WOW a lot of these tales have a common final pathway... a trip to the hospital! Here's one more. Be forewarned, this one is not for the weak at heart or stomach... here goes. Remember, I whittle on eyeballs for a living.

Father and 4 yr old son on a nice trout outing to do some quality bonding. Daddy goes to cast junior's hook and bobber, and snags the little one on the backcast going forward.... RIGHT IN THE EYE!

Not near the eye or in the eyelid, but right through the eyeball itself!

Miraculously, after a trip to the operating room and several weeks to heal, I was able to restore his vision to 20/20. Very rewarding case. Unfortunately, the experience left father and son with such a bitter taste that neither has reteurned to the water to wet a line since the incident happened a year and a half ago.

Take home message: combat fisheries are not the only place stray hooks go flying about. If you cast from a boat, chances are you are standing closer to your partner(s) than the guys fishing the mouth of Blue Creek. Wear appropriate eye protection... that means the kids, too. The little ones often have a limited concept of just exactly where in space their body's are, especially within the confines of a small boat.