Jason Christie put a big treble hook in his palm at bass fest and Shaw Grigsby removed it.  (video on B.A.S.S. home page) Shaw was chosen because his wife's a nurse. My wife is also. That qualifies me as not a nurse. If you are an Elite pro at an event of that size, is there no one there who can numb your thumb and remove a hook without a pocket knife and a dirty sidecutters? I've never been to a high school football game that didn't have some type of medical aid available. Making anglers into millionaires and can't afford a paramedic! Maybe it makes good copy.

Shaw wasn't chosen because his wife is a nurse, he was chosen because he's been removing trebles from peoples hands for years. Fact is this hook couldn't be removed using the usual method being braid tied to the treble and then yanked a la what we saw KVD do last year on Toledo Bend.

 

As for why there isn't a nurse/doctor/medic on hand, they aren't really required. Your comparison to a high school football game is not really warranted, as fishing is non contact. You don't really have an increased risk of a broken arm/leg, concussion, spinal injury in fishing as you do with any contact sport. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, we know it does some times, but it just doesn't happen with any type of frequency to warrant a first responder being on site.

I'm fishing tournies this year and will be letting those running those tournies know that I'm trained in first aid and that I'll have kit available to ensure that I can either remove hooks or apply the appropriate dressing in the event that they have to be sent to a hospital for the hook to be extracted.

 

Have a safe season!

Christie said shaw was one of the first people he saw that he trusted to do the job. After the tourney day, the pros still have work to do. Jason didn't want to go the hospital because he didn't want to waste his time. Just man up and get the hook out.

Shaw is a funny dude. I like watching his show even tho it's like most others where he stays pimpin out the gear and the guides. He's fun to watch tho and I'm sure even more fun to fish with