The first breath of fresh air after the thought of never getting another one is better than anything I have ever experienced. Although my head was above water I still didn’t know what was going on. Did a hook go through my finger? Had something bit me? I was safe, but I wasn’t out of the hot water. Both literally and figuratively.
Running bank lines is one of my favorite methods to catch catfish. Here are the basics if you are not familiar with this redneck pastime:
1. Get 15 to20 feet of braided line
2. Attach a big hook towards the end
3. Connect a heavyweight
4. Tie the bank line to a secure structure
5. Bait the hook
6. Throw it in
7. Leave it in the water for several hours
8. Catch a catfish and feast like a king
My family has been running bank lines on the Missouri River for years. My dad taught me at a very young age to respect the river. It can seem like a peaceful and relaxing body of water. However, the strong currents and underwater hazards are unforgiving and will take your life if you don’t give Mother Nature the respect she demands.
Garrett (my brother) and I had set the lines Friday night. Tater, Tyler, and Tammi joined us in the morning to run our lines. After checking eight sets we had one blue catfish in the boat. Luckily we were pulling into Garrett’s infamous honey hole that according to him always produces. When we pulled on the line we quickly realized we were snagged. Sometimes when a catfish gets hooked it will swim into underwater brush. We worked the line and could feel a fish, but he wasn’t budging.
We tried pulling on the line at different angles. No luck. We stuck an oar down to the swivel trying to knock it loose. Still no luck. Garret could reach the swivel from the boat. The fish had to be less than 12 inches from his hand.
By our calculation we had two options:
1. Cut the line and lose the fish
2. Dive down and untangle the fish
We were snagged on a previous set and cut the line. It was in fast moving water and didn’t feel safe. This one was different. The current was slow and we could just about reach the fish from the boat. I volunteered to retrieve the fish like we have done a hundred times before.
I grabbed the line in one hand and slowly dove down. I felt the three way swivel. Now I had to determine which line went to the weight and which one went to the fish. Working my hand down one of the lines I felt the fish. About that time something pierced my finger. I immediately tried to swim to the surface but I couldn’t get my arm to come with me. I was trapped under water.
Grabbing the main line created enough slack to start heading towards the surface. I felt my right hand penetrate the top followed by my head. I’ll never forget that first breath of air. I reached for the boat and Tater grabbed my free hand. “I’m bit or my finger’s hooked!” were the only words I could get out (there might have been a few cuss words too).
Hearing the panic in my voice Garrett dropped the phone he was recording with and jumped in. The line with the fish was still pulling me down. I told him he needed to cut the line. Once the line was cut I lifted my hand and realized my finger was hooked to the fish.
The giant circle hook was through the catfish and my finger. I couldn’t get free from the fish. My brother held the fish while I grasped the boat with my free hand. The other passengers frantically looked for pliers to cut the hook. None were on the boat. I had to get in the boat. With a coordinated effort Tater grabbed the fish while Tyler pulled me in (my left hand still attached to the fish).
Garrett headed towards the boat ramp two miles away. Tater held the fish with a death grip to prevent it from flopping and hurting my finger worse. Garrett called Dirt (Dirt is a good friend that is always there for me when I am in tight situations). We told him to grab some pliers and head to the boat ramp.
Dirt pulled up to the boat ramp about the same time we arrived in the Screaming Eagle. Garrett and Tyler tried cutting the hook with side dike pliers. They couldn’t get enough leverage and were putting extreme pressure on my finger. We switched to plan B. With a pocket knife Tyler cut around the hook in the fish. Slowly but surely he made a hole big enough to free the hook out of the fish.
Dirt loaded me up and took me to the ER with the hook still in my finger. I think the last thing the medical personnel thought they would see was a giant hook through a finger. The doctor (who was an old marine) decided bolt cutters were necessary to cut the hook. They couldn’t find any at the hospital, so he called the local fire chief. With the bolt cutters they easily made it through the hook and pulled it out of my finger. I kept the hook as a reminder of that day.
How Does This Apply to Business
Diving down for that fish was one of the dumbest things I have ever done. I am fortunate to be alive. I have thanked God every day since. It was tough for me to write this blog because it is a reminder of how irresponsible I was. However, I think there is a valuable lesson for all of us.
In business and in life there is a risk/reward equation. The fear of failing is probably the number one reason a person does not pursue an opportunity and I always say “you have to live your life.” If you don’t ever take risks you will be average at best. However, you have to know when the reward is too small for the risk. When deciding whether to take a risk I ask the following questions:
1. What is the worst possible outcome?
2. What is my plan if I am put in that situation?
3. Am I comfortable with the results?
I did not follow my own advice on this day. The worst possible outcome is I don’t come up, and I am not willing to risk my life for a catfish and a hook. I got too comfortable and didn’t respect the river. We have retrieved a hook a hundred times but the 101st about took my life. I will never dive for another hook. I hope you learn from my mistake and only take calculated risks.
Until next time remember, You’re Going to Have to Earn It.