Wow, you made quick work of that hook. I remember as a kid my stepdad tried to get one out of my thumb after soaking in a glass of ice water. I wasn't having it and had to go to the doctor. Did you push the hook through and cut the barb?
Before I even seen the video, I seen you were in the thumbnail and thought it’s a good thing someone was there to help. It doesn’t take long, especially on a river for things to get really bad quick, fast and a hurry!!
Best part of the video was the seeing another fisherman rush to action and help.. Like good ole days when we all helped each other. Good pliers a must. I even have wire cutters on kayak because I fish for little shark sometimes in Port St Joe. Test them to make sure they cut through the hooks easy... cheap is no good in this case..have high dollar ones. I got one out of my calf once...actually my very first kayak trip.. buried in my calf..got super lucky and yanked it straight down and came out.. Treble hooks are no joke especially on kayak. Glad it worked out. Love Catfish Dave show
Well done, sir! Nothing but respect for you. Too many people are afraid to show their mistakes. By showing yours you may save someone else’s thumb and striped bite.
I'm a die hard striper fisherman, 2 things I've learned to never leave home without, extended needle Jose pliers and lip grippers with a long handle. Them and hybrid are some of the most dangerous fish to handle in a net especially with 2-3 sets of trebles, glad you're ok.
I have started grinding barbs off. I don’t think I miss any fish and it is much easier to release. I have had a treble in my hand and I have watched you and two other CZcamsrs get stuck. It has made me very careful around trebles. Glad you had some help. Be really careful in the future.
I feel your pain Dave, about 30 years ago I was fishing with my Dad and as I was baiting my hook the pole fell off my leg driving that hook into my hand, my Dad come over and got the hook out pulling some meat out with it and handing me the hook he smiled and said here's your hook it's already baited!! LOL!!!
Used to replace the trembles on smaller top waters with size appropriate owner single live bait hooks and wouldn't miss many hookups at all. Sure made top water fishing safer.
thanks Dave for all the good videos and all you teach us about fishing and the what can happen even when you're being careful. I hope you heal quick and no lasting problems.
Glad you're OK, Dave! There's one thing about boaters, shooters, hunters, off-roaders, etc. and that's we are always willing to help a fellow sportsman out! BTW: I just found your channel and I've subscribed! Happy casting!
Don't feel bad Dave I've done this 3 different times, hurts like a mother F@#ker glad you found some great help and very glad you're alright, love the videos brother keep up the great work
I started smashing the barb down on the hooks. It makes it faster to unhook the fish and get back to fishing. I haven’t noticed fish coming off any more then nominal. Glad you are alright Dave.
Ouch Dave I know that hurt, think we've pretty much all been there. Thanks for showing the video, a lot of others wouldn't have. Can't believe the number of people in the comments saying "You need to get This or That" After you clearly show you now carry all of it with you. Stay Safe out there Dave, enjoyed the video.
I yanked a lure out of a limb and it came back and imbeded in my tricep, when i clipped it off it went under the skin. Trip to the ER and a couple of stitches. I have taken the treble hooks off of many lures and replaced them with J hooks. You were lucky I had to drive home with that plug stuck in my arm and my two young kids were with me. Thanks for the video a lot of guys would be to proud to do that.
Love your videos. I like watching your older ones bank fishing for catfish. That's all I can do now. Sold boat like wife asked me to do because I have lost both my legs below knees amputated from diabetics. But I don't give up. Your still a great fisherman by boat or bank.🤠 Keep making them and I'll keep watching fur sure. ❤️🦅🇺🇲🚓.
Had that recently in my thumb right in the side where nail meets the skin. I think one thing to keep in mind that worked for me is to remember the barb is wider than the hook. I turn the hook side to side with very minimal pain and the barb made a hole big enough it popped out with minimal pain. I was lucky that day
I started watching y'all CZcams Catfishing men and women a few years ago and was astonished at how many don't carry pliers when fishing. In my boat I have a pair in the front and a pair in the back and a pair on me. I couldn't believe how many people have to scramble to borrow pliers from others when fishing. Maybe this will serve as a wake up call for others to always have more than one pair and know where they're at. Removing a circle hook from a Catfish's mouth is so much easier with needle nose pliers. This is the reason that for fishing, I only wear work pants with a built in pocket for my pliers. It doesn't just simplify things, you just proved it makes you safer. I hope your tetanus shot is up to date. It might be a good idea to stop at a minor emergency clinic too. I don't know how the water is there but some of the places I fish they say not to eat the fish. Just a thought Dave. I'm not meaning to sound like THAT guy either and I apologize if it's coming across like that. I just learned the hard way, like you just did, to always have pliers with me. My son still tells the story and laughs about it today, 40 years later! He's 49 now so he gets a pass on that. I hope it wasn't too sore the next day! And thank you Captain Casey for stepping up and helping him out!
I'm so glad you got that hook out of your thumb!! I'm happy you are more prepared to handle that situation again if it happens! Take care and stay safe my friend
Hung a Jitter Bug on a snag-tried to pull it off and it came flying back at me! Landed in my thumb (deep). Went to local hospital 8 miles away. 30 years later-still can feel it after watching your Video. Take care Care Dave-you are the best.
I feel this video Dave, I just broke my ankle getting out of a friend's boat 2 weeks ago after beaching it for the night and had surgery done a week ago and am recovering from all that. We catfish guys gotta be careful out there.
@@cornbreadburgess1950 thank you sir, I'm healing up pretty good so far the incisions are fully closed already and to get me ready to hit the banks again I ordered a Madkatz Bolt medium action and a Ancient Mariner 6000 for my birthday tomorrow. Have a happy 4th 🇺🇲
This video serves as an excellent reminder of the dangers of treble hooks and the importance of keeping a good pair of pliers handy. Good on the fisherman for taking the time to assist. A hook in the finger tip is very painful. Thank you for posting this.
got myself in a similar situation last summer. I was bass fishing in my kayak (a 10 foot SOT) when I caught about a 3 pound largemouth. He hit right at the kayak so there wasn't a long fight so he still had plenty of energy. Anyways, push comes to shove, I get him lipped. I go to pull the plug out, a 3 treble and all 3 were in him, and he flops out of my hand into the kayak between my legs. Next thing I know I've got 2 hooks in one leg, one in the other and there's still 3 in the face of the bass! Boy you talk about a situation! luckily he only thrashed about 14 more times before he finally gave up. So I finally work the hooks out of him and chunk him back in then very carefully pulled the others out of my legs. I got lucky and the barb didn't make it very far under my skin so they came out ok. lesson learned, always pull the hooks out over the side of the YAK!
They say the show must go on. The show would have ended the moment the hook had embedded if it had been me,simply BECAUSE of the endless flow of colorful language . All I can say is good job Dave 👏 👍
I believe every angler has this type of experience in his life. Usually it is the smaller, more agile fish that hook us, like you here, or bite us bloody, for example when pike fishing. But you have mastered it well and have now equipped yourself with the appropriate tools. It could have turned out very differently in a situation without other boats nearby. Incidentally, I always have a good disinfectant with me when fishing, because a bleeding wound and fish mucus and blood can cause severe inflammation. God bless you and I wish you a speedy recovery.
