First Aid?

[GRiver]

I keep a first aid kit on the boat., and truck. With enough stuff to stop severe bleeding on myself or somebody else. 

[geo g]

Over 50 years of bass fishing I have had hooks buried in me on 5 instances.  2 required ER, and three were in a hand or arm.  The ones in the hand were easy, keep pushing the barb through until exposed and then cut the barb off, and then back it out.  I learned the hard way you need a good set of wire cutters, sharp and strong enough to cut the heavier wire hooks.  They are with my first aid kit all the time, and have kept the rest of trip from coming to a halt!

I have tried the string and jerk method and that crap just didn't work for me and my partner.

[TnRiver46]

5 hours ago, WRB said:

I kept a small 1st Aid kit with a EpiPen in the boat because I am allergic to bee, wasp, hornet stings. Have a smaller kit now, no boat, for my tackle bag.

Tom

 

I also have to carry an epipen, thank goodness they come in a waterproof case. I risk it with expired ones because they cost too much, not recommended 

[Sphynx]

22 hours ago, KSanford33 said:

I keep a small first aid kit in my dry bag. I've only had to use the band-aids in it, but 99% of the stuff in there I hope I never have to use. I even have one of those mylar blankets in case I capsize in cold water and need to keep myself warm. Although god knows how I would start a fire if I capsized...

Oversized ferro rod, and a can of sterno/alcohol stove would make a reasonable amount of fast heat combined with a mylar blanket, I'd normally suggest a Bic, but ferro rods work wet and lighters typically do not. 

[KSanford33]

58 minutes ago, Sphynx said:

Oversized ferro rod, and a can of sterno/alcohol stove would make a reasonable amount of fast heat combined with a mylar blanket, I'd normally suggest a Bic, but ferro rods work wet and lighters typically do not. 

Knowledge for life! Thank you (and my wife thanks you as well. She's the reason I keep a first aid bag with me).

[Sphynx]

9 minutes ago, KSanford33 said:

Knowledge for life! Thank you (and my wife thanks you as well. She's the reason I keep a first aid bag with me).

No problem, I do suggest a trial run with an ice water bucket just to make sure you can manage it, worst time to test gear is when it is actually needed

[Luke Barnes]

Something that always comes in handy is rope and i would imagine boaters always have some sort of it, but for bank anglers, like me, a length of cord or rope is good for a tourniquet or shelter making in a pinch. Those nylon fish stringers are good for this and if you're keeping fish it serves double duty. 

[MN Fisher]

7 minutes ago, Luke Barnes said:

Something that always comes in handy is rope and i would imagine boaters always have some sort of it, but for bank anglers, like me, a length of cord or rope is good for a tourniquet or shelter making in a pinch. Those nylon fish stringers are good for this and if you're keeping fish it serves double duty. 

Paracord bracelet...

[N.Y. Yankee]

1 hour ago, Sphynx said:

Oversized ferro rod, and a can of sterno/alcohol stove would make a reasonable amount of fast heat combined with a mylar blanket, I'd normally suggest a Bic, but ferro rods work wet and lighters typically do not. 

Yah, this is a great tip if you are out in cold climate. It doesn't get mentioned enough, even in "survival" discussions.

15 hours ago, geo g said:

Over 50 years of bass fishing I have had hooks buried in me on 5 instances.  2 required ER, and three were in a hand or arm.  The ones in the hand were easy, keep pushing the barb through until exposed and then cut the barb off, and then back it out.  I learned the hard way you need a good set of wire cutters, sharp and strong enough to cut the heavier wire hooks.  They are with my first aid kit all the time, and have kept the rest of trip from coming to a halt!

I have tried the string and jerk method and that crap just didn't work for me and my partner.

Yes! This is a great thing to know! I bet not many anglers really know this.

[WRB]

Using the string method to remove hooks is less likely to damage nerves from pushing the hook through and cutting off the barb.

