For people like me, life is full of moments you'd like to forget. And this story isn't getting any easier to tell. If you're a fan of my misfortunes, and it seems there are many, keep reading...you'll enjoy this one.
After work last night I went to fish with Kughn at the AEP ponds outside of the business mecca of the free world, better known as Zanesville, Oh. These old strip mines are legendary for big fish, mainly due to the remote location and difficult access. I've been waiting eagerly to get some of the action. On the drive to the pond we saw a wild turkey run across the road. Shortly after that a Red Tailed Hawk flew down and almost picked up Kughn's Jeep. Saw a Cyote on the side of the highway. We were pretty much off the grid.
We had to hike in a decent distance hauling the gear necassary for the bellyboats. Bellyboating is basically an innertube that you sit in with waders that allows you to access areas that you normally couldn't fish. It was my first time using a bellyboat and it took me a while to get used to the gear.
The day didn't start off too well. After wrestling with the gear for some time i noticed that one of my fishing poles fell into the water and was gone. Luckily it was my older beater pole so i wasn't too upset. Some clouds started rolling in and lighting was starting to strike. I'm stuck out in the middle of this lake still uncertain how the hell to navigate in this boat. As I was making my way across the lake to the shelter Kughn found, I looked like what Kughn described as a Shipwreck flapping helplessly in the water. what a freakin ameture.
Finally the rain stopped and I was starting to get used to all the gear. I caught a few nice bass on spinnerbaits and wacky rigged Senko's. We got to the back part of the lake and Kughn caught 2 fish back to back on a topwater bait. I decided to follow suit and tie on a Heddon Tiny Torpedo.
Heddon Lil Torpedo
<-Treble hooks AKA: oh shit that hurts
After work last night I went to fish with Kughn at the AEP ponds outside of the business mecca of the free world, better known as Zanesville, Oh. These old strip mines are legendary for big fish, mainly due to the remote location and difficult access. I've been waiting eagerly to get some of the action. On the drive to the pond we saw a wild turkey run across the road. Shortly after that a Red Tailed Hawk flew down and almost picked up Kughn's Jeep. Saw a Cyote on the side of the highway. We were pretty much off the grid.
We had to hike in a decent distance hauling the gear necassary for the bellyboats. Bellyboating is basically an innertube that you sit in with waders that allows you to access areas that you normally couldn't fish. It was my first time using a bellyboat and it took me a while to get used to the gear.
The day didn't start off too well. After wrestling with the gear for some time i noticed that one of my fishing poles fell into the water and was gone. Luckily it was my older beater pole so i wasn't too upset. Some clouds started rolling in and lighting was starting to strike. I'm stuck out in the middle of this lake still uncertain how the hell to navigate in this boat. As I was making my way across the lake to the shelter Kughn found, I looked like what Kughn described as a Shipwreck flapping helplessly in the water. what a freakin ameture.
Finally the rain stopped and I was starting to get used to all the gear. I caught a few nice bass on spinnerbaits and wacky rigged Senko's. We got to the back part of the lake and Kughn caught 2 fish back to back on a topwater bait. I decided to follow suit and tie on a Heddon Tiny Torpedo.
Heddon Lil Torpedo
<-Treble hooks AKA: oh shit that hurts
I got one of the treble hooks snagged in a mesh part of the bellyboat as I was tying it on. I was trying to pull it out and somehow managed to put the other set of treble hooks RIGHT THROUGH MY DAMN FINGER. it was DEEP. and nasty. it was right across the top of the middle knuckle on my left hand. It went across the finger from one side to the other and was buried. barb and all. Kughn paddled over and the first thing out of his mouth was "please tell me you have a camera to take a picture of this for the blog." How compassionate. Unfortunately, I did not. Kughn and I sat there for what seemed like an hour debating on whether we should go to the hospital, or how to get the damn thing out. Generally you push the hook until the barb pops out the other side and you cut the barb off and then pull it back out the entrance wound. It was waaaay too deep for that. Hospital was out of the question at that point. Obviously no cell coverage. We were about a half mile down the lake and a good hike out. If I let the hook stay in and try to get back to the car, there was a better chance that the other set of hooks would get lodged too. Quite the pickle. I moved the hook around and it felt like it was only in the skin and no tendons or bone was involved. I looked at Kughn and said aight, im going to pull the damn thing out. I gritted my teeth and gave it the biggest yank i possibly could. As the hook came out, some white tissue was stuck to the barb. It ripped as i yanked it out. Blood started squirting and it immediately swelled up to the size of a grape. Kughn was dry heaving beside me and couldn't believe i just pulled it out. This is coming from a guy who guts Deer in the woods and ties them to his bumper and drives to church that way. I paddled back as best as i could being careful not to get the wound in the dirty water. To make matters worse, there was a Beaver in the lake that kept messing with me. He kept slapping his tail on the water and then would dive down. It was the first time in my life i was trying to avoid the beaver.
By the time I made it back to Columbus it was 11pm, about 4 hours after I hooked myself. I decided to wait until the morning to go to the doctor.
Doctor said there was no tendon damage, the white stuff i pulled out was tissue thats under the skin. The nurse came in to give me a tetnus shot and asked if i was ready to get the shot...uhhh i just pulled a hook out of my finger, i think i'll be okay.
I only caught 4 bass and Kughn caught 17. to make things worse, i didn't even get any good pain pills. What a shitty day.
Doctor said there was no tendon damage, the white stuff i pulled out was tissue thats under the skin. The nurse came in to give me a tetnus shot and asked if i was ready to get the shot...uhhh i just pulled a hook out of my finger, i think i'll be okay.
I only caught 4 bass and Kughn caught 17. to make things worse, i didn't even get any good pain pills. What a shitty day.
loser
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