Always funny when it happens to someone else..I knew where it was going when u mentioned the lure…got my share of hooks in me too and they all hurt like nobody’s business!…past few years I’ve been doin a lot of lure fishing and I’ve adapted to using a long nose with a long handle plier…( extra distance from those bigger lures)… lesson learned Dave …get back fishin !!… FYI …what we do if we’re releasing fish we crimp down all the barbs…👍🏼
Been there Dave. That's why you always have side cutters and a 2 foot length of 65 # braid in the boat for almost painless hook removal. The string method of removal is almost painless.
Had the same thing happen to me with a 3lb large mouth bass when I was 14. My mother had dropped myself and a buddy off at a pond to camp out for the night and fish the pond out of a canoe. 2 am, middle of no where. I totally understand the pain with that fish flopping around I felt for you. I was lucky enough to have help in the canoe. My buddy grabbed the pliers and my arm and says get ready I’m pulling on 3. I say okay and he said one and yanked. God bless him because I didn’t feel a thing when he yanked waiting for the 3.
I feel for you. It hurts like hell. Wait til you get a striper that flops just right and runs that dorsal fin right up your finger like a big slimy needle four inches long. Then it flopped again and it snapped off in my finger. Spent most of the night with it stuck in my finger. Good video and glad you post the good and bad parts of your fishing trip.
Sorry to see your mishap, hope you are doing better. I had nearly the same thing happen to me many years ago, substitute a 12 lb Snook and a big Bomber Long-A plug at 2:00 AM, nobody else around fishing from a bridge approach on land. Drove to the hospital and walked into the ER carrying a fish, the security guard was really amused. Bought a pair of Manley parallel-jaw pliers with a side cutter the next morning, and carry them religiously. Always carry something that can cut thru any hooks you use. 👍
Good to see you are ok, people should be like this in every walk of life, No matter the situation you're in, help someone out whether you know that person(s) or not. I'm not saying give them everything you have but if you see someone in need or is hurt, lend a hand. It doesn't cost you anything. God Bless and stay safe.
Sorry about your bad luck. One thing I used to do when throwing for snipers & hybrids, was, I'd remove the extra hook and only leave the back treble hook on. Less hook ups, but I think they fight better with only one set of hooks in them. Also I always keep a pair of needle nose fishing pliers in my back pocket. With only the rear hooks, you can pick them up with the lure if you're careful, still dangerous. They shake too much. Best of luck to you. thanks for all you videos and sharing your knowledge.
Always, always have a set of snips in the box,, You may never have to use them but,,,,,,handy to have if you need 'em,,, Great video and I'm glad you went back for ONE more!! lol,, Hope you're thumb heals with no problem,,,
I feel your pain . i had a small jig hook buried in the side of my thumb while fishing from the river bank .with my brother . I danced and said far too many 4 letter words .My knife was too dull to cut my skin . I looked for a good rock to sharpen my blade on and finally cut the hook out . YES good tools and a stick to bight on is a must . I don't know how you held up so well . Good video , thanks
Glad I found your video. Was bank fishing on Mississippi River in LaCrosse, WI. I was wearing an in floatable life vest my wife bought me and demanded I wear when fishing. I did a dumb thing by stepping on a rock which I knew was too slippery to step on. Well I fell in, the vest inflated, I got out ok. I learned a lesson too.
Glad you had help 👍🏻 We go through it all summer throwing Chug Bugs for Stripers where I live, even worse after dark !! I bought a pair of fish grippers to help but it’s still tricky, but that lure is 100% the best topwater you can throw 🎣
Dag Blasted treble hooks are the devil! I changed a lot of em out with j-hooks and caught just as many fish and less fingers. Great video, hang in there brother.
Cussed that poor little fish did ya. Hope you didn't hurt his feelings too bad! lol Sunk a hook just like that up in the heal of my hand to the bend back when I was about 15 year old striper fishing in Santee. Kinda went numb on me that made it perty easy to push the barb back enough to clear so it could back out. Hurt like the devil later though. Glad you had a good neighbor there to give you a hand Dave. Makes me wanna pull up Rhonda Vincent and hear her sing You don't love God if you don't love yer neighbor. :)
Whatever tools you can get for the boat, especially needle-nose, try to find stainless or some other metal that won't rust up. Helps for those times when bad things happen. Keeping some hemostats in the box too is a good idea. They can be used to help with treble hooks even if weighting them down to keep them from flopping around, and hooking into you.
OMG!! I feel your pain! In the future, those side cutters will save the day. Just don't cut the hook unless you have to. You or the Med Tech will need the hook intact to help remove it. Cut the split ring or the hook shank as close to the eye as possible. Once you are free from the fish or lure, take some leader line and tie a loop in one end to fasten around the bend in the hook, and tie another end around a sturdy object a few feet away. Back away until the line has no slack in it, and push the shank of the hook down with your good hand to get the barb away from the side of the hole. Now the fun part, without being bashful, quickly and with a little force pull to tighten the line TIGHT!! and the hook will pull out without additional pain. I have seen this done more than once. You can do this yourself, but it is better to have a helper - they will be less bashful. I witnessed a fisherman get 3 treble hooks on a 4-treble hook Cisco Kid in his leg while still attached to a 17-pound chopper blue fish that was flopping around. The worst part was watching the mate try to subdue the bluefish with a billy club. We thought the poor fisherman was going to bleed out.
Shouts to your friend and Guide for helping out without hesitation. Glad everything turned out well for you man. Always a big fear of mine when solo fishing is to take a hook into the hand, with fish floppin
Mr. Dave seeing that happen brought back memories that made the pit of my stomach do a few spasms! I know it happens yet still it's a real bummer!! hope you heal okay!
That’s exactly why I file off every barb on my treble hooks. Yes, I might lose a couple more fish than usual but it prevents that right there. Glad you had help close by
I’m glad you didn’t cut the 1 hook off the treble hook. This exact thing happened to mother on a walleye trip. We did cut the 1 hook off to free the lure from her before pulling the hook. The moment we cut that hook it sunk into her skin out of sight. Like it was completely gone. She had to have it surgically removed.
as someone whos experienced this before surf fishing with a 20lb striped bass i was sitting on swung her head - the top treble imbedded in my thumb. I took my finger nail jammed it into the O ring and worked the treble hook out... at 3am :D clipped the treble and pushed it through - went back fishin' - solid work by the other fisherman glad things ended up well.
Had a bass do that a couple years ago. Luckily I had a buddy in the boat. Got the fish off the crankbait. It was buried in my palm, where your pinky finger meets your hand. It wouldn't come back out. Had to push it through, to get it out. Fun times! Haha!
Just had this happen to me but with a Largie and he threw the 2nd treble into my keg sized gut lol. Thankfully I have a good set of long needlenose pliers that I always keep next to me. That bass was making me pay for hookin' him, but I eventually got the hook out of my belly and then him, we both made it away from the incident wiser to how close you should be to treble hooks!
