While fishing in Crivitz Wisconsin one blue Bird sky sunny afternoon. I had an experience of a lifetime.

My friend Harry whom,  I worked with and myself  were staying at a place called Pops Resort in Crivitz Wisconsin. Our boss was kind enough to pay for a weekend stay at this resort for us co workers.   We decided to take Harry's small boat out on the lake to try and do some fishing.  

 There were two other guys that we worked with  on the lake that day,  they were already fishing long before we decided to go out.  At any rate Harry and I went out there,  fishing some areas where we thought might have been some good spots. Being strangers to the lake in which we did not know our way on, worked against us a little. Plus we  failed to get a map of the lake , from the store on the resort. This did not strike me as an  intelligent move. Or should I say an experience fisherman.  Oh well. It's OK armature it's all part of the learning process.  Or at least that's what I was thinking. Speaking for myself.

So here we are out on this lake that we did not know looking for a hot spot to catch a big bass or crappie or pike or whatever. You get the idea.  Well as the afternoon went on and we moved from spot to spot not having much luck, things were getting kind of intense. (kind of upsetting) not that we were not getting hits.  we even pulled in a few. Some with a little bit of size to em. I don't remember exactly what they were.  I wanna say a couple of small perch , a small large mouth, a blue gill. But not a whole lot of fish, we wanted to catch more fish and larger ones. I guess we needed a better plan of action.  Maybe different bait. The heck  with the worms,and the minnows lets try a floating Rapala.  At least I did.   OK , still after awhile, nothing.  Harry suggested that we move again. So we pulled up anchor.  Or at least I did.   Well it was Harry's boat. He ran the engine I ran the anchor.    Thank God it was a nice day out there.   Harry finally suggested  that we venture out to see where the other  two guys were  on the lake.  So we did.  In time we found them.  Catching there fair share.   As luck would have it. We decided to fish not to far from them.  Not to bad things were getting better . We were catching larger fish and more fish. I don't remember exactly what all the fish were. I think maybe Harry caught a perch , a couple of crappie with some size to them. I landed a few fish myself, but we were mainly doing catch and release. 

 As I said a few nice fish were caught and released, but then I caught a crappie.  That's right I mean a crappie I think maybe he was the king of the crappies in that lake.  Awesome !  It took my floating Rapala.  There I was reeling him in. Or was it a her.  It was large and dominant so we'll call it a him.   At any rate before I even had em out of the water Harry said in excitement. That's a crappie.  Well he was so right. When I got him up out of the water and saw my catch, I was impressed. Harry said unhook him and hold him up for a picture. He brought his camera everywhere on that trip.  So as I was reaching out to grab that monster of a fish who earned my respect.  He did a 160  on me spinning around driving that rapala that I was so glad to fish with,  right into my middle finger, driving the barb of one of the hooks attached to the Rapala right through the other end of my finger.   Oh man that was miserable.  All I could  hear was oh sh- - !  ouch that's got to hurt.   Blood running down my finger and nothing to break that barb. Looks like I'm in trouble.   Out in the middle of no mans land on a small boat on a lake.  The crappie was impressive but now was the time to get him off that hook and worry about my finger. Oops!  Harry  happen to have  his camera there.  Hold the crappie up he says.  I want a picture. Harry I yelled.  I'm in a bit of pain here.  Harry's reply.  I know.   Just hold it in front of your face so no one can see that. Then I'll remove the hook out of your finger.  The only thing I could think is what planet am I on.   This doesn't seem real.  I'm hurting with a Rapala hanging from my hand, with a barb that went clean through and Harry is not only patient about it. But he's more interested in taking a picture of my catch. The other guy's in the other boat,were no help.  All they could do was laugh at me. OK so after Harry takes the photo I'm trying  to release the fish.  What happens?  Harry gives me a hand getting the fish off and we set him back in the water. That was my dumb idea. All I wanted to do is get this hook out of my finger. Harry decided to go to work on it as a surgeon. I'm like, oh this is going to hurt.

