Catch and partial release

The last time I fished was 10/4/12. on which day I caught a few jack pike, on small lures, one of these little lovelies did a number on me, crocodile rolling, and generally misbehaving, while I was unhooking it, and tenderly returning it to the water,
I knew that I had got a scratch from it, at the time , but I thought I had snagged the hook or just touched a tooth, as there was just a small puncture mark on the end of my thumb.
Well, this little wound soon turned a bit nasty, and went a bit septic, it hurt and throbbed,a bit more than a scratch that size should.
I kept it covered while I was working, and cleaned it regularly, it soon dried up, and the swelling went down nicely.
Like any scab that forms it is very hard to resist picking it ,I was doing just that, when I felt a bit of very hard scar tissue, and then picked out the top of a little jacks tooth from my thumb.
Now wonder it hurt, it had sliced down underneath my skin ..
I am a chef by trade, and the skin on my hands is pretty leathery, from all the burns, and cuts, that I used to inflict on my self in my younger busier years.
So apologies to the fish, as I meant to release you unharmed.
I now have a little memento to keep, to remind me, to be even more careful when handling fish, than I am now.
I know that I was quite lucky, not to pick up any really nasty infection, from this episode,
from now on I am going to carry a First Aid Kit , one for me, and I am going to get a fish care one as well.