I know that hurt. The last time I buried one below the barb in my thumb, I had to twist it around in a circle for about 30 minutes to create a hole big enough to get the hook back out. Just glad I had a small treble hook
Catfish Dave, you are very fortunate that a fish hook sunk in the skin past the barb has not happened before! I think that circle hooks for cat fishing are safer than bass fishing with all those multiple treble hooks per lure. That is why I gave up bass fishing for the most part. You were lucky to have a fellow cat man nearby who sprang into action to perform minor surgery, relieving your pain. Smaller fish are more likely to sink a hook in you than big fish. Learn to snatch a hook out with a loop of braided line. Works like magic! Tight lines!
Same thing happened to me king mackerel fishing 30 miles offshore several years ago. I cut the leader, drove back to the landing, put the boat on the trailer and drove an hour and a half to the ER to have that big titanium hook worked out. It was totally due to me acting before thinking.
Same thing happen to my Dad bank fishing, he made it to the road with the fish in one hand hook in the other trying to get someone to stop and help. He said they rode by thinking he was crazy. Finally someone stopped and got the fish off. The hook was embedded in the bone and he had to go to Emergency for a Dr to remove it. Fishing alone is dangerous. I use a fish gripper and keep away from those hooks!
Been there, done that. Always good advice to have cutters on board. I've cut the hook and then pushed it on through, rather than pull it back out against the barb. It's painful no matter how you take it out.
I've done it. About a 10# striper hanging from my thumb. I used my Manley pliers and cut off the hook so just a stub was visible. Then fished for a few hours more that night. The next morning I packed up, took the ferry off MV, and stopped at Urgent Care near home after a 6 hour trip. A little lidocaine and it was out (pushed through) in a couple minutes. Stripers almost always get hooked by the front hook. I crush the barbs on the back hook, some crush them on both. Makes getting it out of the fish or your thumb a lot easier.
I’m sorry but, the first thing I would have done is dispatched the fish. No more flopping. This situation is one of my biggest fears when fishing. Glad it wasn’t worse Dave.
sorry about your thumb. l got the smallist bolt cutters just for something like that. great video, nice fish. very few fishermen have not hooked themself. stay safe.
There he goes making sure everyone's looking at him catch these fish.. lol shits too funny!!! I swear he looks at the others boats more than he does his own fish. Lol
And this is one of the reasons why every single treble hook that enters my boat will be de-barbed. Sure you may lose a few fish but to me it's worth the trade off. Plus you learn to be a better angler to keep your fish pinned without relying on barbs. Glad this worked out for you, the other angler was a real pro.
I had a big Rapala stuck in my face with 3 hooks once, luckily I had a pair of side cutters in my truck, got them all out except for one in my top lip. I wore it the remainder of the evening and my dad pulled it out when I got home. Turpentine works great to keep the soreness away.
I feel for you, had something similar happen years back except it was hooked in the forearm with one of those single hook bass spinners that has a molded weight on it. Those of you that are familiar with these know they have a big hook. It wasn`t in deep but enough for the barb to do it`s job. I tried every way to get it out and my cutters were not beefy enough for the big hook , I tried to take my knife and cut a relieve so the barb would release but I couldn`t get things to sit still enough so I was ready to take the 30 min ride back to my river dock when I spotted a person out on a nearby dock and I scooted over to him and got him to hold things still while I made the tiny cut to release the barb. At least I did have first aid supplies with me to take care of the rest of it. That was the first time in 40yrs that I had seen someone get hooked ,that time they had to go to the hospital to get it cut out I was lucky. There are quite a few videos out on how to deal with a hook so I at least knew the basics of what to do. Every fisherman should at least watch or read one of those because it can happen and always carry a small first aid kit as there are many hazards to the sport. I notice that most fisherman or boaters do not carry a first aid kit, my fishing buddy always asks me when we go out if I have one and I always do. I keep a first aid kit in my fishing bag always as there are always a little boo boo to deal with.
Went bass fishing the other day with a whopper plopper. Very sharp hooks. Caught a nice smallie. Trying to release him he spun and danced and buried that hook in my thumb. First time. Luckily he spun a couple more times and shot that barb out the other side of my thumb. Cut that hook and got the fish back in the water. Cut the barb and brought it back through. Damn that hurt. Good pliers and and some luck.
All the fun. They really are memories. When I was a young teen one of my city boy cousins came to visit. My grandpa took us out fishing because he had never been. My cousin went to cast a crank bait and didn't open the bail. Needless to say that thing hit me in the leg at full speed and knocked me on my ass. My grandpa then proceeded to push all four of the hooks that went in me out the other side to clip the barbs off and remove them. I was so mad.... So mad hahaha. 20 years later it's a fond memory of being out with my grandpa.
I use a set of plastic pliers (that look like a pair of visgrips) to help immobilize the fish to make it much easier to unhook a fish. I got tired of fish flopping around and getting caught up in my net. They cost about $15. They worked very well in helping me get a 45 lb flathead under control so that I could safely release him back into the river. The plastic pliers work very well in getting bass unhooked and back into the water. I can't recommend them enough for fish 45 lbs or lighter. Since I haven't caught any fish heavier than 45 lbs I'm unsure how they might work for the larger fish you normally catch.
Guys- Always carry a pair of KLIEN #9 Ironworker pliers in your boat. They will cut hook at the finger, then you can get assistance without the fish. Dave - man it hurts… understand that pain.
I took my son when he was eight years old fishing white bass in the shad pools. He had a lure about the same as yours with a white fly attached. Him at the back of the boat and me in front. We raced to some pooling fish and started casting. Next thing I know I have a lure stuck in the back of my head and him tugging hard enough to spin the drag a couple times. I couldn't see how bad it was, but I was pulling hard and it wasn't coming out. This fishing was awesome that morning, so I spent the next 4 hours with that lure stuck in my head. Went to the Marina and had the woman there actually cut the barbs out.
Accidents happen out there Dave, ain't no shame in it.. thank the good lord someone was there to help you. Oh and no matter what , mad catter was put in your path for a good reason. If they want to promote through you and you like their product, accept what they can offer you. We are getting too old to be that proud. Thank the good lord he was there. Now time to do some shopping for Mad catter gear. I liked how they stepped up. God bless them and hopefully they bless me with reliable gear. Happy Independence day y'all
Damn that sucks. Had a similar situation. Lure broke free off some weeds and I watched it fly at me like a rocket. Next thing I knew was a lure was hanging out of my leg, buried deep through my pants. Only time I had to ask for help myself and a trip to the ER for removal and 3 stitches. My training sergeants and fellow soldiers had a feild day with that lol not to mention how humiliating it was. I've been fishing more than 20 years when that happened. You expect that to happen when you're a kid, guess when you're an adult you're not as careful. It's going to be sore for bit for sure.
