Treble Hook in My Ear

Hey Anglers,

After fishing for 50+ years and making thousands of casts, I made an errant cast last Thursday (fishing around Frank's Tract in the Delta) and hooked my ear with a crankbait.  Two of three hooks got me. Stupid me! 

My buddy, who is a dentist with skills!, got the lure off but not the treble hook since our cheap pliers wouldn’t cut the hook shank.  (I don't recommend using the fishing line method on your ears.)

I went to Kaiser Antioch ER and they removed the treble hook with sharp wire cutters.

Lessons learned/reminders:

1. Fish with a friend
2. Bring split ring pliers
3. Bring good wire cutters (we didn't have on board
4. Be sure your first aid kit is up to date
5. Wear protective eyewear
6. Always bring a marine radio and cell phone

At least we both caught four largemouth bass each before my self-inflicted wound.
 
I bought some pliers on the way home.

Kaiser Antioch provided fast and excellent care. 

Another fishing adventure!

Glad it's your ear not your nose  . Thanks for sharing Wolmot.

PICS! PICS! PICS!
Glad you’re ok

In close quarters I tend to fish barbless - even pinching the barbs on trebles. The hooking is improved (less steel to push through their face) and so long as you keep tension the hook will remain wedged in their gob.

The relief of simply going, "Ow!" and removing the offending crankbait outweighs the giggles from that cute ER nurse ...

ouch!
good thing you had a buddy with skills!
so, what kind of pliers do you need to cut through a steel hook?

ouch!
good thing you had a buddy with skills!
so, what kind of pliers do you need to cut through a steel hook?

I’ve been carrying miniature bolt cutters in my first aid kit.   
 
  https://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-8-Inch-Mini-Cutter-3386/dp/B000NQ4OYO/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=small+bolt+cutter&qid=1623850915&sprefix=small+bol&sr=8-3

ouch!
good thing you had a buddy with skills!
so, what kind of pliers do you need to cut through a steel hook?

I’ve been carrying miniature bolt cutters in my first aid kit.   
 
  https://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-8-Inch-Mini-Cutter-3386/dp/B000NQ4OYO/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=small+bolt+cutter&qid=1623850915&sprefix=small+bol&sr=8-3

a nice $12 insurance policy!

  Ouch, that must have sucked  Thankfully I've not (yet) done that, but the possibility always exists.  After reading another story on here about trying to release I think a striper that had hit a triple hook Rapala and two of the three trebles got embedded in his hand (Fuzzy memory, mike something?) I've always carried a pair of these with me:  https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DWHT70277-Compound-Action-Pliers/dp/B005OXTPMW/ref=sr_1_9?dchild=1&keywords=dewalt+pliers&qid=1623860285&sr=8-9  Which I tested while in HomeDepot by getting a rather thick Nail and cutting through it no problem. Use them as regular pliers too.  Also installed a strong magnet that I just leave them on ready to grab when needed.  Stayed on there on a ride home once when I forgot them 

I carry 8" bolt cutters like Eddie after wathing my son having a tough time removing hooks from a pelican.

I carry 8" bolt cutters like Eddie after wathing my son having a tough time removing hooks from a pelican.

Dang, you guys are brave!  Pelicans are huge and warriors of the skies.  Love em’ yet sure wouldn’t know how to handle one...

Two weeks or so ago as I was getting out of the water at ARW, a boater at the ramp was asking for wire cutters.  He had two treble hooks from a crank bait buried in his hand.   Eventually, he found someone with split ring pliers and was able to remove the lure.  After seeing that, I added those to the kayak. 

Fast forward two weeks and I managed to get a hook buried in the finger.  Now I'm adding wire cutters. 

I carry 8" bolt cutters like Eddie after wathing my son having a tough time removing hooks from a pelican.

Dang, you guys are brave!  Pelicans are huge and warriors of the skies.  Love em’ yet sure wouldn’t know how to handle one...

The pelican wasn't moving so we went in to have a closer look, and noticed it's predicament. There wasn't much it could do but hang out and be operated on.   

A good pair of mini bolt cutters or Diagonal Cutters are a must. Last year while at the Pardee opener a guy to the left me got a Kastmaster embedded deep in his cheek (No , Not Ass Cheek) from the guy left of him. I tried to cut it with the side cutters on a pair of Needle-nose I had. Didn't work. The dude would scream when I tried to pull it out enough to get the cutters between his cheek the hook. He wound up going to the Marina store for help. If I had a pair of Dikes it would have been no problem. Now I always carry Dikes.
Kevin

Punk rock!   

I carry 8" bolt cutters like Eddie after wathing my son having a tough time removing hooks from a pelican.

Dang, you guys are brave!  Pelicans are huge and warriors of the skies.  Love em’ yet sure wouldn’t know how to handle one...

The pelican wasn't moving so we went in to have a closer look, and noticed it's predicament. There wasn't much it could do but hang out and be operated on.

I helped remove a sabiki line from a pelican once at Avila. 

One guy threw a sweatshirt over the head of the bird which calmed it down, cut the line, and him and I unwrapped the line and removed four hooks.  Fortunately only one was "hooked"   The fisherman who caused the problem was mad at the guy who cut his line.  (Dumb A$$) .