Before my wife and I were married, we were floating a canoe down Winchester wasteway catching bass. As she's swinging back to cast, she hooked me about half way between the armpit and hip almost far enough back that I couldn't see it. She didn't realize it of course, and tried to complete the cast. I wrapped my hand in the line and took the tension off. The hook was in just past the barb, and I had no pliers, so pulled it tight and took a couple of light cuts with a sharp knife to free myself.