I got hit by a hardhead today on my hand. My hand is swollen. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to treat it?

soak in warm epson salt water to take soreness out.

I was taught many, many years ago to keep a bottle of Adolfs Meat Tenderizer (unseasoned) in the tackle box. When you get a fin, put enough alolphs on to make a paste. This tends to draw out the poison out and keep the pain and swelling down. It's gonna hurt for a while no matter what you do.

Sorry I don't have any suggestions, but I am curious as to what a "hardhead" is? I'm guessing a stingray...

Ditto: the enzyme pappin (unseasoned meat tenderizer) and vinegar will break down the proteins in the poison. Good for jelly fish stings as well, Coast Guard medic told me this one, he said that is what they use and places sell for 10.00 a bottle.

Na it's not a ray.. Names for rays in the gulf are either southern or spotted. Those are your most popular..


A hardhead is a type of ocean catfish.. and a bait stealing SOB!


I like how the TWPD calls them "Tourist Trout"



=z=

OK...I've run into those while fishing inshore off the Florida gulf coast. My uncle got stuck in his knuckle and he almost started crying it hurt so much. Thanks for the info!

I got it between my thumb and index finger a while back. Hurt like a SOB! Little sucker was still attached to the hook and my hand and they love to squirm.

"Pee on it". I heard it helps ease the pain when you don't have anything else.

That sucks. I've been hit in the knuckle before too and the pain was the worst.

You should probably make a trip to see your Dr. Hardhead hits have a tendancy to get infected.

I read a discussion on another board recently about the effects of heat on stingray venom and how some guys have started carrying 12v coffee/tea makers so they could heat water to provide relief on the way to the ER. The question was brought up if this would work for hardhead sicks too. No one knew. Might be worth a try.

i think that just works for jelly fish stings. you're just trying to get this guy to pee on himself for no reason.

the slime from the hard head is supposed to work pretty well for the pain. i'ev been stuck a number of times, and while it may have been very painful, i never swoll up from it. if the swelling doesn't go down in a couple of days, i'd see a doctor. you might be allergic to them.

I had a gaftop fall on my foot "upside down", I was wearing sandals. That was last year and to this day if something hits that exact spot it hurts.
Soak in the hottest saltwater you can stand. Pray you don't get vibrio and give it some time.

My dad told me, after I pulled it off my foot "Go ahead and cry, I would". That is a whole other kind of pain my friend, I'll feel ya.

Oh my gosh!!! My "hit" was 15 years ago and I still have the scars. It went DEEP into my right hand "thumb fat" then went THROUGH my left ring ringer into my middle finger when i grabbed it and tried to pull it out. From my right hand it pulled out nerves!!! My Lord that hurt and my hand has never been the same since. I don't have near the movement in my right hand that i used to have. GO TO THE DR. IF U THINK IT'S BAD ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, and if that ever happens again, take the slime from the hardhead and rub it all over the stuck area...it's a natural anti-venom.

Saturday night my dog stepped on a hardhead. I thought he was going to pass out from the pain. I immediately washed it out with fresh water and packed his paw with Neosproin. He was better in 2 hours and fully recovered Sunday. If your hand is still swollen, I'd be concerned that the barb may have broken off in you hand or you are having a mild allergic reaction. Might want to ice it down to minimize the swelling. See a doctor.