There's a trick my dad has used several timesto get fish hooks out of people. It uses fishing line and it gets the hook out without having the barb rip you a new one.

Lastsummer I went striper fishing on lake texoma with a guide. Had a good size fish up to the boat and the hook came out. Well the pressure on the rod sent the lure fly'n over my head and back and then bent the rod againt (flimsy sensitive tip ugly stick rods) which caused the lure to snap back up. Drove the hook right through my shirt and into my back. It wasn't in that bad, just past the barb. I told'm to tip it out, I had fish to catch. But my brother used his trusty pocket knife and performed a lil surgrey on me. Guide slapped some antibotic stuff and bandaid and we kept fishin.

Rip'n the hook outa that thumb makes me cringe.