When I was about 10 years old, I kicked a dead hardhead off the bank and into the water. The dorsal fin went through the rubber sole of my tennis shoe and into my big toe. Quite a mess. Needless to say, I was much more careful from that point on when it came to handling the sorry stinking things, but my techniques were not as humane as the flipper...
M80s worked well if you wanted your hook back and didn't want to risk getting stuck. M80 in the mouth, light it, throw it back...and BOOM..reel in the hook.