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Similar thing happened to me about a decade ago whan a 32 inch bluefish that I had boated to tag prior to release shook its head and imbedded a 3/0 treble hook into my right hand. Before I knew it I had a 3/0 treble book completely through my right index finger. When I looked down and saw what had happened I almost went into shock.
With my left hand, I manged to remove the lure (treble) hooks from the bluefish and release it. Then I managed to cut the set of trebles free from the plug after which I headed back to port (30 minutes away). Two hours kater I walked into the emergency room at Newton Wellesley Hospital (Newton, Mass.) sporting a set of 3/0 trebles through my right index finger. I didn't have to do much explaining.
The emergency room intern used a heavy duty cutter to cut the shank of the hook, backed the hook out of my right index finger, and applied some antibiotoc. That did it for me. No more barbed hooks! Ever. Since that episode I always crush the barbs on all the hooks I use (singles and trebles) and instead sharpen my hooks with a thirteen dollar commercial hook sharpener. Funny thing happened after that: I stopped dropping fish. I'm convinced that barbs on hooks prevent hooks from penetrating the flesh of fish. If you crush the barbs on your hooks and learn to sharpen your hooks you'll catch more fish, and eliminate trips to the doctors office.
Bill
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