My Dad years ago got a hot shot impaled between his thum and forefinger... Long before the days of WSR and barless hooks...

This is the first drift of the day fishing his favorite plug and he lands a hog that thrashes around and runs the hook right thru the flesh...

My Old man is pretty hardcore when it comes to fishing, and there is no way he will screw up the action of a proven Hot Shot by cutting off a hook.

So What does he do... He grabs the pliers and procedes to twist the hook right out of his hand, friggen barb and all... I wince just thinking of it to this day...

To top it off he didn't hook another fish the entire day on that plug...