Catfish Dave been fishing for 40 years and this year I had a similar thing happen to me and luckily got the fish off and cut the line and had to go to doctor to get it removed. She took a piece of string and wrapped it around the hook and pulled it out very painful lesson. Tight lines to ya
same thing happened to me a couple of years back on a beach, however i was on my own...my buddy filmed it and a nurse walking by watched me and gave me advice but would not help me remove the two embedded barbs in my elbow. she said go to the hospital it wont cost too much, i did not take her advice and pushed the barbs further into my arm and out the other side where I cut the barbs off pushed it out then went right back to fishing. the best part was the nurses face turning white at the popping sounds of the hook pushing out the other side. she must have been new to the job lol.
Many moons ago, I was fishing with a fella under the old sand key pass bridge between clearwater and sand key in Florida. I was about 14 at the time, he was older (stepfather) anyways, we used to climb off of a 4 foot tall seawall, down onto some big nasty Boulders, then climb down the Boulders and into the water, then wade out chest deep and sling big bomber lures in the shadow line of the bridge. We always threw the biggest size "long A" bombers , they have 2 sets of BIG trebles on them , but they were bad about bending , so we always upgraded to bigger 3/0 trebles. We caught a PILE of giant snook under there . One night, Keith (stepdad) hooked a stud of a snook and after he battled the beast for a while, he got it in front of him. We would usually just back up to the big Boulders in the slightly shallower water to unhook the fish , but for whatever reason, instead of waling back into the shallower water, he reached out to try and grab the fish by the mouth....HUGE mistake. The snook shook and buried the front treble into his thumb. Keith is a big dude, so he has big meaty hands, the hook was buried all the way to the hilt. The fish was going ballistic and Keith was firmly attached to it by his thumb. He was screaming for me to come help him, but I was 25 yard away so I had to wade into a swift ripping current and it seemed like one of those dreams where you are trying to run but you are just sitting still. By the time I made it to him, he was halfway back to the rocks behind us. Once I got to him I bear hugged the fish and we slowly made our way back to the rocks, but even then we were waist deep in ripping current. Luckily enough , he always had a pair of linesman pliers in his bag , so I jumped up onto the wall and grabbed them. I eventually got the split ring cut off and got the fish separated from him but the fish was flopping like crazy the whole time it seemed! Anyone who has ever landed a 20 pound plus ocean running snook will attest that they are immensely powerful. He tried to get me to pull the hook out , but there was no way I could get it, he ended up having to go to the hospital so they could push it through and cut the barb off. Moral of the story is that you should ALWAYS have a pair of cutting pliers with you. I don't know what we would have even done if he hadn't.
A smallmouth did this to my dad while we were wading a creek, fishing with rapala's. I had to get him to calm down so I could slide the split ring off of the treble, then drive him to the hospital. He wasn't having me yank the hook out. It's actually nicer to get hooked with a bigger treble. I've cut the hook at the base where it meets the others, and just pushed it through all the way. Better than yanking against the barb and losing a chunk of meat.
Ouch, I feel your pain ; I was a carpenter in business 22years and I felt some pain but that was unique a big barbed hook while hooked into a live fish . I hope your wound heals and I’ll pray to that end. Clean it with some peroxide a few times .
This happened to a friend while in the boundary water canoe area (very remote). He caught a small mouth on a rapala j-9 and tried to lip lock it into the boat. The treble went into his lower thumb well past the barb. I was forced to paddle the canoe, from the front across a large lake, against the wind, before we made our camp. We pushed the hook through to get at the barb. Then we realized that we had nothing big enough to cut the tip off with. Ultimately, I pinched the barb down against the hook and backed the hook out the way it came.
In my early 20's had a lake in the apt. complex we lived in, I would just take a few lures with me and would hook crankbaits to my paints pockets. Well set the hook on a fish and hooked my right palm just below my thumb, took a trip to the emergency room to get it out.
That very same thing happened to me with a Northern Pike. The Rapala hook went into my thumb and ripped all the way through my thumb. Tore my whole thumb wide open. I had to get back to get stitches. I was with my friend that just had rotator cup surgery so he was useless. I’m glad I had some clean towels and a first aid kit. I was able to get the bleeding to somewhat stop but I did need stitches. Always be mindful of those treble hooks. I use a pliers 95% of the time now
Lots of people swap those sticky trebles with good old fashioned circle hooks, works better if you tie them on with heavy braid instead of the split ring.
I had a fishing hook deep in my hand also and I had to call a friend at the time to come over and take it out of me also ... I also have taken a lot of fish hooks out of other people also over the years ... But I think you are right about the pain with the hook being in your hand over time that it dont hurt as much also.
I am sorry it happened. Thanks for sharing the safety information. Heal up fast. By the way... only a true fisherman pulls a hook out of themselves then returns to fishing.
Glad to see a fellow fisherman helping you out and hope you didn’t damage nothing in that thumb. I’ve taken off that front treble hook off most of my lures and maybe I might lose a few more but have far less headaches. They’re usually grabbing from the back anyway. Had a similar situation but far more stupid on my end lol Told my two buddies watch this, I tried casting backwards over my head and got a barbed treble hook stuck passed the barb on the back of my head/neck! We tried pulling it out and it wasn’t painful but it was stuck there. So we pierced it through another way grabbed some pliers and cut it off right at the barb, then we just pulled it right out. Those barbs really do their job lol
This has happened to all of us hard-core bass anglers. I have had 2 of the treble hooks buried into my hand. It sucks, especially big sharp mustad treble hooks.
Thanks for the shout-out Dave. Im glad i was in the right place at the right time to help you out!
Awesome job helping out a fellow fisherman. You rock.
Wow, you made quick work of that hook. I remember as a kid my stepdad tried to get one out of my thumb after soaking in a glass of ice water. I wasn't having it and had to go to the doctor. Did you push the hook through and cut the barb?
Before I even seen the video, I seen you were in the thumbnail and thought it’s a good thing someone was there to help. It doesn’t take long, especially on a river for things to get really bad quick, fast and a hurry!!
Man, you did get that hook out fast.
How did you get the hook out of his thumb?
Best part of the video was the seeing another fisherman rush to action and help.. Like good ole days when we all helped each other. Good pliers a must. I even have wire cutters on kayak because I fish for little shark sometimes in Port St Joe. Test them to make sure they cut through the hooks easy... cheap is no good in this case..have high dollar ones. I got one out of my calf once...actually my very first kayak trip.. buried in my calf..got super lucky and yanked it straight down and came out.. Treble hooks are no joke especially on kayak. Glad it worked out. Love Catfish Dave show
Ah yeah I forgot us "young kids/guys" are just alll useless and would never ever help someone. Glad you think that...
Well done, sir! Nothing but respect for you. Too many people are afraid to show their mistakes. By showing yours you may save someone else’s thumb and striped bite.
Not a mistake. An accident IMO
I'm a die hard striper fisherman, 2 things I've learned to never leave home without, extended needle Jose pliers and lip grippers with a long handle. Them and hybrid are some of the most dangerous fish to handle in a net especially with 2-3 sets of trebles, glad you're ok.
