On the ocean.  I dropped my bait into the depths.  The 6 oz weight shot down dragging my hook behind it - fast.  It dragged a #6 hook into my middle finger at the first joint.  I tried to pull it out. It was shocking how firmly it was embedded in it my finger.  It didn’t even wiggle.  Didn’t help the weight was dangling a few feet under water.   I was pinned.  I put my rod away after putting the reel in free-spool for some slack.  Used my face to turn the knob to lock it back down.    I just grabbed my fishing pliers, got a good grip, looked away, and yanked.  It popped free.  I let the blood drip freely to flush out the puncture.   Then I applied pressure with the thumb.  I rinsed out in the ocean.  I swear I heard that “da-dum….” JAWS theme song play out in my head.  I stopped thrashing my hand in the Pacific Ocean.   The bleeding stopped quickly and I dropped my bait down to catch a flat fish for live bait.  What a start!  
 

I’ve only been self hooked twice in my life. This is the first time it buried deep to the hook bend.  
 

the line burn I did to myself a few hours later was much more painful.   

 

now?  I hold the sinker and toss that into the water. I keep away from the hooks.  

Ouch!!! Rough way to start the day!!

 

 

Brutal.

Adrenaline is 2x as strong as caffeine. Glad your day of fishing wasn't cut short. It's gonna be good and sore for a few days.

Sounds mighty rough. Glad it wasn't a whole lot worse for you.

4 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

 I just grabbed my fishing pliers, got a good grip, looked away, and yanked.

I had a to do the same last fall when a muskie buried a 1/0 4x strong treble in my knuckle. I had cut the hook just below the shank thinking I would push it through, but it was in too deep. The braid trick was out because of where I had cut the hook, so it was grip and rip with the pliers. There were a few swear words involved in the process. 😂

Been there, done that. 

I think we all had hook stuck in us one time or another. Happened to me twice.

I've been hooked twice in the finger. It's tough. You have to grimace and bear it.

1 hour ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

I’ve done this to my brother.  
 

but solo on a kayak with a hook in one of my two hands, is a whole other event level.

🫣

If you aren't up to date on your tetanus you might want to consider it.

 

A blood infection can be fatal.

 

I had an accident with a scissors Feb 2024 and when I was there getting it cleaned and stitched up, they updated mine which was 9+ years old.  They are good for 10 years.

all good there.  I had a 4-5 year spell of mountain bike crashes where some ER doc didnt believe me when I said I was up to date.  

Glad you got the hook out without a visit to the ER.  

Dropper rig how long is the leader? Swing the weight out with the rod and the reel in free spool and let the weigh sink down without touching the leader.

Keep an eye out for swelling or infection!
Tom

I got a fusion 19 treble past the barb in my hand about a month ago. One treble was still in the fish so this made things interesting. I got very lucky because I almost got the third treble in my other hand, not sure what I would have done then. Ive been way more careful with treble hooks since then. 

There is nothing like a treble hook in your hand and the fish still attached to another treble!  

I had that experience! 
My rep from St Luis John was fishing with me and he caught a big bass and wanted a photo of it. I rarely hand land big bass using crank baits but did with this bass. While John got out his camera I held the bass by the lower jaw in the water ready to lift it out so John could get his photo. The DD22 was still in the basses jaw and as I lifted the bass out of the water it shook loose of my grasp the rear treble hook went through my hand between the thumb and index finger. John got the photo while the bass was still in my grasp but not hanging by the crank bait shaking tearing a good size hole in the soft tissue. Grabbed the bass with my other hand and we managed to get get the hook out and another photo with John holding his bass. Still have the scar and use a net with crank baits regardless of the bass size.

Tom

 

Dang, that sounded brutal!

 

I have hooked myself a handful of times Each time I did something stupid in a new and exciting way. I am just happy I have not hooked myself twice doing the same stupid thing. You have to take the small victories

I have changed all my treble hooks to single in line hooks. May not get as many hook ups. but I don't hook my self.

On 9/8/2025 at 7:17 AM, ike8120 said:

I think we all had hook stuck in us one time or another. Happened to me twice.

I am 55 and I've been fishing since I was in single digits. I have yet to get  hook past the barb in me. My dad got one through the fleshy part of the hand with a striper attached to the lure, bouncing around the boat. I beat the poor fish unconscious with an Adidas flip flop. My buddy got a treble just under the eyebrow when a bass spit the lure at the boat. That was scary, but the barb barely penetrated. Neither of them let it ruin the day.