Where did the hook strike you? Your arm? Your hand? Your face? The location of the injury is important in deciding how to treat it. Also check whether the wound is shallow or deep. Usually, it is possible to remove a hook that is embedded in your skin or just below the skin.

See a doctor or health care professional for fishhook injuries that are deep — i. e. in a joint, tendon, or muscle. Don’t try to extract multi-barbed or treble hooks on your own, either. These are hooks with extra barbs on the shank or three, separate hooks. Trying to remove them may cause extensive tissue damage. Seek medical help, instead.

Leave the hook be. Touch it as little as you can and do not put pressure on the eye. Protect the eye and hook with a cup to keep them from moving. A plastic cup, coffee mug, or any hard and clean concave object can work. Place the cup over your injured eye and hold it in place against your face. Cover up the healthy eye, too, as the damaged eye will move along with it.

Seek medical help if you are bleeding severely, can’t stop bleeding, or if the wound is big enough to need stitches. Consult a doctor if you feel tingling, numbness, or decreased mobility in the wound area. These are indications of deep tissue damage. Seek help if the wound becomes red, swollen, or pus-filled, as these are signs of infection.

Wet your hands with running water and apply a liquid, bar, or powder soap. [6] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Work up a good lather with the soap and scrub for at least 20 seconds. Rinse with warm water. [7] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source

With one hand, apply downward force to the shank of the hook, i. e. the mid-point of the curve. This should disengage the hook’s barb so that you can draw it backwards through the skin. The force should be gentle. Your aim is to rotate the hook back only slightly.

Do not continue to pull if you feel resistance. Stop and consider another method. Pulling against resistance can tear or otherwise damage the skin and tissue.

First, stop the bleeding. Then rinse the wound with clean water. If any dirt or debris remains, try to gently remove it with alcohol-sterilized tweezers. A little bit of hydrogen peroxide can also help to remove small amounts of debris with the foaming action Apply antibiotic ointment to the wound, like Neosporin, and cover it with a loose-fitting bandage. The bandage will ensure the wound stays clean and free from bacteria. Change the bandage once a day or whenever it gets wet or dirty. Puncture wounds can cause a tetanus infection. For fishhook injuries, always call your doctor to make sure your tetanus inoculation is current. If not, you’ll need to get a booster shot within 48 hours.

Use some fishing line or silk string, for instance. Regular dental floss can work as well. Tie or loop the line around the shank of the hook and then secure the other end to one of your fingers. There should be at least one foot of line. Wear eye protection like goggles if at all possible for this method, as the string-yank can cause the hook to fly free. You do not want a flying hook in the eye.

Remove your finger from the hook once you think that the barb is free.

Yank back at an angle of 30 degrees or so. Don’t hesitate. Give it a good jerk and, with luck, the hook should exit along the path of entry.

Look for a topical gel, ointment, or cream. In the US, some brand names include Xylocaine, Lidoderm, Sting Kill, and Polar Frost. As always, make sure that the wound area is clean and dry before application. Read and follow the anesthetic’s instructions for use and recommended dosages.

Use a needle holder, hemostat, or needle-nose pliers to grasp the hook.

Wear goggles or some form of eye protection, as the barb is small and can fly when cut. Push the hook forward until the barb emerges. Next, take pliers, wire-cutters, or another cutting tool and clip off the barb from the fishhook. Be sure to re-stabilize the hook before you cut it.

Slowly pull on the hook and guide it backward along the original path of entry and where you pushed it forward through the skin.

Then, continue to push the hook forward and draw it out, rather than pushing it backward through the original entry wound. Make sure you disinfect the part of the hook that will be pushed through the skin. Use rubbing alcohol to sterilize and allow it to dry before proceeding.