# Removing a hook from a finger



## HiRAEdd (Nov 12, 2005)

It had to happen eventually. I've finally had the (dis)pleasure of hooking myself past the barb into one of my fingers. Luckily for me, it was a small treble but the tickle of having a hook point playing with flesh and nerves several millimeters into your finger is quite something else 

Anyway, seeing as this experience gave me quite a few minutes of uneasiness due to the difficultly of removing it combined with the fact I was miles from anywhere, I thought I'd share the technique I used to get it out.

After I realised the barb was going to make it impossible and/or extremely painful to just slide it back out I tried a few things before I stumbled upon the method that slid it out easier than it went in. First thing I did was cut the treble from the lure with pliers. This took the pulling of the line and the weight of the lure off the hook. Next I cut off the two other hook points - no point tempting fate by leaving them there. Then finally, I squeezed the area of my finger where the hook was, quite hard, till it was white and taut. At this point, I was able to put mild backwards pressure on the hook and it slid straight out. I think the squeezing made the hole in my finger oval shaped and the surrounding skin very tight allowing the barb to clear the skin without catching on the way out.

A wipe down with an alcohol wipe and a bandaid and next day I couldn't even tell which finger I'd pierced


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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QlpoOTFBWSZTWSxRdXoAAAbXgAAQQAEAgJIAL+SPACAAIiDRoMg09QoGmhkZMSRRJt3FCNUmhNcS6jeOj9CmzzcD3xdyRThQkCxRdXo=


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## Artie (Dec 19, 2011)

Its an 'ouch' moment allright... its another reason to crush (slightly) the barbs.

I had a largish whiting held up against my chest (wading without a net) and the wriggling was slowly working a treble into my finger tip, nothing I could do, just had to ride it out...bloody fish seemed to know what it was doing, dont blame it though, afterall I had just rammed a hook through its lip and dragged it out of the water... :shock:

Point is, a lightly crushed barb slid out relatively easily, and like yours, a wipe and a bandaid and its all good..... and as you say, its bound to happen....


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## HiRAEdd (Nov 12, 2005)

Occulator said:


> no pictures of a blood soaked hand?


I did take a photo but being of the middle finger, it just looks like I'm giving you the bird and I know how easily offended you get Paul


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## HiRAEdd (Nov 12, 2005)

*teehee*


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## FazerPete (Mar 10, 2009)

Sorry this may be a stupid question but wouldn't it be a bit easier if you cut the whole barb off the hook that had gone through?


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## HiRAEdd (Nov 12, 2005)

It hadn't gone right through, the barb was well and truly inside my finger.
Had it gone right through, then yes, the barb would have come off first.


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## FazerPete (Mar 10, 2009)

Ah that explains it. The classic choice of pain or pain and you chose to go the pain option...ouch.


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Trevor


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Occulator said:


> Just thought I would resurrect this thread after sticking a hook through my thumb this afternoon whilst changing some trebles on my lures. Thankfully I was able to avoid the embarrassment of having to ask someone else to help me get it out. Unfortunately I had absolutely no idea of how to do it.
> 
> Which as it turned out I am rather thankful for, because I was at home, no one else knew about it, and my computer was close at hand. So naturally I Googled it. The attached video (ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfSGAso5vpI) is the one I went with. And do you know what? It really did work, and better still somehow it was painless. And ya can't make something like that up.


Hi Paul, and a timely reminder of a real and ever present risk for all kayak fishos.

I carry Xylocaine for this sort of situation. http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv ... cxylje.pdf
We once had a sea kayaker with a treble deeply embedded in the tip of his finger. He passed out. This is a serious situation for any kayaker (if alone could result in drowning).

We rafted up (kayakers each side, to keep him upright) and eventually got him to shore. Xylocaine, applied topically, completely numbed the injury site in about five minutes, and the hook removal was completely painless. No alcohol required. More consumed later. :lol:

$ 25 well spent for the First Aid Kit.

trev
trev


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

This old thread again again causes a puzzle why everyone does not just crush the barbs on hooks and make life so much easier.

The attached photo involved 2 barbs and 2 fingers, with one of the barbs pinning both fingers at the one time. _Occy here is the blood you wanted in April's reply._

This was the third time the angler had been hooked, and since this incident the barbs on all his lures have now been crushed.


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## HiRAEdd (Nov 12, 2005)

kayakone said:


> I carry Xylocaine for this sort of situation. http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv ... cxylje.pdf


That is a great tip, will need to add that to my first aid kit that I keep on board.


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## qwikdraw (Sep 23, 2012)

i removed mine today the easy way , 3 hours at the mackay base hospital , which just happened to be about 1km from where i hooked myself , and 5 stitches for my troubles , oh yes , lost the damn flathead but hooked myself, you just cant trust land based fishing


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## mackayaker (Aug 14, 2010)

Hi qwikdraw, What happened mate, you have to tell me every little detail. Was this after I left on Saturday? Can't wait to hear this! :lol:

Cheers Scotty


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## qwikdraw (Sep 23, 2012)

hey scotty , 
went for a look and reccy near the train bridge just up from the hospital today. Decided to have a quick flick , legal flattie spat the hook about a foot from the shore , next cast got snagged , yanked it free and caught the lure in the left thumb (damn my reflexes), went right in , had to cut the the hook off and drive to emergency to get the damn thing cut out. will be crushing all the barbs on all my lures  . did like the look of the rock wall on the north bank


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