Fly Fishing

That's Gotta Hurt

If you become a fly fishing fanatic, you will inevitably hook yourself one day. Of course, this has never happened to me, but my friends have done it repeatedly. Being a thoughtful and observant person, I've seen how they go about unhooking themselves from a fly. Again, this is never happened to me. Ever. No, I won't take a lie detector test.

The Barb

The best hook removal method depends on the location of the hook barb. The barb is the part of the hook that keeps the hook from simply sliding back out of the fish or, in this case, you. The essential question is which direction will result in the least damage from the barb.

A 'friend' of mine once managed to hook himself through the flap of skin between the thumb and forefinger. The hook penetrated from the top of this hand through to the palm. The barb had gone all the way through the skin. In such a situation, the best method is simply to cut the line at the base of the hook and push it the rest of the way through the skin. This technique will result in a minimum of damage.

Another 'friend' of mine once slipped on a rock and hooked himself something fierce in the meat section of the palm about an inch below the pinkie. There wasn't anyway to push the hook through, so it had to be pulled back out the way it went in. The problem, of course, is the barb could have caused a lot of damage on the way back out. So, what's the solution?

There are two solutions [excluding the hospital] to avoiding barb damage. The first requires two people. The hooked individual should press the hook slowly toward the curve of the hook. Put another way, you want to compress this curve of the hook. This sounds brutal, but actually should cause the barb to retract from the meat of your hand.

The second person then applies pressure to both sides of the entry point to pull it open. The hooked individual should then GENTLY slide the hook out trying to follow the curve of the entry path. Sounds painful, but it works.

If you're alone, follow the same instructions but you'll have to do without the pressure. Just go slow and easy. If the hook doesn't slide, don't force it. Just head off to the local emergency room.

Catch and release is a good way to fish.
Even if you catch yourself.

About The Author

Rick Chapo is with http://www.nomadjournals.com - makers of writing journals.
Fly fishing journals are great gifts.

Visit http://www.nomadjournals.com/flyfishing.cfm
to see journals for fly fishing trips and fly fishing vacations.

Recommend this site to a Friend

• Trout Fishing Secrets Revealed
• Wooden Lure Making
• Long Lost Fly Fishing Secrets
• The Fly Fishing Guide Book
• A History Of Fly Fishing For Trout
• Bass Fishing Basics
• Trout Fishing Basics

• 4 Critical Fly Fishing Tips
• About Buying Fly Fishing Flies Online
• Choosing the Proper Fly Fishing Leader and Tippet
• Confidence in Fly Fishing
• De-Mystifying Fly Fishing
• Fly Fishing - Catch and Release Yourself
• Fly Fishing and Kids
• Fly Fishing For Fun
• Fly Fishing for Largemouth Bass
• Fly Fishing Secrets for the Novice as well as the Seasoned Angler
• Home Page
• Techniques of Wet Fly Fishing
• Tying Fly Fishing Flies - The Frankenstein Fly
• Where To Find 10 Fly Fishing Tips in a Single Paragraph
• Winter Trout Fly Fishing