I have started grinding barbs off. I don’t think I miss any fish and it is much easier to release. I have had a treble in my hand and I have watched you and two other CZcamsrs get stuck. It has made me very careful around trebles. Glad you had some help. Be really careful in the future.
I feel your pain Dave, about 30 years
ago I was fishing with my Dad and
as I was baiting my hook the pole
fell off my leg driving that hook into
my hand, my Dad come over and
got the hook out pulling some meat
out with it and handing me the hook
he smiled and said here's your hook
it's already baited!! LOL!!!
😂
Lmao, like your dad.. Its very hard for me to laugh but that was funny.
Did you catch anything on that bait? Lol. Your dad reminds me of mine.
Great video! Most fisherman never have a run in like you just shared. Great info and advice!! You the man!!! Tight lines!!!
You mean every fisherman has a situation like that happen if you fish very long for all over 20 or 40 years that will happen to you multiple times
Used to replace the trembles on smaller top waters with size appropriate owner single live bait hooks and wouldn't miss many hookups at all. Sure made top water fishing safer.
thanks Dave for all the good videos and all you teach us about fishing and the what can happen even when you're being careful. I hope you heal quick and no lasting problems.
Glad you're OK, Dave! There's one thing about boaters, shooters, hunters, off-roaders, etc. and that's we are always willing to help a fellow sportsman out! BTW: I just found your channel and I've subscribed! Happy casting!
Don't feel bad Dave I've done this 3
different times, hurts like a mother
F@#ker glad you found some great help and very glad you're alright, love the videos brother keep up the great work
I started smashing the barb down on the hooks. It makes it faster to unhook the fish and get back to fishing. I haven’t noticed fish coming off any more then nominal. Glad you are alright Dave.
Me to crimp barb down
Ouch Dave I know that hurt, think we've pretty much all been there. Thanks for showing the video, a lot of others wouldn't have. Can't believe the number of people in the comments saying "You need to get This or That" After you clearly show you now carry all of it with you. Stay Safe out there Dave, enjoyed the video.
I yanked a lure out of a limb and it came back and imbeded in my tricep, when i clipped it off it went under the skin. Trip to the ER and a couple of stitches. I have taken the treble hooks off of many lures and replaced them with J hooks. You were lucky I had to drive home with that plug stuck in my arm and my two young kids were with me. Thanks for the video a lot of guys would be to proud to do that.
Love your videos. I like watching your older ones bank fishing for catfish. That's all I can do now. Sold boat like wife asked me to do because I have lost both my legs below knees amputated from diabetics. But I don't give up. Your still a great fisherman by boat or bank.🤠
Keep making them and I'll keep watching fur sure. ❤️🦅🇺🇲🚓.
Had that recently in my thumb right in the side where nail meets the skin. I think one thing to keep in mind that worked for me is to remember the barb is wider than the hook. I turn the hook side to side with very minimal pain and the barb made a hole big enough it popped out with minimal pain. I was lucky that day
Great tip!
I started watching y'all CZcams Catfishing men and women a few years ago and was astonished at how many don't carry pliers when fishing. In my boat I have a pair in the front and a pair in the back and a pair on me. I couldn't believe how many people have to scramble to borrow pliers from others when fishing. Maybe this will serve as a wake up call for others to always have more than one pair and know where they're at. Removing a circle hook from a Catfish's mouth is so much easier with needle nose pliers. This is the reason that for fishing, I only wear work pants with a built in pocket for my pliers. It doesn't just simplify things, you just proved it makes you safer.
I hope your tetanus shot is up to date. It might be a good idea to stop at a minor emergency clinic too. I don't know how the water is there but some of the places I fish they say not to eat the fish. Just a thought Dave. I'm not meaning to sound like THAT guy either and I apologize if it's coming across like that. I just learned the hard way, like you just did, to always have pliers with me. My son still tells the story and laughs about it today, 40 years later! He's 49 now so he gets a pass on that. I hope it wasn't too sore the next day!
And thank you Captain Casey for stepping up and helping him out!
Great advice captain hindsight.
I'm so glad you got that hook out of your thumb!! I'm happy you are more prepared to handle that situation again if it happens! Take care and stay safe my friend
Hung a Jitter Bug on a snag-tried to pull it off and it came flying back at me! Landed in my thumb (deep). Went to local hospital 8 miles away. 30 years later-still can feel it after watching your Video. Take care Care Dave-you are the best.
I'm am glad that everything worked out for you . A pair of quality side cutters are priceless when that happens . Glad that you had help .
I feel this video Dave, I just broke my ankle getting out of a friend's boat 2 weeks ago after beaching it for the night and had surgery done a week ago and am recovering from all that. We catfish guys gotta be careful out there.
Heres praying for a speedy recovery. God Bless and be careful out there.
Yep been there before dave had to go to the ER to get mine out
Brother sorry about that bad deal,you get better ASAP ok, God bless you.
@@cornbreadburgess1950 thank you sir, I'm healing up pretty good so far the incisions are fully closed already and to get me ready to hit the banks again I ordered a Madkatz Bolt medium action and a Ancient Mariner 6000 for my birthday tomorrow. Have a happy 4th 🇺🇲
Yup I’ve got 11 screws and plate holding my ankle back n together
This video serves as an excellent reminder of the dangers of treble hooks and the importance of keeping a good pair of pliers handy. Good on the fisherman for taking the time to assist. A hook in the finger tip is very painful. Thank you for posting this.
got myself in a similar situation last summer. I was bass fishing in my kayak (a 10 foot SOT) when I caught about a 3 pound largemouth. He hit right at the kayak so there wasn't a long fight so he still had plenty of energy. Anyways, push comes to shove, I get him lipped. I go to pull the plug out, a 3 treble and all 3 were in him, and he flops out of my hand into the kayak between my legs. Next thing I know I've got 2 hooks in one leg, one in the other and there's still 3 in the face of the bass! Boy you talk about a situation! luckily he only thrashed about 14 more times before he finally gave up. So I finally work the hooks out of him and chunk him back in then very carefully pulled the others out of my legs. I got lucky and the barb didn't make it very far under my skin so they came out ok. lesson learned, always pull the hooks out over the side of the YAK!
They say the show must go on. The show would have ended the moment the hook had embedded if it had been me,simply BECAUSE of the endless flow of colorful language . All I can say is good job Dave 👏 👍
Dave, you need to swap those nasty trebles for singles. Catch rate is about the same, and you are not harmful to fish or yourself.
You are correct!..... I do alot of striper fishing in the hudson river.. All the plugs .. down to one hook ...... or jigs
I always prefer a single hook as well.
I believe every angler has this type of experience in his life. Usually it is the smaller, more agile fish that hook us, like you here, or bite us bloody, for example when pike fishing.
But you have mastered it well and have now equipped yourself with the appropriate tools. It could have turned out very differently in a situation without other boats nearby.
Incidentally, I always have a good disinfectant with me when fishing, because a bleeding wound and fish mucus and blood can cause severe inflammation.
God bless you and I wish you a speedy recovery.