1st things 1st  Dean.  Harry says. as he cut the fishing line from my rod to the Rapala . All right he said. Let me see that hand. I was going to try to push the hook out the way it went in. Dumb idea. It'll rip your finger apart ,better not. Harry said.   Then he proceeded to tell me about all the nerves that run in the tips of fingers. I'll have to snip the barb he said.  OK  here  is the problem now. The only thing Harry has with, him is fishing gear. But nothing to snip the barb with. Just like me. The other two laughing clowns, in the boat next to us are getting their laughs in at me as I'm in discomfort .   I'm getting faint.  Now I'm a fairly good size guy. Not the biggest. But fairly good size, I don't faint. At all. Or do I ?    Harry says you better lay in the bottom of the boat your looking pale.  Sounds like good advice.   Now the only thing sticking out of the boat is my arm and hand, while The other two guys are laughing hysterically.  I'm thinking, Unreal. Will this end. Harry ask how you felling?  As he's trying to snip the barb with what I think was a small cutter that he finally found in his tackle box. I answer back to him. Better I think. 

Well he says. The hook is still in your finger. In which I already knew. He could not get close enough with those tiny snips, because he felt he was to close to my skin.  I'm going to have to drive you in to the lodge. That will  work I said as I sat back up in the boat.  I hurt a little but I'm feeling better. All right he said. You may have to go to a hospital if I can't find something to snip that barb with. If I can find a way to snip it, I'll have to try and pull it out the same way it went in. Lets just do what we gotta do Harry. I answered.    He said, OK can you pull up anchor with your other hand?  Oh yeah I can I said,and I did.

 I'm taking him back in he told the guys.in the other boat.  So we left.  We did not get to far away when  Mr Photographer Harry decided to take a picture of some bald eagles on they're nest. Or should I say aerie. The scientific name for an eagles nest.  Are you alright he asked. Yeah I'm fine I replied. Just cant wait to get this thing out of my finger. We'll take care of ya,he said.

You know what you should do Dean. Harry said. You should wave at the  boaters and fishermen we see on the way in. With that Rapala hanging from your hand. That would be funny. I actually laughed.  I guess I still have a since of humor after all.  So I did. We laughed every time I did it too.  It hurt,but it was kind of humorous at the same time. At any rate as we neared  to docking point I was happy to see that lodge across the waters. Hospital or not, lets  remove this Rapala.  I just wanna get back to my old self. I love the water and woods don't get me wrong. But, I needed some modern fixing.

 OK as we docked. We still had to carry our poles and tackle boxes. Harry made  it easy on me. He carried the tackle boxes. I carried the poles, in my other hand of course.   As  we got to the lodge by our rooms. Some of the other guys that were on the trip saw us walking in. How did you guys do? was the main question until they saw the situation. Ouch! that must hurt. I heard it again. It dose I replied. OK Dean-o.  Harry said to me. Sit in that chair there. We need a better pair of cutters to snip that barb with. Dose anybody have a pair?  Harry asked.  One of the guys said I think I do. He went to his room and came back with a set. He had one. It looked newer and had a longer snips then that old short stub nose set we had. Harry asked me, You ready?  I'm ready I replied. An easy snip and perfect. The barb was off the hook. Now with a sigh. Here we go Dean-o.  He said. Here comes the hard part. I'm going to try to pull this back through your finger. You need something to bite on?  In case you want to yell.  No just go for it I said. As he started to pull it out. I looked up for a moment wondering what was on the other guys minds as they were looking at me. I saw them gritting their teeth. 

It must be painful. But it really didn't seem that bad. Before I knew it. Harry said that's it. It's out. (Sigh.) Oh man Harry your a life saver dude. thanks a lot man. Look you can hardly  see where it enter. Your right  he said as I looked down at my finger. Now aren't you Glad you didn't pull it out the other way? Harry asked. Yeah ! you got that right I said. We'll  the rest of the crew will be in soon. We should get cleaned up. The boss is taking us out for dinner.  Sounds good man. After the rest of them showed up and got ready we went to a nice supper club for dinner.  We were allowed to order whatever we desired. I had a huge steak. Harry said he's restoring his strength. Hes mending. Needless to say . My incident with that crappie  was the highlight of that trip. It still is today. That was years ago already. As far as the picture that Harry took. I have a copy of it somewhere. If and when I find it. We'll  post it here.  

The only question on my mind is. Why did I put that crappie back in the water?  That should have been my supper. Then I would have got the revenge.

Dean Romano