Topic Overview
Even if you fish carefully, you may get a fishhook in your skin. Fishhook injuries often occur when you remove a slippery, flopping fish from your line. Injury may also occur when you are casting a line, from another person casting a line, or if you walk barefoot near fishing gear. The chance of a fishhook injury increases if you are not familiar with fishing gear.
Most fishhook injuries puncture the skin of the face, scalp, fingers, back, or ears. Home treatment can help you remove a fishhook that is not too deep. It is important to clean the puncture wound to help prevent infection.
A fishhook can cause other problems if it enters the eye, muscles, tendons, ligaments, or bones. A fishhook injury is more serious when:
- A fishhook is in or near an eye.
- A barb cannot be removed using home treatment.
- Bleeding is severe or cannot be stopped.
- The wound is big enough to need stitches.
- Blood vessels, nerves, tendons, ligaments, joints, or bones are injured.
- Signs of infection develop, such as redness, swelling, or pus. A puncture from a fishhook is often dirty from marine bacteria, which increases the chance of a skin infection.
- Your tetanus immunization is not current.
Review the Emergencies and Check Your Symptoms sections to determine if and when you need to see a health professional.
Emergencies
Do you have any of the following symptoms that require emergency treatment? Call 911 or other emergency services immediately.
- Signs of shock, such as rapid breathing, weakness, and a feeling of passing out, develop:
- Severe bleeding has not slowed during the first 15 minutes of direct pressure. See how to stop bleeding.
- A fishhook has punctured an eyeball. See first aid for an eye injury.
Check Your Symptoms
If you answer yes to any of the following questions, click on the "Yes" in front of the question for information about how soon to see a health professional.
Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your symptoms.
Do you have a fishhook in your eyelid or near your eye, but it has not punctured your eyeball? Note: Do not try to remove the hook.
See significance of a fishhook in the eyelid or near the eye if you need information to help you answer the questions below.
Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your symptoms.
| Note: |
Do not try to remove a hook in your eyelid or near your eye. |
Call your health professional immediately if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
Do you have a fishhook in your eyelid?
Do you have a fishhook near your eye?
Call your health professional today if you answer "Yes" to the following question.
Do you have a fishhook stuck on your face or head, and it is hard for you to take it out?
If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.
Do you have a fishhook in a joint, a bone, a muscle, or deep in the skin? Note: Do not try to remove the hook.
See significance of a fishhook in a joint, a bone, a muscle, or deep in the skin if you need information to help you answer the questions below.
Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your symptoms.
| Note: |
Do not try to remove the hook. |
Call your health professional immediately if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
Do you have a fishhook in or near a joint?
Do you have a fishhook in a bone?
Do you have a fishhook in a muscle?
Do you have a fishhook deep in the skin?
If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.
Are you unable to remove a fishhook using home treatment?
See significance of inability to remove a fishhook if you need information to help you answer the question below.
Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your symptoms.
| Note: |
Call your health professional immediately if you answer "Yes" to the following question.
Are you unable to remove a fishhook using home treatment?
If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.
See significance of bleeding if you need information to help you answer the questions below.
Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your symptoms.
| Note: |
See how to stop bleeding from a cut. |
Call your health professional immediately if you answer "Yes" to the following question.
Is moderate bleeding continuing after 30 minutes of direct pressure?
Call your health professional today if you answer "Yes" to the following question.
Is mild bleeding continuing after 45 minutes of direct pressure?
If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.
Do you have numbness or tingling near the site of a fishhook injury?
See significance of numbness or tingling if you need information to help you answer the question below.
Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your symptoms.
Call your health professional immediately if you answer "Yes" to the following question.
Do you have numbness or tingling near the site of a fishhook injury that does not go away in a few minutes?
If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.
Has the skin near a fishhook injury turned pale, white, blue, or cold?
See significance of skin that turns pale, white, blue, or cold if you need information to help you answer the question below.
Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your symptoms.
Call your health professional immediately if you answer "Yes" to the following question.
Has the skin near a fishhook injury turned pale, white, blue, or cold?
If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.
Are you unable to move normally after a fishhook injury?
See significance of inability to move normally below the site of a fishhook injury if you need information to help you answer the question below.
Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your symptoms.
Call your health professional immediately if you answer "Yes" to the following question.
Are you unable to move your limb normally (not because of pain) below the fishhook injury?
If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.
See significance of infection if you need information to help you answer the questions below.
Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your symptoms.
Call your health professional immediately if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
Is a joint red, hot, swollen, and painful where a fishhook was removed?
Do you have peripheral arterial disease?
Do you have a disease or take a medicine that causes problems with your immune system?
Call your health professional today if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
Do you have increased pain, swelling, redness, or warmth around the wound?
Is the area around your wound increasingly tender to the touch?
Do you have red streaks extending from the wound?
Do you have pus in or around the wound?
Do you know or think you have a fever?
