Ever gone ice fishing? I should’ve posted this some other time, but what the heck.

Fish hooks can be really dangerous and accidents during fishing do happen. Let’s face it, getting pricked by a fish hook stings and double that pain when the barb gets in you. It’s best to seek professional medical help if it gets lodged way into your arm or your face.

But if it’s a shallow puncture in your fingers, you might be able to remove the darned hook by yourself. Here’s how:

1. If the just the hook’s tip that punctured you and the barb’s still visible, get it out the way it got in.
2. If the barb got in, then ice the area to numb it.
3. Push the hook forward in the direction of the hook’s curve until the barb pokes out of the skin (1).
4. Snip the barb off with a wire cutter (2).
5. Now that the barb’s out, ease the rest out through the way it went in (3).
6. Wash the area with soap and water. Apply an antiseptic and bandage it.
7. If you haven’t had a tetanus shot for the past five years, better seek medical help.