Lesson Learned
I wrote this in a thread on the the old board, last year. I didn't want to lose it so I thought I'd post it again here.
"Went out juggin on the Mississippi River, most of the night, last night.
New experience for me, I went alone. Mostly, it was the same as usual, hot, skeeters galore, no wind, low on bait, fish not all that interested in what I had to offer, etc....
I did learn something new. I had never tried using anchored jugs before. I had attached 1 pound sinkers. Was spreading them out in a V shape near a flathead popular logjamb. Now normally, I would unreel the jugs, hook a goldfish or whatever, and thow them out around me. I'm here to tell ya, that aint the smartest idea when using anchored jugs. Them Gamagatsu 8/0 circles are sharp, and they hold right well. Doubt they were intended to impale your hand and come out the other side. May not be what they were intended to do, but they are right good at it. So here I am, alone in a boat in the middle of the Mississippi in the dark, with a hook plumb through my hand. First thought, "man you is stupid!" Second thought, "now how am I gonna get out of this fine mess." Third thought, "don't panic, it aint the worst thing that could happen". Fourth thought, "ouch!" (I'm a bit slow ya know)
Now I've gotten hooked before, just not under those circumstances and not this bad either. Well, I have seen the pic's on how to use a string to cover the tip of the barb so you can pull it back through the way it came. Pic's were real nice, but they forget to tell ya how to actually do that with one hand. Next up, untied the line, (I'm cheap, I know) and tried to push it all the way through. Those hooks eyes are right nice to tie string on, them being so big, but them big eyes won't push through a small hole no matter how hard ya try. Ok, now what? Found a pair of wire cutting dikes and attempted to cut the hook in two. Again, them Gamagatsu folks make a dandy hook, doubt any fish alive could break one of them things. Least, I couldn't put a dent in them with those wire cutters.
Now, I'm starting to run out of ideas and had to go back and remind myself of #3 above. Sat back, had a smoke and thought about it a spell. Finally came upon the simplest idea of all. Dug around in my tackle box an found a large set of needlenose pliers. Crimped the barb down to flat an pulled the hook right back out the way it went in.
For those who know me, yes, I did hold my hand out over the side of the boat the whole time this was going on. Hey, a little blood chum never hurts.
Gonna have to write them folks at Gamagatsu an let them know that while their hooks are pretty good, that barb bent way too easy an they should look into that problem."
"Went out juggin on the Mississippi River, most of the night, last night.
New experience for me, I went alone. Mostly, it was the same as usual, hot, skeeters galore, no wind, low on bait, fish not all that interested in what I had to offer, etc....
I did learn something new. I had never tried using anchored jugs before. I had attached 1 pound sinkers. Was spreading them out in a V shape near a flathead popular logjamb. Now normally, I would unreel the jugs, hook a goldfish or whatever, and thow them out around me. I'm here to tell ya, that aint the smartest idea when using anchored jugs. Them Gamagatsu 8/0 circles are sharp, and they hold right well. Doubt they were intended to impale your hand and come out the other side. May not be what they were intended to do, but they are right good at it. So here I am, alone in a boat in the middle of the Mississippi in the dark, with a hook plumb through my hand. First thought, "man you is stupid!" Second thought, "now how am I gonna get out of this fine mess." Third thought, "don't panic, it aint the worst thing that could happen". Fourth thought, "ouch!" (I'm a bit slow ya know)
Now I've gotten hooked before, just not under those circumstances and not this bad either. Well, I have seen the pic's on how to use a string to cover the tip of the barb so you can pull it back through the way it came. Pic's were real nice, but they forget to tell ya how to actually do that with one hand. Next up, untied the line, (I'm cheap, I know) and tried to push it all the way through. Those hooks eyes are right nice to tie string on, them being so big, but them big eyes won't push through a small hole no matter how hard ya try. Ok, now what? Found a pair of wire cutting dikes and attempted to cut the hook in two. Again, them Gamagatsu folks make a dandy hook, doubt any fish alive could break one of them things. Least, I couldn't put a dent in them with those wire cutters.
Now, I'm starting to run out of ideas and had to go back and remind myself of #3 above. Sat back, had a smoke and thought about it a spell. Finally came upon the simplest idea of all. Dug around in my tackle box an found a large set of needlenose pliers. Crimped the barb down to flat an pulled the hook right back out the way it went in.
For those who know me, yes, I did hold my hand out over the side of the boat the whole time this was going on. Hey, a little blood chum never hurts.
Gonna have to write them folks at Gamagatsu an let them know that while their hooks are pretty good, that barb bent way too easy an they should look into that problem."
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