KVD demonstrated the string method when he hooked himself during a filmed tournament. This was explain earlier in this thread by MickD, a video clarifies the technique. You tie string or shoe lace to make about 18” long loop. The loop goes over the hook eye down to the hook bend. The opposite end of the loop around your wrist. Push down on the hook eye with pressure towards the hook bend, this opens the flesh hole away from the hook barb. The final step is quickly snap pull the string loop apply force to the hook bend opposite the hook eye being held down. The hook pops out with ease.

Tom

[GaryH]

For everyone thinking about using a tourniquet, please make sure you read up on the proper procedure for its use. Some recommendations on hear are not correct. As a paramedic for 14 years it was always understood that a tourniquet is a last resort to either save a limb or life.

 

[Gera]

On the boat and kayak I keep first aid kit, survival kit, extra set of dry clothes, pack of beef jerky a blanket and a extra pack of malboro 

 

What I would never leave without are Advil and Tums.

[cyclops2]

Best first aid is to ONLY fish hunt or whatever..........In range of a cellphone system.  Is your life worth the risk of going into shock & bleeding to death ?  40 years ago I decide I want to fish along the base of the embankment of a train track.  Looks good  down there. Not many idiots would go down a steep rocky slope because of the long climb back up. I am 1/2 way down suddenly I am sliding face toward the river. What the ? I stop my slide. Get up to recover myself. Left hand feels wet. OH NO !!  My left palm is ripped wide open. Instant shock hits me.  I can not stop looking at the blood coming out very fast. Have to climb back up. It was at lest 2 miles to the top. I am really getting fluttery vision. I try different boot angles to get some vertical traction. I reach the top and crawl into the car. I notice the blood flow is much slower. I can pass out & die in the car. I race 3 miles to the ER. I am flopped on the floor & told to relax.  The rest is very peaceful until I awaken later.   

I can still hear those fish laughing.

[Fallser]

I have a first aid kit in the car, similar to the one pictured.  I just have to remember to change out the antibiotic and burn creams every year or two.  I started carrying some Band-Aids with me after I got to close to the mouth of a snapper blue when I was unhooking it and had to fish the rest of the day with my finger wrapped in my handkerchief.  I've only had hooks in me twice.  Once when a smallmouth drove the treble stinger hook I was using with a slug-o into my finger.  I live in a major metropolitan area, and if you walk into the ER you're going to be waiting a while.  This was before the fancy trick with the mono was around.  I went home, numbed the finger with ice, and pushed it through, cut off the point and eased it out.  Went to my doctor the next day,  he told me I did a good job and gave me a tetanus shot.  The second time I ended up with fly stuck in my ear lobe, a friend was able to remove it without any problem, the hook was barbless.  What he told me was a hook will make a "tunnel" as it goes in and pops out of it  when it settles.  The trick was getting the hook back into the "tunnel" and it will come right out.  This only works with barbless hooks.

  I always have a couple of bottle of water and some snack/nutrition bars in the car.  A fire striker in the glove compartment, a wool blanket and a space blanket, shovel and flares in the back.  

[TnRiver46]

1 hour ago, cyclops2 said:

Best first aid is to ONLY fish hunt or whatever..........In range of a cellphone system.  Is your life worth the risk of going into shock & bleeding to death ?  40 years ago I decide I want to fish along the base of the embankment of a train track.  Looks good  down there. Not many idiots would go down a steep rocky slope because of the long climb back up. I am 1/2 way down suddenly I am sliding face toward the river. What the ? I stop my slide. Get up to recover myself. Left hand feels wet. OH NO !!  My left palm is ripped wide open. Instant shock hits me.  I can not stop looking at the blood coming out very fast. Have to climb back up. It was at lest 2 miles to the top. I am really getting fluttery vision. I try different boot angles to get some vertical traction. I reach the top and crawl into the car. I notice the blood flow is much slower. I can pass out & die in the car. I race 3 miles to the ER. I am flopped on the floor & told to relax.  The rest is very peaceful until I awaken later.   

I can still hear those fish laughing.

