Ever Been Bitten By A Pufferfish?

[gregr2]

Had the pleasure today, being bitten on the left index finger near the first knuckle by a 60cm model.

Man those suckers bite hard. I'm lucky it didn't bite the end off my finger, as I now know has been recorded in the past.

Much worse than having your finger slammed in a car door.

My finger is really swollen, turning black under the fingernail and still throbbing 6 hours after the event.

Just a word of advice, cut the line straight away, don't attempt to retrieve your hook..

Anyone else had an experience and still have all their fingers to tell the tale?

Edited April 28, 2009 by moonset

[jewgaffer]

Hi moonset I've been bitten by the smallest of nippers that's claw slipped off my fingernail into the quick of my index finger and had to go on a course of penicillin because of it and have also by spiked by a bream as I was throwing it back and got an infection out of that....You've got to be carefull about the toxic effects of getting bitten or scratched by the feelers, the fins or the barb of any fish at all including, prawns, crabs and tiny nippers... As to the likes of catfish and puffer fish, a pair of long handled long nose pliers would come in handy to get your hooks back, but once bitten twice shy, but if injured do them a favour and release them carefully on a gas propelled party balloon.

Cheers

jewgaffer

[david88]

This summer i recieved i nice deep spine from a big bream.

I do not know if any raiders are familiar with Dawn fraser pools in balmain. often monster bream school up in the corners of this ocean pool and it is fun to see them frenzy when some muscles are broken off the rocks, crushed and dropped in.

while feeding them one summers day my mongrel of a buddy thought it would be funny to push me into the pool from behind, being low tide it was a 2m fall into this school of spikey critter. putting my arms out to shield my fall i ended up shaking hands with the pointy end of a bream.

the tip of the spine stayed in my finger for weeks before my body finally broke it down, and it was quite painful indeed every time i curled that finger.

maybe next time ill take a little handreel down for revenge.

[Idol threats]

foot.pdfI was nailed by a catfish somtime last year , the worst pain I have felt , 4 days in hospitail on antibiotics and my foot was the size of a football , the doctors thought that I had broken it.

The below picture is one week after the sting.

[bluewater188]

Guys, I may have the fish barb story to end all. My mate caught a carp last year and to show his disdain for the lovely species he kicked it. A nano second later he realised just where on the fish he contacted it as a number of dorsal spikes penetrated his foot Needless to say pain followed just as swiftly. This injury caused him some grief (intermittent pain) for many months. Assuming he had some sort of infection sealed off in his foot he went to the doctor, x-rays followed and guess what, he still had the spikes in his foot

Sorry if you are reading this Duncan, but too funny not to share mate

[jewgaffer]

.....it pretty much took me to the bone in one small bite.

i decided to eat the fish in return

...... and I finished up in an iron lung

Cheers Chris

jewgaffer

[pelican]

I won't go near the teeth end of a pufferfish as I have seen what they can do to a quality strong hook and you could actually see the gringd marks on the shank. Not sure how quick they bite but they must have a heap of jaw pressure with tough plates as teath. Probably an interesting skeleton to have a look at the jaw of as they look tough.

Closest I have been to losing fingers was foolishly thinking it was a good idea to pat a turtle when I was a kid. It snapped , dam they are fast, but luckily I tripped as I reached out to pat it and it and I felt the wind of it's closing jaws slamming closed at lightning speed. Quick finger check and got a kick p teh bum and I never have tried to pat another turtle. It would have taken my hand off at the wrist as shown a few minutes lated when it was fed a fish frame and it went straight through the spine like butter. Hmmm one lucky kid with a new respect for things in teh water that don't have teeth.

My tip for the day -- never play with a turtle as they can strike fast and about foot out . Years later I met a bloke who had lost 2 fingers at the second knuckle and it was from a turtle when he was a teenager- most people didn't believe him

I stay well clear of all barbs stingy things as have seen the pain they inflict and no way do I ever want to get done.

Is there a simple table that shows what treatment is for teh main species. I know that hot water works on a lot and vinegar on stingers but would be good to have a printout on the boat of current best practice????

Edited April 29, 2009 by pelican

[stylo]

Guys, I may have the fish barb story to end all. My mate caught a carp last year and to show his disdain for the lovely species he kicked it. A nano second later he realised just where on the fish he contacted it as a number of dorsal spikes penetrated his foot Needless to say pain followed just as swiftly. This injury caused him some grief (intermittent pain) for many months. Assuming he had some sort of infection sealed off in his foot he went to the doctor, x-rays followed and guess what, he still had the spikes in his foot

Sorry if you are reading this Duncan, but too funny not to share mate

haha serves him right.

[Dreamtime]

When I was a kid and the Lugarno Ferry was in operation, we used to put the puffer fish on the ramp as the ferry was approaching. As its' ramp made contact with the downramp, (and the fully inflated puffer fish), well the pufferfish exploded like a tyre being punctured.

It smelled pretty ripe there for a few days after as well - hehehe

Cheers

Mariner

Edited April 29, 2009 by Mariner 31

[joel99]

while feeding them one summers day my mongrel of a buddy thought it would be funny to push me into the pool from behind, being low tide it was a 2m fall into this school of spikey critter. putting my arms out to shield my fall i ended up shaking hands with the pointy end of a bream.