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Posts: 63
| Last Sunday while fishing alone, I decided to get some more practice in with the fly rod for muskies. I am getting fairly proficient casting the large flies, but doing it in the wind still presents challenges. Last Sunday was a perfect example of why I will now be removing the barbs. I had a gust of wind carry the fly into me, hitting me in the wrist. I looked down to see the fly firmly embedded in my wrist. I clipped the line and assessed the situation. No massive bleeding, so at this point all is looking good barring the lodged hook. It's a large 7/0 long shank hook, with the barbs still intact. After careful consideration, I decided no way I could back it out due to proximity to the artery and vein. I decided to push it through. It was also lodged in the tendon, and I quickly found out. All I did was push the surface of the skin up, with the point barely showing. It wouldn't come through. So, I tried hard to hold a pair of pliers with the hand that was wounded, further tightening the tendon. That wasn't going to work either. So, I looked around and finally headed for the closest boat. I had a good Samaritan hold my pair of pliers tight to the point, so the skin would not buldge further, allowing me to push the big hook through my skin. Went to the doctor the next day. He was amazed I pushed it through myself. Said I did exactly what they would have, prescribed antibiotics and sent me on my way. Take home message, if you fish alone a lot, barbless is the way to go. I will now accept the slight possibility of losing a fish due to no barbs, just to make a situation like this much easier to handle when by myself!
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Posts: 1283
| Ouch glad it wasn't more serious. Knipex would have really helped you out in that situation.
Edited by achotrod 6/11/2014 12:32 PM
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Posts: 295
| I'm sure he cut the hook once the barb came back out. Before then the knipex would just be a hindrance. |
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Posts: 149
| Wow. Nice job keeping calm and doing self surgery. |
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Posts: 63
| Had one of the mini bolt cutters that I use to cut hooks. Worked great. But yes, wouldn't have done me any better till I got the hook through. The big problem was the tendon. Very tough to get through, even though the hook was very sharp. I checked afterwards, and the point still would dig into my fingernail. Knipex would be a nicer cutter than mine, but way more spendy. I can appreciate the one handed operation. |
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Posts: 267
| Ahhhhh, that just makes my butt pucker! |
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Posts: 98
Location: Franklin, WI | Barbless is not bad in any situation. Fishing in Alaska last year, we were fishing for monster pike using only single, barbless hooks. Some used flies, spoons, chatter baits, and plastics and were able to safely land fish over 50". Since the guides never net the fish, they love the barbless hooks. Here's an example:
Edited by Muskie_Mike II 6/11/2014 3:21 PM
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Posts: 63
| I agree. Barbless is not bad. I likely will file the barbs on all my lures over time. Not as much concerned about myself (unless I get one stuck in me again!), but I feel it's the right thing to do for the fish. Less time getting the hooks out, means less handling time over all. Better chance for the fish to fight another day for me or someone else. As long as you are aware of the barbless hook, and keep the tension on your line, there should really never be an issue with losing fish.
On a side note, I would have to say I have had MANY close calls with hooking myself. I fish a lot, and am always barefoot in the boat unless we are in freezing temps. We have joked several times about having to pull one from my foot. Well, I certainly didn't expect this one. But, it finally happened. I will say keeping my cool about it was probably my biggest advantage. Anyone who has had a hook in them like this can attest, it's not as bad as it looks. The area becomes numb very quickly. Also, there are more nerve endings in the skin, then below the skin, so moving the hook that is buried was not as painful as the point of entry and exit. Kind of like getting a blood draw, if you have had that. And luckily, I missed the arteries and veins, so minimal bleeding.
IMPORTANT MESSAGE HOWEVER: If you do this, MAKE SURE you get to a doctor for follow up. You need antibiotics for treatment afterwards so you don't get an infection. Make sure you are current with your tetanus shot. Infection afterwards can lead to any number of problems, up to and including death! Remain calm, and address the situation as best you can, and have someone help you. If you are close to a doctor/hospital, you are likely better off going to them. I was at least an hour out from having a doctor remove the hook, and felt comfortable doing it myself. Not everyone can do that. My doctor just shook his head, laughed and kept saying, "I can't believe you poked it through your-self!" He had never seen a hook that big through someone's skin. I was also lucky my hook was sharp. It would have caused damage to the tendon if it had not been. That would have required a surgery to repair. Believe it or not, just three days later now, and the wound is healing nicely. No infection, no bruising, and very little tenderness now. Carry a good First Aid kit and don't be stingy on getting the best one you can afford. Cleaning the wound is of the utmost importance. In retrospect, the only thing I may have done differently would have been to have an antiseptic such as alcohol on board, and prior to backing the hook out, coated the area including the hook. That would have helped sterilize the inside pulling the hook back through. (Maybe a doc if we have one on here could weigh in on that comment) Good luck and keep those hooks sharp! |
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Posts: 1126
Location: Minnesota. | Douglas,
I have been FF'ing "teeth" for a long time now and decided long ago to go barbless. Never lost a fish yet from going barbless but it's saved my carcass a couple times from flying hooks.
I even debarb all my trebles too on my big baits but not the single hooks on my spinnerbaits.
Good luck. Sooner or later an accident is bound to happen but use good caution, especially in a breeze and use the wind to your advantage instead of bucking it. You minimize the troubles if you listen to your head but ... it's fly fishing in the open and it's rarely ever totally calm.
Good luck out there and keep that back cast out at a 45 deg. angle unless others are in the boat too. In that case ... hope it's a good buddy.
I do a lot of back-cast presentations too. Let her fly on that backwards cast that typically loads the rod. Works well!
Jeremy. |
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Posts: 63
| Thanks for the encouragement! I just started this year with the fly fishing for them. The guys out here cash in during the spring with flies, then it tapers off as temps rise. The problem we have as you said is wind. Our area gets a fair amount of wind in the spring, so I have had limited chances to make the presentations. Hopefully soon. Want to bag my first FF muskie this year! |
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Posts: 1126
Location: Minnesota. | Here in Mn. Sept. and Oct. present some of the best topwater fly rodding to be had. Winds also tend to be calmer.
Foam poppers plopped along shallow....shallow!!
J. |
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Posts: 365
| Let the wind work for you ,,, keep your fly rod hand on your down wind side or at least have the wind quartering away from your fly rod hand ,,, if a wind gust comes up,, it will blow the fly/hook away from you --- always wear wrap-around safety glasses when whipping a musky fly past your head ---- be aware of the wind ---- jimjimjim |
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Posts: 63
| Yep, learned that one the hard way. Problem was that the wind had died down, and it was a sudden gust that brought the fly back into me. My sunglasses are wrap around. Hopefully would have stopped it. |
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Posts: 182
| I'm a fly guy also. No barbs here. "Stapled" my hat to my head once. Once is all it took. |
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