The Day My Jerkbait Fought Back
Yesterday started off like one of those calm, promising mornings on the water. I launched the kayak, caught a couple fish, and everything felt smooth — the kind of day where you think, “Yep, this is going to be a good one.”
But little did I know… this would be the day my jerkbait fought back.
A Simple Knot Turns Into Chaos
I decided to tie on a jerkbait — something I’ve done thousands of times. Nothing unusual. I tightened the knot, checked the bait, and everything looked perfect.
Then out of nowhere, the rod and reel slipped out of my hands, dropped into my lap, and rolled straight into the water.
As it fell, the jerkbait slingshotted back with full force:
One hook drove straight through my left pinky
The other punctured the top of my right wrist
In seconds, I was hooked in both hands, floating in a kayak, and sliding toward the shoreline with the trolling motor still running.
That’s one way to get humbled quick.
Freeing Myself on the Water
The only option was to get at least one hand free — no matter how painful. So I did something I never want to repeat:
I yanked the hook out of my right wrist just to regain a working hand and shut the trolling motor off.
Once the chaos slowed down, I let the motor guide the kayak back to the dock. Every tiny shift of my body sent a sharp shot of pain through my left hand because that hook was still in deep.
Getting out of the kayak one-handed was its own battle, but I made it.
That’s when my buddy Robert came through like a hero. He loaded up my kayak and all my gear while I took his car to get help.
Station 8 to the Rescue
My first stop was The Woodlands Fire Department – Station 8. One of the firefighters let me inside, and I got a quick tour of the place as we headed back to grab tools.
Super cool guys — calm, professional, and ready to help.
He looked at my pinky and grabbed his cutters, trimming the hook clean up to the eye. That gave enough room to finish removing it later.
At that point, there were only two options:
Pull it back through
Push it all the way through the skin
Because of the barb, neither option was “easy.”
The ER Confirmation
After the fire station did what they could, it was off to the ER. They ran an X-ray to check the depth, and the doctor told me the hook was only a few sheets of paper away from hitting the bone.
Thank you, Lord, that it didn’t hit the bone. 🙏
Once the hook was removed and everything was cleaned up, I finally headed home.
Grateful for the Help — and the Lesson
“The day my jerkbait fought back” isn’t one I’ll forget anytime soon. From Robert helping load everything up, to Station 80 doing everything they could, to the ER making sure I was okay — I’m grateful it turned out as well as it did.
A couple holes in my hand, a crazy story to tell, and a reminder that God had His hand on me the whole time.
And despite the chaos…
You already know I’ll be back on the water soon. 🎣😅
