It’s happened to almost every fisherman at some point. Those fishhooks are sharp, and when they get stuck in your skin, you’re going to feel it.
First, don’t panic. Let a doctor remove the hook, and it’ll be fine. If you’re on a remote outing and need to remove a hook for a buddy, put on gloves and follow these steps:
1. Push the hook farther in until the barb comes out through the skin.
2. Cut off the barb with pliers.
3. Ease the hook back out through the point of entry.
4. Wash and bandage the wound.
It’s important not to simply pull out an embedded hook without first removing the barb. A barb is designed to keep a hooked fish in one spot. It’s very good at its job.
But that same principle can make it very tricky to remove from your skin.