You may wait to see if the symptoms improve over the next 24 hours (or specified time period) if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
Have you had mild pain and swelling with redness less than 1 in. (2.5 cm) around a wound for 24 hours or longer?
Have you had swollen lymph nodes near a wound for 24 hours or longer?
If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.
Do you think you may need stitches?
See significance of needing stitches if you need information to help you answer the questions below.
Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your symptoms.
| Note: |
If you answer "Yes" to any of the questions below, for the best results you need to be seen by a health professional within 8 hours of the injury. |
Call your health professional today if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
Do you have a cut that is more than 0.25 in. (0.6 cm) deep and 0.75 in. (1.9 cm) long?
Do you have a cut that is more than 0.25 in. (0.6 cm) and has jagged edges?
Do you have a cut more than 0.25 in. (0.6 cm) deep over a joint, and the edges of the cut open with movement?
Do you have a deep cut on the hand or fingers? Note: A deep cut goes below the skin to deeper tissues, such as fat, blood vessels, ligaments, or tendons.
Do you have a cut on your face, lip, or other area where you are worried about scarring?
If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.
See significance of a wound that cannot be cleaned if you need information to help you answer the questions below.
Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your symptoms.
| Note: |
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Call your health professional today if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
Do you think that your injury is too large or deep to be cleaned at home?
Does your injury hurt too much to be cleaned at home?
If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.
Do you know or think you need a tetanus shot?
See significance of getting a tetanus shot if you need information to help you answer the questions below.
Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your symptoms.
| Note: |
If you need a tetanus shot, call your doctor to arrange for the shot as soon as possible.
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Call your health professional today if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
Were you cut by something clean and your last tetanus shot was longer than 10 years ago?
| Note: |
Something is clean if it does not have dirt, soil, spit, or feces on it. Examples include a broken water glass, a kitchen knife, or sewing scissors. |
Were you cut by something dirty and your last tetanus shot was longer than 5 years ago?
| Note: |
Something is dirty if it has dirt, soil, spit, or feces on it. Examples include a garden tool, a dirty nail, or a piece of glass that has been buried in the dirt. |
Are you not sure if you were cut by something clean or dirty and your last tetanus shot was longer than 5 years ago?
Are you not sure when you had your last tetanus shot?
Did you not get the first series of tetanus shots (primary vaccination series)?
If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.
If a visit to a health professional is not needed immediately, see the Home Treatment section for self-care information.
Home Treatment
First aid for fishhook injuries includes the following:
- Stop the bleeding. Wash your hands and put pressure on the wound for 15 minutes. If bleeding doesn't stop, keep putting pressure on the wound for another 15 minutes.
- Remove the fishhook. Cut the fishing line, apply ice to numb the area, and determine if the barb is in the skin.
- Clean the cut or puncture wound after the fishhook has been removed. Wash your hands and rinse the wound for 10 to 15 minutes with mild soap and water.
- Evaluate your need for stitches. If the wound is large, deep, or opens with movement, it probably needs stitches.
- Follow guidelines for bandaging the wound. Consider bandaging the wound if you need to protect it from getting dirty or irritated. Clean the wound well before bandaging it to reduce the risk of infection.
| Try a nonprescription medicine to help treat your fever or pain: |
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| Be sure to follow these safety tips when you use a nonprescription medicine: |
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Symptoms to Watch For During Home Treatment
Use the Check Your Symptoms section to evaluate your symptoms if any of the following occur during home treatment:
- Decreased ability to move the limb normally below the site of the fishhook injury develops.
- Numbness and tingling develops below the site of the injury.
- You cannot feel a pulse below the site of the injury.
- Pale, white, blue, or cold skin develops below the site of the injury.
- Symptoms of a skin infection develop, such as redness, swelling, or pus.
- Symptoms become more frequent or severe.
Prevention
The following tips will help you reduce your chance of a fishhook injury:
- Fish with single hooks rather than multiple hooks.
- Consider using a barbless hook. It is safer for you and is better for the fish if you plan on releasing it.
- Wear shoes, a hat, and other protective clothing, such as eyeglasses or goggles, when fishing and when walking in areas where people fish.
- Look around before casting to make sure no one is behind you.
- When you fish, carry a commercial fishhook remover, a large Kelly clamp, or sharp, side-cutting pliers.
When you go fishing, be prepared for a fishhook injury. If you are prepared, you may be able to remove a fishhook, which may prevent a serious injury and decrease your risk of infection.
Preparing For Your Appointment
To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment
You can help your health professional diagnose and treat your condition by being prepared to answer the following questions:
- When did you receive the fishhook injury?
- Did you attempt to remove the fishhook? If so, what methods did you try?
- When was your last tetanus shot?
- Do you have any health risks?
Credits
| Author | Jan Nissl, RN, BS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine |
| Last Updated | July 6, 2007 |
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