Mika Lappalainen | Friday, 12 February 2021
Late as usual. This time I have good reason. I finished shed this morning and then came to computer to work on with FP. I got several calls concerning about case which happened last summer. I’m plaintiff and try to find peacefull solution with the farmer who hit me. But that is another story. Anyway when finishing shed I was thinking some safety things which could be useful when fishing. Sunglasses are one but there are allready FP about that.
In fact I don’t understand how someone can be fishing without sunglasses, especially without polaroid ones. Those just won’t protect your eyes about accindents but you can see so much better under water etc. I bought one pair from Paul and lenses are awesome. I have also Leech –brand and those are also great. I have had some cheaper ones also and those are okay also. Those are now for just in case if someone don’t have ones when coming to fish with me.
Hat is also one safety gear. I got few cast in the beginning to my head. Never hooked my head but you really felt the hit when you have heavy fly. Each time hat was probably the reason that fly just jumped off and not got stuck to occipital. Depends about hat it will also protect your ears.
Anyway during casting something can happen and you hook yourself. If it is your clothes, human made- easy to fix. I have really hooked myself few times. One time was that my line got stuck to my gears in long casting and I got fly deep in my left arm. Other time wind and again left arm but this time shoulder. Once bad casting with DH in heavy wind and waders got hit (start to leak). Two years ago I also saw that you can hook yourself thru waders and really badly. Luck has always been that I know how to get rid off hook.
First time when I hooked my left arm it was just above wrist. We were doing tvshooting and I wanted to try technique which I learned from web. It was working allright because hook was not in flesh just in skin. You might know this one, put line around mouth (jaw), push eye tightly against skin, skin has to be tight also and then fast pull from line and tadaa, hook is off. This works well with small flies with small barb.
Another one goes with bigger hooks. You put it thru all the way from skin (and flesh), squeeze barb and return hook. In this you really need to squeeze barb, otherwise it will be painfull return. If barb is big then you just might need to cut hook so barb is gone and then return hook.
You might know all this but do you always have tools with you so you can do it. I have always pliers so I can squeeze barb, normally before I start fishing. I also have multitool so I can cut hook and with those I got also more power to remove barb if pliers are not strong enough. Both of them are either in vest or wader’s pocket so I have easy access.
The best safety is that you use barbless hooks or remove them before fishing. In Kuusamo we have board in health center where are lot of flies and lures. All of those have been removed from fishermen. Sometimes you hook yourself so badly that you need to doctor. Please use sunglasses those protect your eyes at least and you only have two of them.
Have a nice weekend
Mika the Legend
