Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating - View Single Post

Mike P · 08-01-2000, 09:01 AM

Very similar incidents for me. Several years ago on Memorial Day weekend, I was picking at bass in the 30 to34 inch range at Democrat Point on LI, the southern tip of Fire Island Inlet. I had a 7" Bomber that had been re-rigged with those strong 4x Eagle Claw trebles. I had treated myself to a nice Macanudo Churchill cigar, it being Memorial Day and all. I landed a bass about 12 pounds, and not wanting to waste what was then a $4 smoke, I had it in one hand as I held my light in my mouth. I tried to unhook the bass with my free hand--my right, being right handed--and the fish shook its head and drove one of the prongs of the belly treble through the meat of my palm, near the thumb. I was all alone, no one around, and I had to reach around my belly with my left hand to reach the pliers. Being right handed, they were on the right side of my belt--under my waders, of course. Nice Manley ones, and as I didn't want them full of sand, they were under my waders. All the time I'm trying to get my hand past my gut, the fish is shaking. I'm trying to move my hand with the fish's head to minimize the pain, I must have looked like a maestro leading a band!! Finally, I reached the pliers and luckily, the fish had driven the barb all the way thru. It was easy to just cut the shank of the hook and that was that, me and the fish were free. This was back in the 36" limit days, so I couldn't even keep the fish for my troubles. And anyway, it wasn't its fault that I was such an idiot and tried to unhook it with only one hand. I kept on fishing, naturally, after rinsing the wound in the water, but as anyone who is married can guess, I caught holy hell when I got home for not going to the hospital right away. Nothing for them to do, really, except gibve me a tetanus shot--seems like I got my last 3 as a result of fishing.

I also got nipped by a gator. A 12 pounder. I landed it at the Canal, and I was holding the steel leader about 6" from the fish's mouth and reaching for the pliers on the ground about a foot away when the SOB made a lunge straight for my fingers. He got the tip of my right index finger, just raked it as I was pulling away. No stitches, but the scar is still there.

The other fishing injury of note was when I caught the corner of my truck's door in my eye, in total darkness out at Montauk, Labor Day of 1994. Scratched the cornea, and I had to drive 90 miles basically blind in one eye. Blurred vision and zero depth perception. Probably the single stupidest thing I've ever done in my life.

08-01-2000, 09:01 AM	#2
Mike P Jiggin' Leper Lawyer iTrader: (0) Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: 61° 30′ 0″ N, 23° 46′ 0″ E Posts: 8,158	RE:Hook accidents,Whats your worst????? Very similar incidents for me. Several years ago on Memorial Day weekend, I was picking at bass in the 30 to34 inch range at Democrat Point on LI, the southern tip of Fire Island Inlet. I had a 7" Bomber that had been re-rigged with those strong 4x Eagle Claw trebles. I had treated myself to a nice Macanudo Churchill cigar, it being Memorial Day and all. I landed a bass about 12 pounds, and not wanting to waste what was then a $4 smoke, I had it in one hand as I held my light in my mouth. I tried to unhook the bass with my free hand--my right, being right handed--and the fish shook its head and drove one of the prongs of the belly treble through the meat of my palm, near the thumb. I was all alone, no one around, and I had to reach around my belly with my left hand to reach the pliers. Being right handed, they were on the right side of my belt--under my waders, of course. Nice Manley ones, and as I didn't want them full of sand, they were under my waders. All the time I'm trying to get my hand past my gut, the fish is shaking. I'm trying to move my hand with the fish's head to minimize the pain, I must have looked like a maestro leading a band!! Finally, I reached the pliers and luckily, the fish had driven the barb all the way thru. It was easy to just cut the shank of the hook and that was that, me and the fish were free. This was back in the 36" limit days, so I couldn't even keep the fish for my troubles. And anyway, it wasn't its fault that I was such an idiot and tried to unhook it with only one hand. I kept on fishing, naturally, after rinsing the wound in the water, but as anyone who is married can guess, I caught holy hell when I got home for not going to the hospital right away. Nothing for them to do, really, except gibve me a tetanus shot--seems like I got my last 3 as a result of fishing. I also got nipped by a gator. A 12 pounder. I landed it at the Canal, and I was holding the steel leader about 6" from the fish's mouth and reaching for the pliers on the ground about a foot away when the SOB made a lunge straight for my fingers. He got the tip of my right index finger, just raked it as I was pulling away. No stitches, but the scar is still there. The other fishing injury of note was when I caught the corner of my truck's door in my eye, in total darkness out at Montauk, Labor Day of 1994. Scratched the cornea, and I had to drive 90 miles basically blind in one eye. Blurred vision and zero depth perception. Probably the single stupidest thing I've ever done in my life.