Well this story does not involve me directly. I was 10 and my brother and I were out at granddad’s cabin for the summer. I just started to fly fish and was practicing my casting on the dock, while my bro was watching me. So after a few minutes watching me he decides he wants to practice too. Well there was only one fly rod and I had it. So he grabs the next best thing, a spin casting rod with a big ol’ Len Thompson on the end. This is working well for him for the most part, until he suddenly didn’t see the splash on one of his forward casts. He asks if I had seen his hook? I wasn’t looking in his general direction so I didn’t see any thing. As I turn my head to look at him, I see his line protruding from his head with his Len Thompson embedded in his skull.
At this point in time he hasn’t felt it. I cautiously mention “Your hook is in your melon.” His hand rose to feel his head and when he touched the embedded Len Thompson the pain immediately registered. So crying like a schoolgirl with a skinned knee he runs up to the cabin to tell some one. I figured I gotta see this, so I follow him. He approaches granddad with his predicament and right away the pliers from the middle drawer come out. This is not going to end well.
So Granddad proceeds to perform minor surgery. May I remind you these lures were built in the pre-barbless day and age. So with the advice from my granddad to hold still and take a deep breath. He yanked out the embedded object. A few good yelps emanated from my brother and a belly laugh from me. It was all over.
To this day my brother refuses to fly fish with me. I suppose the offer from me to wear a helmet doesn’t help him repress those memories.