If you fish, sooner or later you'll get a hook stuck in some part of your body. Here's how to get it out.
The craziest hooking I ever had, occured while I was tying flies. I tie at least a couple thousand flies a year and end up with hooks in various places around the house. I was tying at the bench and reached around to scratch my lower back and found a hook in the waist band of my underwear. There I was with one hand stuck behind my back and the hook buried up to the bend. It was a tiny hook with a small barb and I was able to yank it out backward with a pliers in the other hand.

The worst hooking happen just last weekend as I was lipping a largemouth. The fish would not give up, I lost my grip and ended up with one of the trebles of the crank bait buried to the bend in my palm and about a 2.5lb bass thrashing on the other hook. Luckily a friend was there to unhook the fish since I only had the use of one hand. I tried yanking the hook out by the bend with a pair of pliers, but it would not come out easily.

Here's how we got the hook out with minimal damage. This method usually requires that someone else pull the hook. If it is a single hook you can pull it as is, but if there are multiple hooks or trebles you will need to cut away the other hooks so nobody gets stuck during the removal. A pair of pliers with a good wire cutter is a great investment before this happens. Cut away all the hooks that are not buried in the flesh while leaving the hook shank attached. Next tie a loop with some cord, string, or leader to pull the hook out with. Whatever line you have on your rod will work. The loop needs to be big enough for someone to put their hand in it and still have enough length to slip over the hook that is going to get pulled. When we pulled my hook out we doubled up the 14lb test that I had on my rod to get a 28lb pulling loop. Something stronger would have less chance of breaking. If you have light line make as many raps as you need to get the strength of the loop up so it does not break.

This is how you remove the buried hook. Have the other person put their hand in the loop and grab it with the palm of their hand. Now put the loop under the hook shank and slide it back so that is going to be pulling on the hook bend. With the thumb of the other hand press down quite firmly on the shank of the hook near the eye. Then give the loop a good sharp yank. The idea is to pull the hook out backward through the hole it made on the way in. It's a good idea to always carry a first aid kit in the boat or car. Put some antiseptic crème on it to lessen the chance of infection and a band-aid to keep the crud out.

I was told a story about someone with a hook buried to the bone in their finger. The doc failed to yank it out with the method described and ended up cutting it out. If the hook is in a place that could cause serious damage, you don't have help, are worried about doing it wrong, or have a big hook that is buried deep, you should see a doctor.

The best thing you can do is pinch down the barbs before someone gets hooked.