All right, stingray...just how bad does it suck when you looking out your window at nothing but snow...and then you see some guy in short sleeves and a boat with a nice fish. 
No fair, that's what I say.
Too bad about the hook impalement though. I only had that happen once...got a couple of hooks from a large floating J-Plug buried in my hand...one right into the joint of my left thumb. That really got my attention. The worst part of it was, there was a 32" pike attached to the other hooks. He slammed the plug hard, but came in the rest of the way without much fuss...hence he had plenty of energy left at the canoe, which he happily unleashed in spectacular head shaking fury just as I got my hand down to grab him behind the head. Boy, did that fish ever jerk my hand around. One hook eventually straightened out enough to pull out...*that* stung. There was no budging the one in my thumb, though. That one had to be retrieved at the hospital because it was lodged so deeply in the joint. I did not take the fish in with me. I had to shoot that sucker dead just to gain his cooperation.
I blame myself for the whole thing. Should have anticipated the fish's delayed fuse...pike are notorious for this. Probably should have had a buddy along...goodness knows *that* would have made a lot of things much easier to cope with.
Twas such a beauty day to start with, too...
No fair, that's what I say.
Too bad about the hook impalement though. I only had that happen once...got a couple of hooks from a large floating J-Plug buried in my hand...one right into the joint of my left thumb. That really got my attention. The worst part of it was, there was a 32" pike attached to the other hooks. He slammed the plug hard, but came in the rest of the way without much fuss...hence he had plenty of energy left at the canoe, which he happily unleashed in spectacular head shaking fury just as I got my hand down to grab him behind the head. Boy, did that fish ever jerk my hand around. One hook eventually straightened out enough to pull out...*that* stung. There was no budging the one in my thumb, though. That one had to be retrieved at the hospital because it was lodged so deeply in the joint. I did not take the fish in with me. I had to shoot that sucker dead just to gain his cooperation.
I blame myself for the whole thing. Should have anticipated the fish's delayed fuse...pike are notorious for this. Probably should have had a buddy along...goodness knows *that* would have made a lot of things much easier to cope with.
Twas such a beauty day to start with, too...
