Daredevil missile

I was fishing for large pickerel with my dad and his best buddy Eli on the Saco River in Maine. This was back in the late 50's when I was a little kid. We would cast daredevils about 20 feet down a steep bank and across the river, and the pickerel would hit them just as they passed over a sunken tree. They were about two feet long with a mouthful of sharp teeth and a bad attitude to match. No, this isn't a story about a fish bite, even though pickerel are as nasty as a barracuda! They even look like a green version of them.

Eli got snagged on the tree and was pulling hard on his line when the lure let loose. It shot at him like a missile and got imbedded in his forehead. The tissue was so tough that my dad couldn't pull the point back through with pliers in order to cut off the barb. We set off to look for a doctor way in the backwoods of Maine. After cruising around in the old Rambler station wagon, the only doctor they could find was an obstetrician / gynecologist. They walked into a waiting room full of pregnant women with a red and white lure dangling from Eli's head! That couldn't have helped the morning sickness! The doc took them in and managed to "deliver" the daredevil from his head.

Both of them have passed on, but I know that they would be happy that the story was shared with a bunch of fishermen.

That day, I learned to turn away when pulling on a snag near the surface. If it does come shooting at you, at least it won't get you in the face!

That is pretty funny...I have had lures zip back at me and they've hit my sunglasses (thank goodness I was wearing some) and my twig and berries have been punished as well.

I have had lures zip back at me and they've hit my sunglasses (thank goodness I was wearing some)

No doubt!! I've had some close calls myself. So far have been lucky to just get hit in the face with the occasional schrapnel (lake slime and branches).

Great story ganoderma, would make a great story for a sitcom!

I have had lures zip back at me and they've hit my sunglasses (thank goodness I was wearing some)

No doubt!! I've had some close calls myself. So far have been lucky to just get hit in the face with the occasional schrapnel (lake slime and branches).

Great story ganoderma, would make a great story for a sitcom!

Yeah, my dad still got a kick out of telling it decades later.