Flag Day on Willard

[Tin-Can]

Beautiful day, morning was a bit buggy, but the breeze helped out. Was really not paying much attention to fishin today. Was just kicked back kind of just wondering wherever... been a long week and just being on the water to clear my mind was good enough. But about 30 minutes after setting out my lines, had a south bound Wiper hit like an express Front Runner. He wouldn't be considered in the large size, and I was perfectly willing to do a CPR and send him home.

[inline "(098) Wiper #1.jpg"]


But just as I reached with my pliers to get the 2 hooks of the front treble he had thru his upper and lower lips, he did a violent flip, and threw one of the hooks on the back treble right into the lower meaty edge of my right palm. Now that isn't the first hook I've had in my hands. But it is the first time I had the distinct feeling he did it on purpose. Well, he now resides in my deep freezer. The hook just missed setting in past the barb by maybe the thickness of a Wiper scale. So I got it out OK. And I keep a good first aid kit on the Tin-Can. All sealed in Food Saver vacuum seal bags, then in a plastic box, then that in another vacuum seal bag. So had some anti-biotic, and band aids available. Then about 20 minutes later, I think I hooked up his twin brother (I know, I know...ALL Wiper look the same). But I just couldn't see taking home just one for dinner, what would my daughter eat? So, Mr. Twin went into the live well too.

[inline "(099) Wiper #2.jpg"]

And to make sure my son didn't feel left out, took home a cookie cutter kitty cat. (He is a half inch longer than one last week)

[inline "(0100) Cat #1.jpg"]

His bump photo for the Cat contest is posted on the Contest Thread.
[signature]

[albinotrout]

Great story.[laugh]
[signature]

[BagABigOne]

My nephew and I were there Sunday as well. We caught a bunch of wiper from mid size to the small ones, nothing big, sent most of them back. He wanted some for dinner, it was his first time on Willard Bay. First Wiper and Walleye. We had a great day.
[signature]

[wiperhunter2]

You were lucky Forest, those wipers can be mean. I never take them for granite when they have hooks hanging out their mouth. Then of course those fins can get you too after the hooks are removed, I've even been cut by their gill plate a time or two. I've got in the habit of using a lip gripper when dealing with them and if at all possible staying away from grabbing them, unless it is by the lip. I'm entirely convinced they are always trying to hurt you, all the time, if you give them a chance.
[signature]

[SkunkedAgain]

Hey Forest I agree with Curt after my first trip for wiper I got a rubberized net and lip grippers and it has really helped they are powerful critters full of weapons to harm Ya be careful. Later J
[signature]

[Watershadow]

good story, thanks - I too have had a wiper make a last minute move and shook so hard I got a treble embedded up well past the barb into my thumb....my wife wasnt too happy about the whole incident. It eventually came out, but it was one of those "cut the hook shank and push through" deals, cause when pulling, well there wasnt no way it was coming out that way! Dont know if any of you have ever been through this situation, but it sounds a lot easier than it really is...when you read about it, you say to yourself "oh yeah, makes sense, I could do that" until you really have to do it. OUCH. I'm still smarting about that one!
Plus one on the gloves, pliers, etc. Dangerous, thrashing, hardfighting fish those wipers.
[signature]

[TheFishSlayer]

Nice Catch, And I know what you mean I'm sure they do that on purpose. HAHA
[signature]

[Tin-Can]

Curt, Jeff, I agree. I have had a rubberized net for several years. That keeps the hooks from getting caught up thru the net twist. That bugger was already out of the net, and I planned to release him. Was reaching over him with a extra long set of needle nose pliers to get the hooks out of his lips, then pick him up with the pliers and drop him back over the side. I never try to handle them while they still have a lure in the mouth, or anywhere else. And I have thumb lipped many a Bass, but I think that one just had an opportunity to stick it to a human, and he took it [crazy]
[signature]

[Tin-Can]

shadow, I DO KNOW what you went thru. Just before I left Georgia in 1999, I had a #1 Mustad bait hook pulled into my right thumb so hard, the hook hit the bone. There was no way in h--- that baby was coming out by push or pull. Doctor at the small Brooks County hospital had to cut it out. But the worst part about all that was, he asked me when my last Tetanus shot was, and when I had to think just a second, he said, too long....nurse get a new Tetanus booster.... that sucker hurt almost a s much as the fish hook.
[signature]