Ill chime in.
Like Chip said, we'd given up. We were over the constant getting into neck deep frigid water and pounding surf to remove fifty pound clumps of seaweed. Itd been this way all morning. Casts were not doin it, and eventually half the dropped baits had ended up screwed one way or another. We packed everything, nobody was watching the rods, thats how confident we were. Headed back down to throw in the towel for the last rod in, we'd finally surrendered. We came down and noticed both the lines pointing very sharply to the left, but shrugged it off thinking it was the weed and rip. Unnamed reeled his in first, it was a shorter drop and he had the bigger reel. I put my butt in the sand and was prepared to have to wind in 300lbs of weed and a giant brick. Came tight to an immovable object, and slid the drag into full and set it in low gear. Slowly it came in, but I still called it seaweed. After a bit over five minutes of straight winding, i look up from my reel and see a set of giant fins. Not what i was expecting. Called the partner over and landed the fish. Quite a large grinner, 8. Go in for the dental work and riiiight as the hook came out my hand slipped hard. Thirteen stiches, and not even from the fish biting down, from contact. Those teeth are no joke.
We've landed our very fair share of grinners, and have taken hooks out without incident enough times to forget to maintain the respect those teeth deserve. There was a lapse in focus and respect, leading to the accident. This can happen to anyone, including the experienced. Know and fear the danger associated with bringing one of these animals onto sand.
