FishSmash

THE CATCH CLUB

FishSmash — The Catch Club

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All emergency guidance

Fish hook in hand or skin

Stabilise the hook, control bleeding, and know when not to pull.

Get it checked
Call 112

What to do now

  1. 1Stop fishing and make the area safe: put the rod down, secure loose lures and cut the line close to the hook.
  2. 2Support the hooked limb so the hook cannot move or be pulled by line, clothing or a thrashing fish.
  3. 3If the barb is not buried and the hook sits shallow in skin, cover it, pad around it and get it assessed.
  4. 4Control any bleeding with firm direct pressure using a clean pad, around the hook, never on top of it.
  5. 5Cover the hook and wound with a clean dressing; tape the shank so it cannot snag.

Do not

  1. 1Do not push a buried barb through, cut it out, or yank the hook free.
  2. 2Do not remove a hook in a joint, tendon area, deep in a fingertip or near an artery.
  3. 3Do not soak the wound or apply ointments before it has been cleaned properly.

Seek urgent help if

  1. 1The hook is deep, in a joint, in the face, neck or near the eye.
  2. 2Bleeding does not slow with 10 minutes of firm pressure.
  3. 3Numbness, cold fingers, loss of movement, or the wound is heavily contaminated.
  4. 4Tetanus vaccination is not up to date (within 10 years, or 5 years for a dirty wound).

Aftercare

  1. 1Clean with running water or saline once the hook is out, then keep it covered and dry.
  2. 2Watch for infection for 48 hours: spreading redness, heat, throbbing pain, pus or fever.
  3. 3Seek same-day care if any of those appear — angling wounds are frequently contaminated.

This page is general first-aid guidance for anglers. It cannot diagnose an injury and does not replace professional emergency care. If you are unsure, call 112.