stomach to do it. Took a treble hook in the forearm doing the "no-no", reaching for a ladyfish (skipjack or whatever you want to call those aggravating critters) with a Miro-Lure in it's mouth. I'm sure all you gulf coast inshore fisherman can relate.
Had a Pike lure bedded in my gonad once . I just left it there til the hook rotted and fell off
Both of these made me cringe then laugh.
ROFL!
Storytime like this makes me glad I'm not a saltwater (or large freshwater) fisherman using giant hooks.
dillon
Well-known member
Ick, A thread killer, indeed...Had a Pike lure bedded in my gonad once . I just left it there til the hook rotted and fell off
ia_trouter
Senior Member
I stuck a pike treble in my finger tip when I was young. Pike jumped while I was trying to release him. Had a flopping pike dangling form my hand. I tried to push the 1/0 hook though but I struck bone and it was not happening. Found a razor blade but my Dad was pretty squeamish and I thought he was gonna pass out while pleading to let him take me to emergency care. I finally had to admit I'm not a surgeon. They numbed my finger and just tore it out. No magic hook removal hack was going to work this time.
I also have a one inch tear in my waders from a bad spey cast in AK my first season. Glad Ard missed that one or I would have got the lecture lol. It's a badge of courage. I stuck myself one other time practicing but it came out easy.
I also have a one inch tear in my waders from a bad spey cast in AK my first season. Glad Ard missed that one or I would have got the lecture lol. It's a badge of courage. I stuck myself one other time practicing but it came out easy.