I’m starting to think you should have a protective bubble around you at all times. A floating bubble at that 

1 hour ago, Fallser said:

I have a first aid kit in the car, similar to the one pictured.  I just have to remember to change out the antibiotic and burn creams every year or two.  I started carrying some Band-Aids with me after I got to close to the mouth of a snapper blue when I was unhooking it and had to fish the rest of the day with my finger wrapped in my handkerchief.  I've only had hooks in me twice.  Once when a smallmouth drove the treble stinger hook I was using with a slug-o into my finger.  I live in a major metropolitan area, and if you walk into the ER you're going to be waiting a while.  This was before the fancy trick with the mono was around.  I went home, numbed the finger with ice, and pushed it through, cut off the point and eased it out.  Went to my doctor the next day,  he told me I did a good job and gave me a tetanus shot.  The second time I ended up with fly stuck in my ear lobe, a friend was able to remove it without any problem, the hook was barbless.  What he told me was a hook will make a "tunnel" as it goes in and pops out of it  when it settles.  The trick was getting the hook back into the "tunnel" and it will come right out.  This only works with barbless hooks.

  I always have a couple of bottle of water and some snack/nutrition bars in the car.  A fire striker in the glove compartment, a wool blanket and a space blanket, shovel and flares in the back.  

I’ve seen that tunnel trick work in my right arm with a giant barbed hook from a buzz bait. It was an avid fisherman who happened to be a surgeon that extracted it, he just un hooked me like a fish. No pushing thru, no braid trick, just painlessly pulled it out. I asked how, he said “the exact same way it went in”

[cyclops2]

All human skin is not even close to deal with. My 5 hooks were in 1 PALM. A palm is as tough as thick leather . It stretches as little as removing a big barb hook from a welders work glove. the entrance hole must be ripped open repeatedly by the tip of the barb.  5 times in the left palm. 1st hook  is the toughest to do.

[txchaser]

A few learnings that might be helpful to someone:

 

1) If you can't get your hands on an epi-pen, pepcid/zantac/tagamet (h2 blocker) and benadryl  (h1 blocker) together are a SAR/wilderness backup for bad reactions and no epipen. And is nearly zero friction to carry. It isn't a replacement, but it is better than a bowl of hope and a sip of water. I'm not your doctor, there's no replacement for an epi-pen, etc etc. 

 

2) If you are going to carry a fire starter carry some tinder too. Lots of commercially available tinder out there, or cotton balls in vaseline. And if the weather is too crappy out to fish, go outside and see if you can get a fire started... it can be really tough in wet conditions or with wet and freezing hands. But that whole train is another hobby in and of itself and some of yall might like it.

 

3) bandaids while fishing tended to just get a bunch stuff jammed under them, stay wet, etc. So I wouldn't use them. But my wife talked me into trying these. https://www.amazon.com/Band-Aid-Waterproof-Adhesive-Bandages-Blisters/dp/B077TN7L3L/
I didn't listen for way too long (it happens). Cuts and pokes are completely sealed off, waterproof, lasts for three days or so, and a bit less scarring. I'm super-impressed by these, and won't wear a regular bandaid. Really does heal better than open-air. 

 

4) 

One-handed cut of very heavy hooks. They call them mini bolt cutters.

 

 

[Bankbeater]

I carry some Tylenol and some Claritin in the car for when my allergy acts up.  My feeling is that if I am injured bad enough to need a first aid kit, then I'm injured bad enough for a trip to the ER.

[schplurg]

Had a bad back spasm once after walking a mile and a half around a local lake. Fortunately I was eventually able to walk, although it was extremely painful and very slow going. Not much a first aid kit can do about that.

 

However, a whistle or other noisemaker (which I had) could have been helpful if I'd been unable to walk. Fortunately I had a friend with me who carried my backpack. I have it all on video and it hurts just watching it.

 

There are mountain lions on that side of the lake. They don't come out during the day, but if it had been evening I would have been a lot more worried.

 

So when I bank fish I ask myself if I am prepared if I break a leg and am totally immobile. My phone is my best friend in that case, and my whistle would attract attention, at least at this particular lake.

 

But mainly I tell someone I trust where I'm going and when they should start worrying.