Anybody who fishes has been hooked or hooked themselves. If you haven't its not a matter of if, but when. Its happened to me often enough that when it happens to someone else, it actually hurts me to see it. And I'm not careless. Shit happens. Kind of like shooting yourself in the hand, but not as bad.

One of the worse was when I was in my 30s. I don't remember how I ended up there it was so long ago, but I do know my first cousin and I were sitting in a jon boat bass fishing on a little piece of water called Uncle Malvern's pond, as it belonged to my buddy Mallard Fillmore's Uncle Malvern. We both call it that to this day.
Anyway, I was fishing a abu in line spinner that you used to get for like 89 cents and they cast like a bullet. I casted it like a bullet into some briars growing along the edge of the bank and when I yanked it loose it came back like a bullet and two hooks lodged themselves in my thigh through a pair of Levis.
Did I mention it was 150 degrees in the shade? Well, it was hot, and I tugged on it enough to almost make me pass out, and then my cousin said be careful your femoral artery is there somewhere.
So off we went to Mallard Fillmore's Mom's house. She cut a hole in my levis and we cut the treble off of the lure. Then she ran both hooks on through, snipped the barbs off and backed them out. I just remember it hurt like hell. I think alcohol got involved at that point.

That my worst. I had one this summer that hurt for a month but it wasn't as bad as that one.

BKB