If you fish often enough, it’s only a matter of time before you are faced with having to remove a hook from either yourself or a fellow angler. Safely removing a hook is actually quite simple, but we’ve found that many anglers do not know how, or are unsure of the method they’ve heard of in the past.
We deal with ‘hooking accidents’ from time to time at our lodges, so we thought we’d run through the safest methods of removing (or not removing) a hook should you find yourself in such a situation.
First and Foremost
We’re not doctors, nor do we play one on T.V… If there is ever a doubt about whether it is safe or not to remove a hook from you or anyone else, please seek medical attention instead. Safety is our primary concern here and there is no substitute for proper care from a doctor.
However, we understand that many of you may venture outside the immediate care of a hospital, or will likely attempt to remove a hook anyhow, so in that case, please consider the following tips!
- Please Please Please, never attempt to remove a hook that is embedded in or around the eyes or face. Attempting to remove it yourself can lead to permanent injury and would be considered a medical emergency. Seek medical attention immediately to have it removed by a professional.
- Always de-barb your hooks. Pinching down the barb on your hooks is not only best for the fish, its also the best way to ensure a safe removal should you accidentally hook yourself or someone else. A hook without a barb can be backed out with ease! However, should you ever find yourself with a barbed hook embedded beneath your skin, and cannot seek medical attention, the following methods are your best option for a safe removal.
The Mono Method
This is the best method we’ve used when the barb of the hook is embedded well below the surface of the skin. Its simple, surprisingly painless, and super effective. Check out the step by step below!
The Push and Clip Method
In situations where the point of the hook is very near the surface of the skin, the method mentioned above may lead to unnecessary tearing of skin. If that is the case, we’ve found the following method is best.
Want to practice a bit before having to remove a hook when it counts? We recommend using an orange as we did in the photos above. Oranges are actually said to be somewhat similar to the texture of human skin. In fact, some medical students use oranges when learning to suture. Give it a try, have fun, and stay safe out there!
Good info, and done both methods on myself and on friends. One thing I will add is either way you choose do it quickly; as in do not wait a period of time. The longer you wait the more tender it becomes! Seems odd but your right either way is surprisingly not too painful. I say just be quick about getting it done if you can do it safely on the water.
Really we should be mashing those barbs!!!! A fly in the head makes a pop wheniy hits you or a buddy at double hauling speeds!
Tight lines
Great point Jason! Addressing the issue as soon as possible is always best. Thanks for the input!
In 1978 I started carrying an 8″ set of hemostatic clamps, arterial forceps or artery clamps to use instead of the mono system and have removed several hooks over the years. I still have the same set of clamps and they go on every fishing trip with me.
I game fished for many years with a doctor and we were called one day to help out on another boat. One of the crew had stood on a 16/0 hook and it had gone through his deck shoe and foot and out the top of the shoe.
After a local anaesthetic we cut the eye off the hook with bolt cutters and using a set of visegrips to hold the hook firmly the hook was removed. Off with the shoe, dressing on the wounds and then a 25 mile trip to shore to go to ER. We continued to fish for the day and found out later the patient was doing OK.
tried to leave this under ‘barbless’ article…I disagree that pinching the barb should be the FIRST thing you do after taking fly out of your vise. Pinching should be done BEFORE you put the hook in the vise……will save some tears and #*!! when you snap off a point……..grampus
Fantastic point Grampus! Thanks for sharing!
HELLO: I started using an expensive pair of pliers years ago with REAL carbide cutters as cheap one shatter under pressure;they have saved the day,though heavy,both on myself and others ,many times over including smashing the barb down.