I'm having flashbacks. 6/0 hook in the tip of right index finger tied to a nylon leader 3 foot long attached to a 90 foot trotline main line 10 foot canoe 20mph wind arm fully extended grit teeth and pull like h@## until you can grab with other hand and then you've gotta get that big boy out of your finger.
Lesson learned: always tie off to the trotline.

Now there's a cautionary tale!

Whats the difference between a pickerel and a northern Pike?

a pickerel is a smaller sized cousin of the northern pike, they look very similar

That story reminded me of another recent boo boo I made in the early part of the summer. I was conventional fishing with I think they are called Black Magic jig heads, with a mini brush hog attached. It was very windy and hot. Well I was trying to cast up under a tree hanging over the water..and I got the jig caught in the willow tree instead. It had wrapped around the small limb...and I had one hand on my rod, the other on the jig unwinding it...well I just about had it all taken care of and a huge gust of wind made the little willow limb blow upwards and out...the jig caught my finger...I thought oh my....NOT AGAIN!!! Well I had to get on my tippy toes to try and pull the limb down with my right hand, meanwhile the other hand was still hooked way above my head now...luckily the wind died down, the limb came back down, and I released my finger with no problem. It bled pretty good, much worse than the Kastmaster. But at least I didn't get the barb buried up to the shank. I thought all this over a damn jig that didn't cost two bucks. Next time I am gonna leave that sucker in the tree and cut the dang line... another hard lesson learned...hehehe.

esox lucius...if i come back in another life, my rock n roll band will esox lucius...coolest fish name ever

I see so I have maybe caught them and thought they were pike?

Robin you are such a SISSIE!!!!

if you caught 'em in texas they were most certainly pickerel..lotsa folks call 'em pike

I swore they were. Education every day it seems.