Well, we haven't had a "stupid pet trick" by RD in awhile...so here's one. What can happen the day after you go "live" with a new url and receive recognition from the OBN? Let me tell you...I was warned by a few fellow bloggers that I would be wading deep into a swamp. That my next few days would be jinxed...
Yesterday morning started out as a beautiful, cool summer morning. A nice stack of brown trout in my favorite recent find...Big Cottonwood. A few caddis flying around my head and a chance to catch on the dry fly...Caught a couple on an Owl's caddis and RD's special Key Lime caddis.
But then, my luck ran out...or the "Swamp Thing" took over. Not quite sure. I was putting back a beautiful 11 in Brown, which I believe is the biggest trout I have seen in this little creek. And as I raised up my rod to get my camera out of my pocket, the fly rammed itself into the crease of my index finger...full on! Ok...three years in and I haven't ever had a real problem in getting out a barb. But, this one was different...It wanted to come home with me!! I instantly thought of the blog that I had just read before I headed out that morning... It was a guest post on Owl Jones.com...by one of my faves, D. Nash of My Leaky Waders. Coincidence? Here's an excerpt:
2. When the conditions arise for difficult casting, stay focused. (Or pay attention and know where that fly is!)
3. If the hook goes past the barb, be prepared to either pull very hard, get something sharp, or go to the emergency room or your primary care specialist." (And down the road I went!)
So, down the canyon WE drove...a 15 min ride. And then on to the Instacare...yeah, my favorite place. Not! Well, for today, it was anyway. I felt pretty stupid walking in with the Mr. Caddis attached to my finger. They just looked at me in bewilderment! I don't think it was like they never saw a fish hook in a finger before...but, it was more like...Who is this fisherwoman with the waders and boots on???
After numbing my finger with a shot (deep enough to probably make that fly pop out on its own), the toughest part of the journey was over. OUCH! A nice, young doctor took some dental floss and placed it under the bend in the hook and pushed down on the head of the hook and pulled...wallah!! I was free of my little friend... Oh, maybe not...they put him in a "specimen" bottle for me to bring home. Haha.
How would you take a barb out that is run deep? I will take suggestions now... (Remember...I have a low threshold for pain) If I hear of a different way for this removal process that wouldn't have shortened up my fishing day...comment away!
Oh, and by the way, you are now on www.theriverdamsel.com. There was only one little glitch with the transition. I did lose my blog roll. (Like others that have done this) So, back to the drawing board to make a new list. If you would like to be included on my side bar...just let me know. Let's hope the swamp jinx is over...
Oh myyyyyy momma
ReplyDeleteYes, son. Your adventurous mother!
ReplyDeleteouch! did they let you keep the forcepts?... Ive taken two hooks out of fingers this year, one in my own and one in a friends..
ReplyDeleteIll take a spot on that new blog roll...btw
"A fly fisher who dont get stuck now and then...... Dont do much..."
That sounds like it was a lot of fun. Maybe one more reason to go barbless. ;)
ReplyDeleteOuch..good thing you were fishing with bass/saltwater flies.
ReplyDeleteBigerr- I will live by that quote! Lol.
ReplyDeleteMark - I usually remember to push barbs down a bit. Brain cramp on this one!
Clif - Can't wait to try some bass poppers next! Ha.
Things I carry in my pack: wire cutters, anti-septic wipes and super glue.
ReplyDeleteBarbaric, yes...but extremely efficient.
If you can manage the pain, here's what I did once. I cut the fly down to a bare hook and ran the point back out through the skin. Then, you just pinch the barb and pull it back through. Not fun, but better than a doc visit!
ReplyDeleteOMG. First, I'm sorry you got hooked. It sucks. It really does. Second, I'm sorry I didn't put a small disclaimer to Leaky's post. There is a simple way to get hooks unhooked if you can get to them - Leaky obviously couldn't since it was in his back, but with a little mono wrapped around the hook, a simple, short POP would have nearly painlessly freed the hook and saved you from having to get real help (and spend real $$).
ReplyDeletewhat a stinky end to a good day's fishing.
On the bright side, I'm glad you are enjoying the little creeks around you. You've opened up quite a "whole new world" for yourself out there. I bet the Provo is missing you! :)
Glad it wasn't in your eye or nose or something like that. LOL
I can attest to the super glue. Very good item to have.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like the doctor googled, "How to remove a fishing hook" just before he came into the room!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_zAuQ2bm9U
The nice part is that he numbed you up first. LUCKY!
