The dangers of recreational angling.

Recently I had a sliver stuck deep in my hand and with the help of my lovely assistant (my wife), she was able to dig the deep sliver out before any infection could take hold. Turns out the sliver was a walleye tooth lodged in there from a rather successful winter ice fishing trip. Funny thing is I didn't even notice getting the tooth stuck in my hand, I guess I was having to much fun unhooking the walleye to get my jig back down as more groups of walleye swam below the ice hut in the shallow water.

Now I have landed more than a few walleyes and other toothy fish over the years but I do not ever remember having a tooth sliver before. I have had numerous cuts from teeth and in fact most of my friends do not consider it a successful pike fishing trip unless someone is bleeding by the end of the day. A good day bass fishing on Bay of Quinte or Rice Lake will leave you with bass thumb, a condition in which most of your skin on your thumbs is tore up from lipping too many bass.You would think with all the fancy toys, tools and gadgets that anglers buy and drag around with us we would have some skilled way to release these fish without sustaining injury but I guess there is a reason I didn't go to medical school.
Thinking back I have had hooks stuck in me, been hit by a boat going 40mph in open water, froze the radiator in my truck ice fishing in -40, spent multiple nights in a bug infested tent and walked for miles in deep slush and couldn't go to work for a couple of days due to muscle cramps. Why? I can buy fish in a store for way less investment.
It must be the time spent with family and friends that drives me forward or the challenge of finding that new group of big ones that causes all this risk taking but then again. Without adventure the stories you have to share tend to be less interesting.
I have no need to be in the news over my misadventures but what is a little blood loss between friends. :)

I should pack more bandaids.