Greetings,

So this morning I took advantage of a fine fall day to indulge in nature & practice a skill- fishing. I am new in returning to that hobby. Strapped on my day fanny pack, grabbed the pole and went off down the Appomattox.
The river was running a little high and pretty fast so I wasn't having alot of luck in the main channel. Found a small creek and had a few casts before I snagged a small fish. Don't know what it was, but it was not crappie or bass. Wanting to throw it back, I tried to extract the hook, but found all three from the lure embedded. Short version is that I made a mess of it and killed the fish.
The lessons are that I should have roasted it so as to not have wasted the bounty provided and to not use a lanyard on your fishing knife. The second set of hooks caught the 550 cord and wouldn't let go.
Going back out in a little while to try again.

Shamed,
Finn

Hi Finn:

I'm afraid you started the first of a long series of fishing stories.

Here's a tip for you. Take a pair of needle nose pliers and squeeze the barbs down flat on those hooks and you won't have any more of the same trouble. It doesn't help you catch fish, but it does help getting stuff off the hooks without destroying the stuff.

You learned the lesson when you didn't need the fish. And you'll remember it.

You didn't learn the lesson when the fish was crucial to your survival.

No shame involved.

Sue

lesson from misguided youth... when you fish with a cluster of "cherry bombs" don't drop them right under the jon boat...

Folks,

Thanks. I am confident that the turtles got it. Still felt bad.
Its a good tip to push down the barbs. Thanks!
Had to use the Mora to clean up the bloody, stringy mess.
That afternoon I snagged a sunfish in the belly and used my multitool to extract the hook. That worked much better.
Going out again in the morning.

Finn