And PS...Blogroll request! :D
Owwwweeee! Sorry Em, I thought you were joking! I haven't had the dubious pleasure yet, but hope always springs eternal. Since I always put one in my back or head, I suspect when it happens it will be a good one.
ReplyDeleteDang lady!
ReplyDeleteThis reminded me of the first time we went fishing together. The other person who came along and who I removed two hooks out of his lip and finger that weekend. Still makes me laugh (I know, that's bad, but the lip one....)
Anyway, glad you got it out and glad to see your blog is it's own official URL!! Congrats ~
Rebecca
wow. glad you came away unscathed. I didn't really know about the "pop" trick, otherwise I would have posted a link. I don't think mine would have popped out because the barb was beneath some tendonous fascia (like the gristle on jerky). I'll leave it at that.
ReplyDeleteThe tough part about fingers is that you have more nerve endings transmitting pain sensation. Glad you got it out safely.
Now go back and get that fish!
Nothing a forceps, a stick, and a shot of whiskey can't fix...ha!
ReplyDeletesorry to hear about the finger, never fun to get stuck....although, this experience probably freed you from the jinx...better days ahead :-)
C.A. - I will add those important items to my first aid kit! Thx...
ReplyDeleteT.L.- Those were my friends instructions over the phone...I guess that I'm too much of a whoosey to take that hook all the way through! : (
The guys at "Jazz & Fly Fishing" have a good video of hook removal using a technique similar to what your doctor did- push down on the hook eye and pull back with line around the bend. Kelly got a really small one in her finger (like size 18) and we used the technique in the field... and she went right back to fishing. I didn't warn her about when i was bout to jerk, I just kept talking and yanked when she wasn't expecting it. She didn't even cry.
ReplyDeleteJay - I might have braved it out like Kelly if I had someone there to pull it through .... and if I knew there was a 24 in fish below me, that would have sweetened the deal! Lol._
ReplyDeleteOuch RD- see what blog love can get ya? I had a gar bury a very large hook in my palm once. I pulled and pulled and couldn't get that thing out, finally I got a firm grip with some pliers, gave it a pop and out it came. It was much less painful than all that pulling I did, and we kept fishing after. Glad you're ok and congrats on the URL- I like mine too.
ReplyDeleteOwl ~ I did try putting line under the bend and trying to "pop" it up...no dice. If someone else was there, I probably could have taken the pain of them "popping" it harder. Water under the bridge now...
ReplyDeleteJustin ~ We've got the glue in the box!!
Brookfield ~ Ha! You are right about the doctor...How many doctors does it take to "pop" a barb out of a finger??? 3!! One to numb the finger, one to say, "are you numb, are you lightheaded? (why would they think that!)" and one to take the dental floss and finish the task at "hand"!!
Cofisher ~ Me, joking??? Nah...
ReplyDeleteRG ~ That trip goes down as the most barb "incidents" in one weekend!! So glad that we had Nurse Garlock nearby... : )
D Nash ~ It was really weird that I would read your guest post and then this happened... And I did go back at the end of the day and caught a bigger cousin! All good...
Sanders ~ If I sunk my teeth in a stick...It would be just my luck to come up with splinters in my lip!! I think that we will leave well enough alone... ; )
FR ~ I think that it was more of the Swamp jinx than anything else. The waters have now stablized and we can journey out once again...
ReplyDeleteWait...you went in to the doc in your waders?!
ReplyDeleteAddress that...please, now. I'm dying of laughter!!!
Glad this had a happy ending, and that you weren't using streamers.
ReplyDeleteI'll take a spot on the blogroll too.
Will - I would have to say that the only thing that I don't like about fly fishing is the changing of clothes! So, I figured that I would be back on the water...why go through all the hassle....I was only twenty min. from the Dr...
ReplyDeleteLeigh - I rarely use streamers and here is the reason why! I got you covered on the blog roll.
The last one I got in the little finger, I grabbed with the pliers from my back pocket and yanked it out. Then, after I got the fish on the stringer (it was also on treble hook) I went to the truck were I have a first aid kit and fixed it up. Then back to fishing.
ReplyDeleteMark
I'm just happy an on-stream amputation didn't take place. Couldn't have that...those fingernails are too pretty.
ReplyDeleteHaha T!
ReplyDeleteAt least you didn't break a nail- that would have been unthinkably horrific!
ReplyDeleteCUA - I haven't broken one in 3 years... ; )
ReplyDelete