CATransplant
Admiral
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2005
- Messages
- 6,319
I always skip the weekend opener. Too many boats. Too many amateurs at the ramp. With that said, I made a bonehead error today at the ramp at my favorite north east metro lake, a few miles north of St. Paul, MN.
I prefer launching on the right side of the ramp at that lake, since I keep my rods in vertical rod holders on the port side of the boat. Well, today, there was someone who looked like he'd be a long time getting launched, so I backed down the right side. No problems...until I stepped into the boat to start the outboard and get ready to get underway.
Well, the rods were still in the vertical holders, and I managed to brush the one with the Rapala Clacking Rap hooked to the first guide. Oops!
The Clacking Rap uses a hook with one hook on the treble being very large and sticking out farther than the others. That hook imbedded itself deeply into the outside of my forearm. Didn't hurt that much, but I was instantly aware that I needed to stop right away and think this through. Way past the barb the hook went.
After some thought, I realized that I couldn't really see the hook, since my forearm was still attached to the rod and that Clacking Rap. What to do?
I reached around and felt the hook, and realized that it was buried to the beginning of the bend in the hook. I thought some more. Then, I used thumb and forefinger to grasp the bend in the hook, and quickly rotated it back out of the wound, just as it had gone in.
It didn't really hurt, since there aren't a lot of nerves in that part of the forearm, but it bled quite a bit. Fortunately, I have a nifty little first aid kit in the boat, and a bit of antiseptic cream and a Bandaid took care of the problem pretty well.
Fishing? Well, I wasn't going to let a little hook wound slow down my day. I caught a pile of bass while fishing for Northerns, and released them all without even taking them out of the water, since the bass season doesn't start for another couple of weeks.
I had good success with a Booyah Mini Shad spinnerbait and tried out the new flat rap, in yellow perch color. The only thing I caught with it was a 12" perch...the largest I've ever caught on that lake. I guess cannibalism is OK with perch.
There's some bruising on the forearm this evening, but it still doesn't hurt. It'll heal just fine, since the lure was fresh out of the box.
Folks: Put a first aid kit in your boat, and always stop if you get hooked, then reason out how to remove the hook with the least amount of damage. There's no rush, and it's usually pretty easy to figure out how to take it out the way it came in. We do it all the time when unhooking fish. Same principle.
I prefer launching on the right side of the ramp at that lake, since I keep my rods in vertical rod holders on the port side of the boat. Well, today, there was someone who looked like he'd be a long time getting launched, so I backed down the right side. No problems...until I stepped into the boat to start the outboard and get ready to get underway.
Well, the rods were still in the vertical holders, and I managed to brush the one with the Rapala Clacking Rap hooked to the first guide. Oops!
The Clacking Rap uses a hook with one hook on the treble being very large and sticking out farther than the others. That hook imbedded itself deeply into the outside of my forearm. Didn't hurt that much, but I was instantly aware that I needed to stop right away and think this through. Way past the barb the hook went.
After some thought, I realized that I couldn't really see the hook, since my forearm was still attached to the rod and that Clacking Rap. What to do?
I reached around and felt the hook, and realized that it was buried to the beginning of the bend in the hook. I thought some more. Then, I used thumb and forefinger to grasp the bend in the hook, and quickly rotated it back out of the wound, just as it had gone in.
It didn't really hurt, since there aren't a lot of nerves in that part of the forearm, but it bled quite a bit. Fortunately, I have a nifty little first aid kit in the boat, and a bit of antiseptic cream and a Bandaid took care of the problem pretty well.
Fishing? Well, I wasn't going to let a little hook wound slow down my day. I caught a pile of bass while fishing for Northerns, and released them all without even taking them out of the water, since the bass season doesn't start for another couple of weeks.
I had good success with a Booyah Mini Shad spinnerbait and tried out the new flat rap, in yellow perch color. The only thing I caught with it was a 12" perch...the largest I've ever caught on that lake. I guess cannibalism is OK with perch.
There's some bruising on the forearm this evening, but it still doesn't hurt. It'll heal just fine, since the lure was fresh out of the box.
Folks: Put a first aid kit in your boat, and always stop if you get hooked, then reason out how to remove the hook with the least amount of damage. There's no rush, and it's usually pretty easy to figure out how to take it out the way it came in. We do it all the time when unhooking fish. Same principle.
