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Handling saltwater catfish
#12375912
08/07/17 03:06 PM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 441
ckcrew
OP
Angler
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OP
Angler
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 441 |
I've never had any issues handling blues or channels out on the lake with my bare hands. Are handling gafttops or hardheads any different?
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Re: Handling saltwater catfish
[Re: ckcrew]
#12375932
08/07/17 03:17 PM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 17,017
Pat Goff
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 17,017 |
Night and day. Hardhead will harpoon you and when that poison hits you it will be akin to a red wasp hit.
Plus I've still got knots on my hands from hardhead stabbing when I was a kid.
Gafftop are just the slimiest critter ever. Snot rockets.
Pat Goff Seadrift TX
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Re: Handling saltwater catfish
[Re: ckcrew]
#12375951
08/07/17 03:26 PM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 835
psalty
Pro Angler
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Pro Angler
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 835 |
Gafftopsail- as an old tv reporter Marvin Zindler coined- slime in the ice machineHardheads- typical catfish precaution with the fins and I can confirm that should you let one break the skin you will experience pain and swelling. I made a big mistake of lightly kicking one about 7" long off the old pier in Galveston when it flipped and I took a fin thru my tennis shoe in the big toe and wound up with super swelling and having to take tetanus shot and antibiotics. The little ones are just as potent. Hint- use caution and be ready for the slime on the gafftops also on your lines.
Matthew 4:19 Script-Lures by Psalty founder and directed by the Big Fisherman
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Re: Handling saltwater catfish
[Re: ckcrew]
#12376029
08/07/17 04:34 PM
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 214
jdk1985
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 214 |
Catfish flipper!!!!!!!! Buy one. Now. For hard heads. You will not regret it.
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Re: Handling saltwater catfish
[Re: ckcrew]
#12376099
08/07/17 05:23 PM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,957
Bob Landry
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,957 |
There is also the possibility of flesh eating bacteria. A guy I know lost one and a half fingers because of it. Any kinf of protection for your hands is better than nothing.
2015 Seaark 1872 MV CC Etec-90 Two Helix 12 CHIRP SI's, , MinnKota Riptide ST80/i-pilot Link, Bob's Hydraulic 2020 Robalo R200 CC, Yamaha 150
Bitter Gun Owner Bitter Clinger Armed Infidel
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Re: Handling saltwater catfish
[Re: ckcrew]
#12376330
08/07/17 08:42 PM
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,153
Grinder55
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,153 |
Well, around 15 years ago when I was fishin' with my dad in my boat ... I flipped a hardhead off the hook and it did cartwheels through the air and harpooned itself right smack dab in the middle of right legs calf.
So now I am looking at my calf with this hardhead wiggling around on its dorsal fin harpooned in my leg.
Reached down and I pulled it out and shot of blood spewed about 4 ft. out and that was it.
My dad took out his knife, wiped some slime off the hardhead and rubbed it on the wound on my calf.
It never got sore and healed quickly.
Not what I was expecting at all.
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Re: Handling saltwater catfish
[Re: ckcrew]
#12376546
08/07/17 11:28 PM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 17,017
Pat Goff
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 17,017 |
I've heard about the slime cure for a long time but haven't thrown meat in a long time so never needed it.
I've always wondered what was inside a lings mouth to make them immune to hard head poison. They'll scarf one down after refusing what our feeble brains think would be much more appealing offerings.
Pat Goff Seadrift TX
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Re: Handling saltwater catfish
[Re: ckcrew]
#12376666
08/08/17 01:11 AM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 835
psalty
Pro Angler
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Pro Angler
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 835 |
We tried cleaning the wound, some mentioned tobacco but none was available, so the slime treatment came up. It reduced the bleeding somewhat but the swelling got really bad. Went to Kelly-Seybold (unfortunately that was the required company approved PPO at the time) and they freaked out when I mentioned the slime. Regardless, still wound up with shot & pills and socks for about a week before I could get a shoe back on. I recommend using the grippers, wearing gloves due to potential vibrio and DON'T KICK HARDHEADS- even with leather/hardsole shoes. You can actually get infections from getting finned by other fish, but the hardheads got some bad stuff to deal with on their fins. Some folks are more susceptible and should seek medical attention beyond the slime.
Matthew 4:19 Script-Lures by Psalty founder and directed by the Big Fisherman
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Re: Handling saltwater catfish
[Re: Pat Goff]
#12376679
08/08/17 01:22 AM
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,576
lite-liner
Capt. CUDA
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Capt. CUDA
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,576 |
I've heard about the slime cure for a long time but haven't thrown meat in a long time so never needed it.
I've always wondered what was inside a lings mouth to make them immune to hard head poison. They'll scarf one down after refusing what our feeble brains think would be much more appealing offerings. I don't throw meat, period. Strangely, nailed 2-8" hardheads on fat boys last weekend. both engulfed the rear treble. PITA!!! when I was a kid, we caught black & brown bullheads in the river, learned the way after a couple hits. hardheads are exactly the same size & I just wont even try it.. go figure.. it's pliers in the mouth, & clip the hook if its too complicated
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Re: Handling saltwater catfish
[Re: lite-liner]
#12376824
08/08/17 02:43 AM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 441
ckcrew
OP
Angler
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OP
Angler
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 441 |
OK thanks guys. I'm definitely going to invest in some grippers and gloves since I'll be going to Galveston more often now. After visiting Galveston multiple times over the past 15 years or so I decided to really make an effort to catch some fish. Did pretty good (my newb standards) this past weekend. Caught a bunch of croaker, sand trout, a few under specs, and even an under flounder. And 2 catfish. I just cut the line since I didn't want to take any chances. Saltwater fishing is awesome!
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Re: Handling saltwater catfish
[Re: ckcrew]
#12377227
08/08/17 02:13 PM
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 5,733
JCG57
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 5,733 |
Get a couple 8 inch hemostats (Amazon a good source). When you hook a catfish clamp the hemostat on the hook and shake vigorously while holding the fish at arm's length from you and with the fish held lower than your hand (gravity is your friend in this situation). Works every time. Before I knew better I would handle the hardheads to remove the hooks and did get stung once. It was like a wasp sting - sharp pain for about 15-20 minutes, then fine.
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Re: Handling saltwater catfish
[Re: ckcrew]
#12377905
08/08/17 10:03 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,692
uncle_bagster
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,692 |
What the world needs is a fishing glove sensitive enough to let you tie a knot, yet tough enough to stop a fish fin.
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Re: Handling saltwater catfish
[Re: ckcrew]
#12393579
08/20/17 05:10 PM
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 57
lou7
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 57 |
This is a repost of mine from 2010
A short Hardhead story.I was fishing off the rocks at 91st in Galveston. Had a fish on the line and was pulling him in,when it got to the rocks I gave it an extra tug to get it over the rocks.Well It came flying at me and stuck me in the calf.I don't mean it just stuck me but it was actually stuck in my leg.I looked down at it and it felt like I had electric going threw my leg.It was in so deep that it just hung there.I pulled it out(without getting stuck again)took it off the hook and threw him back in the water.There was a women there crabbing with her son,she said she never saw anything like that before.Thanks I said.I had to sit for a few minutes and it was getting dark so I decided to head home.I did stop at CVS and picked up some neosporen.I've been stuck many times and try to always use pliers to get them off the hook but when they start flappin around they can and will get you.
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