Always funny when it happens to someone else..I knew where it was going when u mentioned the lure…got my share of hooks in me too and they all hurt like nobody’s business!…past few years I’ve been doin a lot of lure fishing and I’ve adapted to using a long nose with a long handle plier…( extra distance from those bigger lures)… lesson learned Dave …get back fishin !!… FYI …what we do if we’re releasing fish we crimp down all the barbs…👍🏼
Glad you were able to get help. Trebles are definitely a game changer. Great reminder for all of that life changes very quickly.
Been there Dave. That's why you always have side cutters and a 2 foot length of 65 # braid in the boat for almost painless hook removal. The string method of removal is almost painless.
Had the same thing happen to me with a 3lb large mouth bass when I was 14. My mother had dropped myself and a buddy off at a pond to camp out for the night and fish the pond out of a canoe. 2 am, middle of no where. I totally understand the pain with that fish flopping around I felt for you. I was lucky enough to have help in the canoe. My buddy grabbed the pliers and my arm and says get ready I’m pulling on 3. I say okay and he said one and yanked. God bless him because I didn’t feel a thing when he yanked waiting for the 3.
I feel for you. It hurts like hell. Wait til you get a striper that flops just right and runs that dorsal fin right up your finger like a big slimy needle four inches long. Then it flopped again and it snapped off in my finger. Spent most of the night with it stuck in my finger. Good video and glad you post the good and bad parts of your fishing trip.
Sorry to see your mishap, hope you are doing better.
I had nearly the same thing happen to me many years ago, substitute a 12 lb Snook and a big Bomber Long-A plug at 2:00 AM, nobody else around fishing from a bridge approach on land. Drove to the hospital and walked into the ER carrying a fish, the security guard was really amused. Bought a pair of Manley parallel-jaw pliers with a side cutter the next morning, and carry them religiously. Always carry something that can cut thru any hooks you use. 👍
Good to see you are ok, people should be like this in every walk of life, No matter the situation you're in, help someone out whether you know that person(s) or not. I'm not saying give them everything you have but if you see someone in need or is hurt, lend a hand. It doesn't cost you anything.
God Bless and stay safe.
Sorry about your bad luck. One thing I used to do when throwing for snipers & hybrids, was, I'd remove the extra hook and only leave the back treble hook on. Less hook ups, but I think they fight better with only one set of hooks in them. Also I always keep a pair of needle nose fishing pliers in my back pocket. With only the rear hooks, you can pick them up with the lure if you're careful, still dangerous. They shake too much. Best of luck to you. thanks for all you videos and sharing your knowledge.
I’ve had one of those all up in my hand on the TN River!! There is definitely a learning curve involved my friend!! Safe boating & Tight lines!!!
DUDE!! That had my muscles tense from my head to my toes. Glad you got it out.
Always, always have a set of snips in the box,, You may never have to use them but,,,,,,handy to have if you need 'em,,, Great video and I'm glad you went back for ONE more!! lol,, Hope you're thumb heals with no problem,,,
I feel your pain . i had a small jig hook buried in the side of my thumb while fishing from the river bank .with my brother . I danced and said far too many 4 letter words .My knife was too dull to cut my skin . I looked for a good rock to sharpen my blade on and finally cut the hook out . YES good tools and a stick to bight on is a must . I don't know how you held up so well . Good video , thanks
Glad I found your video. Was bank fishing on Mississippi River in LaCrosse, WI. I was wearing an in floatable life vest my wife bought me and demanded I wear when fishing. I did a dumb thing by stepping on a rock which I knew was too slippery to step on. Well I fell in, the vest inflated, I got out ok. I learned a lesson too.
Glad you had help 👍🏻 We go through it all summer throwing Chug Bugs for Stripers where I live, even worse after dark !! I bought a pair of fish grippers to help but it’s still tricky, but that lure is 100% the best topwater you can throw 🎣
Dag Blasted treble hooks are the devil! I changed a lot of em out with j-hooks and caught just as many fish and less fingers. Great video, hang in there brother.
Cussed that poor little fish did ya. Hope you didn't hurt his feelings too bad! lol
Sunk a hook just like that up in the heal of my hand to the bend back when I was about 15 year old striper fishing in Santee. Kinda went numb on me that made it perty easy to push the barb back enough to clear so it could back out. Hurt like the devil later though.
Glad you had a good neighbor there to give you a hand Dave. Makes me wanna pull up Rhonda Vincent and hear her sing You don't love God if you don't love yer neighbor. :)
Whatever tools you can get for the boat, especially needle-nose, try to find stainless or some other metal that won't rust up. Helps for those times when bad things happen. Keeping some hemostats in the box too is a good idea. They can be used to help with treble hooks even if weighting them down to keep them from flopping around, and hooking into you.
OMG!! I feel your pain!
In the future, those side cutters will save the day. Just don't cut the hook unless you have to. You or the Med Tech will need the hook intact to help remove it. Cut the split ring or the hook shank as close to the eye as possible. Once you are free from the fish or lure, take some leader line and tie a loop in one end to fasten around the bend in the hook, and tie another end around a sturdy object a few feet away. Back away until the line has no slack in it, and push the shank of the hook down with your good hand to get the barb away from the side of the hole. Now the fun part, without being bashful, quickly and with a little force pull to tighten the line TIGHT!! and the hook will pull out without additional pain. I have seen this done more than once. You can do this yourself, but it is better to have a helper - they will be less bashful. I witnessed a fisherman get 3 treble hooks on a 4-treble hook Cisco Kid in his leg while still attached to a 17-pound chopper blue fish that was flopping around. The worst part was watching the mate try to subdue the bluefish with a billy club. We thought the poor fisherman was going to bleed out.
I know that hurt Dave, I feel for you. You never know what is going to happen when you go fishing
Shouts to your friend and Guide for helping out without hesitation. Glad everything turned out well for you man. Always a big fear of mine when solo fishing is to take a hook into the hand, with fish floppin
Epic! Glad you caught it on film, good thing you weren't too proud to ask for help. Little humility goes a long way.
Mr. Dave seeing that happen brought back memories that made the pit of my stomach do a few spasms! I know it happens yet still it's a real bummer!! hope you heal okay!
Sorry Dave, I can relate. Had a metal fish stringer pushed past the bone in my finger.
I hope the pain goes away soon.
Blessings.
That’s exactly why I file off every barb on my treble hooks. Yes, I might lose a couple more fish than usual but it prevents that right there. Glad you had help close by
I’m glad you didn’t cut the 1 hook off the treble hook. This exact thing happened to mother on a walleye trip. We did cut the 1 hook off to free the lure from her before pulling the hook. The moment we cut that hook it sunk into her skin out of sight. Like it was completely gone. She had to have it surgically removed.
Damn I hate that dave. Those stripers never give up like a largemouth does. Fish grips are a must.
Damn boy, I’ve been there. But, you need good pliers. Casey’s a good man. So are you, Dave. Happens to most of us to some degree
as someone whos experienced this before surf fishing with a 20lb striped bass i was sitting on swung her head - the top treble imbedded in my thumb. I took my finger nail jammed it into the O ring and worked the treble hook out... at 3am :D clipped the treble and pushed it through - went back fishin' - solid work by the other fisherman glad things ended up well.
Seen a lot of hooks in hands even one in a eyeball but that one looked painful as they come ,,, Thanks for sharing how fast that happens ..
Had a bass do that a couple years ago. Luckily I had a buddy in the boat. Got the fish off the crankbait. It was buried in my palm, where your pinky finger meets your hand. It wouldn't come back out. Had to push it through, to get it out. Fun times! Haha!
Just had this happen to me but with a Largie and he threw the 2nd treble into my keg sized gut lol. Thankfully I have a good set of long needlenose pliers that I always keep next to me. That bass was making me pay for hookin' him, but I eventually got the hook out of my belly and then him, we both made it away from the incident wiser to how close you should be to treble hooks!
I know that hurt. The last time I buried one below the barb in my thumb, I had to twist it around in a circle for about 30 minutes to create a hole big enough to get the hook back out. Just glad I had a small treble hook
That was painful to watch. Glad there was someone close by to help you.
Thanks for sharing Dave. Very good information that will help a lot of people!
Catfish Dave, you are very fortunate that a fish hook sunk in the skin past the barb has not happened before! I think that circle hooks for cat fishing are safer than bass fishing with all those multiple treble hooks per lure. That is why I gave up bass fishing for the most part. You were lucky to have a fellow cat man nearby who sprang into action to perform minor surgery, relieving your pain. Smaller fish are more likely to sink a hook in you than big fish. Learn to snatch a hook out with a loop of braided line. Works like magic! Tight lines!
Same thing happened to me king mackerel fishing 30 miles offshore several years ago. I cut the leader, drove back to the landing, put the boat on the trailer and drove an hour and a half to the ER to have that big titanium hook worked out. It was totally due to me acting before thinking.
Caught a hook in the palm of my hand when I was 19 fishing. Past the barb too. I remember it to this day 47 years later. I feel for ya Dave.
Same thing happen to my Dad bank fishing, he made it to the road with the fish in one hand hook in the other trying to get someone to stop and help. He said they rode by thinking he was crazy. Finally someone stopped and got the fish off. The hook was embedded in the bone and he had to go to Emergency for a Dr to remove it. Fishing alone is dangerous. I use a fish gripper and keep away from those hooks!
Been there, done that. Always good advice to have cutters on board. I've cut the hook and then pushed it on through, rather than pull it back out against the barb. It's painful no matter how you take it out.
I've done it. About a 10# striper hanging from my thumb. I used my Manley pliers and cut off the hook so just a stub was visible. Then fished for a few hours more that night. The next morning I packed up, took the ferry off MV, and stopped at Urgent Care near home after a 6 hour trip. A little lidocaine and it was out (pushed through) in a couple minutes.
Stripers almost always get hooked by the front hook. I crush the barbs on the back hook, some crush them on both. Makes getting it out of the fish or your thumb a lot easier.
I’m sorry but, the first thing I would have done is dispatched the fish. No more flopping. This situation is one of my biggest fears when fishing. Glad it wasn’t worse Dave.
Dude watching that, brings back some memories. Glad your okay.
sorry about your thumb. l got the smallist bolt cutters just for something like that. great video, nice fish. very few fishermen have not hooked themself. stay safe.
There he goes making sure everyone's looking at him catch these fish.. lol shits too funny!!! I swear he looks at the others boats more than he does his own fish. Lol
And this is one of the reasons why every single treble hook that enters my boat will be de-barbed. Sure you may lose a few fish but to me it's worth the trade off. Plus you learn to be a better angler to keep your fish pinned without relying on barbs. Glad this worked out for you, the other angler was a real pro.
“Owe!!! Quit movin!” As the fish is taking his last breaths on earth…lol
I had a big Rapala stuck in my face with 3 hooks once, luckily I had a pair of side cutters in my truck, got them all out except for one in my top lip. I wore it the remainder of the evening and my dad pulled it out when I got home. Turpentine works great to keep the soreness away.
I feel for you, had something similar happen years back except it was hooked in the forearm with one of those single hook bass spinners that has a molded weight on it. Those of you that are familiar with these know they have a big hook. It wasn`t in deep but enough for the barb to do it`s job. I tried every way to get it out and my cutters were not beefy enough for the big hook , I tried to take my knife and cut a relieve so the barb would release but I couldn`t get things to sit still enough so I was ready to take the 30 min ride back to my river dock when I spotted a person out on a nearby dock and I scooted over to him and got him to hold things still while I made the tiny cut to release the barb. At least I did have first aid supplies with me to take care of the rest of it. That was the first time in 40yrs that I had seen someone get hooked ,that time they had to go to the hospital to get it cut out I was lucky. There are quite a few videos out on how to deal with a hook so I at least knew the basics of what to do. Every fisherman should at least watch or read one of those because it can happen and always carry a small first aid kit as there are many hazards to the sport. I notice that most fisherman or boaters do not carry a first aid kit, my fishing buddy always asks me when we go out if I have one and I always do. I keep a first aid kit in my fishing bag always as there are always a little boo boo to deal with.
Went bass fishing the other day with a whopper plopper. Very sharp hooks. Caught a nice smallie. Trying to release him he spun and danced and buried that hook in my thumb. First time. Luckily he spun a couple more times and shot that barb out the other side of my thumb. Cut that hook and got the fish back in the water. Cut the barb and brought it back through. Damn that hurt. Good pliers and and some luck.
All the fun. They really are memories. When I was a young teen one of my city boy cousins came to visit. My grandpa took us out fishing because he had never been. My cousin went to cast a crank bait and didn't open the bail. Needless to say that thing hit me in the leg at full speed and knocked me on my ass. My grandpa then proceeded to push all four of the hooks that went in me out the other side to clip the barbs off and remove them. I was so mad.... So mad hahaha. 20 years later it's a fond memory of being out with my grandpa.
Dave, I, got hooked so many times I forgot, AND....I was born with one hand. Up the creek without a paddle !
I use a set of plastic pliers (that look like a pair of visgrips) to help immobilize the fish to make it much easier to unhook a fish. I got tired of fish flopping around and getting caught up in my net. They cost about $15.
They worked very well in helping me get a 45 lb flathead under control so that I could safely release him back into the river.
The plastic pliers work very well in getting bass unhooked and back into the water. I can't recommend them enough for fish 45 lbs or lighter. Since I haven't caught any fish heavier than 45 lbs I'm unsure how they might work for the larger fish you normally catch.
Guys- Always carry a pair of KLIEN #9 Ironworker pliers in your boat. They will cut hook at the finger, then you can get assistance without the fish. Dave - man it hurts… understand that pain.
I took my son when he was eight years old fishing white bass in the shad pools. He had a lure about the same as yours with a white fly attached. Him at the back of the boat and me in front. We raced to some pooling fish and started casting. Next thing I know I have a lure stuck in the back of my head and him tugging hard enough to spin the drag a couple times. I couldn't see how bad it was, but I was pulling hard and it wasn't coming out. This fishing was awesome that morning, so I spent the next 4 hours with that lure stuck in my head. Went to the Marina and had the woman there actually cut the barbs out.
Accidents happen out there Dave, ain't no shame in it.. thank the good lord someone was there to help you. Oh and no matter what , mad catter was put in your path for a good reason. If they want to promote through you and you like their product, accept what they can offer you. We are getting too old to be that proud. Thank the good lord he was there. Now time to do some shopping for Mad catter gear. I liked how they stepped up. God bless them and hopefully they bless me with reliable gear. Happy Independence day y'all
Hell yeah upgrades!! And knowledge. Every trip is a learning experience
Damn that sucks. Had a similar situation. Lure broke free off some weeds and I watched it fly at me like a rocket. Next thing I knew was a lure was hanging out of my leg, buried deep through my pants. Only time I had to ask for help myself and a trip to the ER for removal and 3 stitches. My training sergeants and fellow soldiers had a feild day with that lol not to mention how humiliating it was. I've been fishing more than 20 years when that happened. You expect that to happen when you're a kid, guess when you're an adult you're not as careful. It's going to be sore for bit for sure.
Catfish Dave been fishing for 40 years and this year I had a similar thing happen to me and luckily got the fish off and cut the line and had to go to doctor to get it removed. She took a piece of string and wrapped it around the hook and pulled it out very painful lesson. Tight lines to ya
same thing happened to me a couple of years back on a beach, however i was on my own...my buddy filmed it and a nurse walking by watched me and gave me advice but would not help me remove the two embedded barbs in my elbow. she said go to the hospital it wont cost too much, i did not take her advice and pushed the barbs further into my arm and out the other side where I cut the barbs off pushed it out then went right back to fishing. the best part was the nurses face turning white at the popping sounds of the hook pushing out the other side. she must have been new to the job lol.
Be careful out there Dave I’m glad there was someone around to help you.
Many moons ago, I was fishing with a fella under the old sand key pass bridge between clearwater and sand key in Florida.
I was about 14 at the time, he was older (stepfather) anyways, we used to climb off of a 4 foot tall seawall, down onto some big nasty Boulders, then climb down the Boulders and into the water, then wade out chest deep and sling big bomber lures in the shadow line of the bridge.
We always threw the biggest size "long A" bombers , they have 2 sets of BIG trebles on them , but they were bad about bending , so we always upgraded to bigger 3/0 trebles.
We caught a PILE of giant snook under there . One night, Keith (stepdad) hooked a stud of a snook and after he battled the beast for a while, he got it in front of him. We would usually just back up to the big Boulders in the slightly shallower water to unhook the fish , but for whatever reason, instead of waling back into the shallower water, he reached out to try and grab the fish by the mouth....HUGE mistake.
The snook shook and buried the front treble into his thumb. Keith is a big dude, so he has big meaty hands, the hook was buried all the way to the hilt.
The fish was going ballistic and Keith was firmly attached to it by his thumb. He was screaming for me to come help him, but I was 25 yard away so I had to wade into a swift ripping current and it seemed like one of those dreams where you are trying to run but you are just sitting still.
By the time I made it to him, he was halfway back to the rocks behind us. Once I got to him I bear hugged the fish and we slowly made our way back to the rocks, but even then we were waist deep in ripping current.
Luckily enough , he always had a pair of linesman pliers in his bag , so I jumped up onto the wall and grabbed them.
I eventually got the split ring cut off and got the fish separated from him but the fish was flopping like crazy the whole time it seemed! Anyone who has ever landed a 20 pound plus ocean running snook will attest that they are immensely powerful.
He tried to get me to pull the hook out , but there was no way I could get it, he ended up having to go to the hospital so they could push it through and cut the barb off.
Moral of the story is that you should ALWAYS have a pair of cutting pliers with you. I don't know what we would have even done if he hadn't.
A smallmouth did this to my dad while we were wading a creek, fishing with rapala's. I had to get him to calm down so I could slide the split ring off of the treble, then drive him to the hospital. He wasn't having me yank the hook out. It's actually nicer to get hooked with a bigger treble. I've cut the hook at the base where it meets the others, and just pushed it through all the way. Better than yanking against the barb and losing a chunk of meat.
Ouch, I feel your pain ; I was a carpenter in business 22years and I felt some pain but that was unique a big barbed hook while hooked into a live fish . I hope your wound heals and I’ll pray to that end. Clean it with some peroxide a few times .
This happened to a friend while in the boundary water canoe area (very remote).
He caught a small mouth on a rapala j-9 and tried to lip lock it into the boat.
The treble went into his lower thumb well past the barb.
I was forced to paddle the canoe, from the front across a large lake, against the wind, before we made our camp. We pushed the hook through to get at the barb.
Then we realized that we had nothing big enough to cut the tip off with.
Ultimately, I pinched the barb down against the hook and backed the hook out the way it came.
In my early 20's had a lake in the apt. complex we lived in, I would just take a few lures with me and would hook crankbaits to my paints pockets. Well set the hook on a fish and hooked my right palm just below my thumb, took a trip to the emergency room to get it out.
That very same thing happened to me with a Northern Pike. The Rapala hook went into my thumb and ripped all the way through my thumb. Tore my whole thumb wide open. I had to get back to get stitches. I was with my friend that just had rotator cup surgery so he was useless. I’m glad I had some clean towels and a first aid kit. I was able to get the bleeding to somewhat stop but I did need stitches. Always be mindful of those treble hooks. I use a pliers 95% of the time now
Lots of people swap those sticky trebles with good old fashioned circle hooks, works better if you tie them on with heavy braid instead of the split ring.
U go Dave fish on your The King of catfishing great shows keep up the good work
Your a true fisherman got beat up and still went back fishing great video missing the monsters
100% agree catch and release is important!
I had a fishing hook deep in my hand also and I had to call a friend at the time to come over and take it out of me also ... I also have taken a lot of fish hooks out of other people also over the years ...
But I think you are right about the pain with the hook being in your hand over time that it dont hurt as much also.
Nice when people can help each other out. Great video Dave.
I am sorry it happened. Thanks for sharing the safety information. Heal up fast. By the way... only a true fisherman pulls a hook out of themselves then returns to fishing.
Glad to see a fellow fisherman helping you out and hope you didn’t damage nothing in that thumb. I’ve taken off that front treble hook off most of my lures and maybe I might lose a few more but have far less headaches. They’re usually grabbing from the back anyway. Had a similar situation but far more stupid on my end lol Told my two buddies watch this, I tried casting backwards over my head and got a barbed treble hook stuck passed the barb on the back of my head/neck! We tried pulling it out and it wasn’t painful but it was stuck there. So we pierced it through another way grabbed some pliers and cut it off right at the barb, then we just pulled it right out. Those barbs really do their job lol
This has happened to all of us hard-core bass anglers. I have had 2 of the treble hooks buried into my hand. It sucks, especially big sharp mustad treble hooks.