adamski Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Hey Raiders, After reading Mitchie's post about a run-in with a numb ray, catching an estuary catfish a few weeks back, plus a big puffer fish a month ago, I'm beginning to worry that it's only a matter of time before I get stung/bitten when I'm out for a fish. Does anyone have a list of stuff they normally take with them as a precaution for dealing with dangerous species and what they'd do if they do get a sting from a venomous fish? I read somewhere that with a sting from a ray, the best thing to do is run the wound under hot-as-you-can-bear water as the heat neutralises the poison. Does that mean it's worthwhile carrying around a flask of hot water in my rucksack just in case? Is there a DPI page or Australian Government page about this at all? Cheers, Adam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yowie Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Don't take anything with me Adam, just be careful the avoid the whipping tail of a stingray, or the teeth of the fish. With the large puffer fish, if your finger gets inside their mouths, expect to lose that part of the finger. I have trodden on numb rays, accidently, when they are buried in the sand, but no long term effects. Have been stung by flatties, or other fish, just part of fishing. If I don't get spiked by fins, just a lucky day of fishing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest no one Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 No lure or rig is worth a sting, with any eagle, sting, numb Ray cut the line. On top of that there are going to be situations which can't be avoided. The best advice I can offer is if you do get stung by anything is don't panic. Venom is moved by the blood vessels and is transported around your body. If your heart is beating really fast the bloods travelling faster. By staying calm and slowing your heart beat to a normal rate you'll give yourself almost double the time before things get serious! Other than that there's always the urban myth of peeing on the wound [emoji12] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thefisherman6784 Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 I've been stung by a cat fish IT KILLS! Luckily i was in the Hawksebury at a hotel water front so I just ran up stairs. But I ran it under cold water and put ice on it, it still really hurt, then I read that put it in hot water, I was very hesitant but when I put my wounded foot in, the pain nearly instantly went. Then I put my fine foot in and OUCH! But my injured foot was numb and didn't hurt Cheers thefisherman6784 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fragmeister Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 (edited) Like most of us I have been stabbed by the spines on a flattie and stood on my fair share of rays without any significant reaction. However, I know of a few people who have had a quite severe reaction to getting stabbed by a prawn. One in particular had eaten seafood without ill effect but stabbed themselves when peeling prawns and had a severe anaphylactic reaction... lips swelled up, couldn't breath and need hospitalisation. Obviously this is an extreme reaction but until you've been stung, bitten or stabbed by one of our piscatorial friends you really don't know how you may react. Another mate just needs an over the counter antihistamine when he gets stung.... I think he uses Phenergen ( not sure of the spelling) If you are bitten, stabbed or stung and the reaction is localised then its probably nothing to worry about but if you experience anything more general and in particular numbness on the lips and tongue then I would get medical attention quickly as a precaution. Cheers Jim Edited October 29, 2014 by fragmeister Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishingGuy Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Mate, as a St John Ambulance Volunteer the best thing to do is to carry a small thermos with warm water in it in, just incase you get stung or bitten. Carrying a Camping or Fishing first aid kit is another good recommendation. Biggest no no is DO NOT remove the stinger of a ray. Calling an Ambulance is your best option. Best thing to do is to complete a First Aid Course. Remember fishing in not worth risking your life for! Cheers, FishingGuy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andysinmexico Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Agree with whats been said no rig is worth a sting rays spine, catfish can be just as bad. I can still remember the agony of digging in the esky for a drink and finding a red rock cod that a mate had snuck in there without telling anyone. The dorsal spine went under the thumb nail and snapped off, i was seriously contemplating cutting said appendage off as i think it would have been less painfull, the only thing that offered relief from that was to soak in ice slurry until a little numb and then immerse the thumb and a finger that was room temp in a thermos of coffee we had on board and repeat the process. It is important to remember when doing this that you dont burn yourself and make it worse due to reduced/altered sensation. The pain still took a couple of days to subside once the spine was removed and led to the introduction of the "no spiky things in the esky rule", when the kids are on board this is altered to no spiky things in the boat and all said creatures are cut off or released using a home made fish dehooker rig so you dont have to touch them. Cheers Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jocler Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Strangely enough, I do carry a medical kit on board the boat but never thought of it for fish type accidents. I put it there to cope with things like flying hooks/lures or any sort of boating injury that we may come across. J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchie18092 Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 pufferfish are fine to handle, it's just their liver that carries that nasty toxin (though as mentioned they have so gnarly little chompers on them!) not sure whether its an old wives tale, but getting stung by a flattie i have heard you are meant to rub the wound on their belly? any science in this? should have mentioned in my report as well adam - considering you fish there as much as i do - i also copped a little blue bottle sting on the ankle!!! surprised to see them that far into the harbour. guess i was just having an unlucky day! ha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mii11x Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 (edited) yeah id like to know about the flattie sting and rubbing on the stomach. Ive been hit heeps in the past and never knew about the belly thing. Touch wood, I havnt been stung by one of late. Like tef1on said, no rig is worth it, if I get a ray while jew fishing, I cut the line as close as possible to the mouth within reason. Lose two 6/0's, but no sting. Edited October 30, 2014 by mii11x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad_tate Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Hi, Flathead don't actually have any form of sting, it is just that the barbs at the back of their head are razor sharp and coated with an anti-coagulant so that the cut keeps bleeding. A slice from a flathead barb when throwing it's head around can open you up surprisingly deeply. The more common injury is for the barb to just penetrate the hand - colloquially called a sting. The pain from the is not from a toxin it is just the bruising from the penetration. I don't know if there is much infection risk from the 'sting', but would think the combination of the bleeding and the salt water would take care of most of that risk. I'm not sure about the belly rub, perhaps that helps counteract the anticoagulant. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevefish Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 You haven't convinced me they don't sting, and the belly slime seems to work. . . A bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnmn8r Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 I just slip on a pair of fairly thick work gloves whenever I'm handling flatties. I don't really care for poking myself with a barb, and it's not too big a hassle to slip the gloves on and off. Preventing the problem is better than solving it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Soprano Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 The spines on a flat fella definitely hurt when they get you, and as mentioned they are covered in an anti-coagulant which means you bleed for ages. I read about the belly rub many years ago and last time I got pinged by a big flatty I tried it....it definitely helped the blood to clot and stopped the bleeding relatively quickly. It still stings though! I figured the slime must be some sort of self-protection for the flatty....if one of his mates hits him with a spike, the coagulant in the slime helps ensure he doesn't bleed too much. That is my completely un-scientific opinion but it seems to make sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest no one Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 The spines in a Flathead do contain Venom: Flathead have two short spikes on either side of their heads and on top of their heads that contain venom. The venom, while not fatal, can cause pain and infection. Some anglers believe the pain of the sting of the flathead fish can be reduced by rubbing the slime of the belly of the same fish that caused the sting on the inflicted wound, due to a particular gland in its belly. The belly rubbing whether a myth or real seems to do the trick - however as with any wound, ensure it is properly cleaned out with antiseptic at the earliest time! If you have any swelling or reduced movement after a trip take antihistamines, still having issues go see a doc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yowie Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 should have mentioned in my report as well adam - considering you fish there as much as i do - i also copped a little blue bottle sting on the ankle!!! surprised to see them that far into the harbour. guess i was just having an unlucky day! ha Have seen many bluebottles up past Lilli Pilli bathes at times, usually on the big run-up tides during spring after a few days of easterly winds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yowie Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 I can still remember the agony of digging in the esky for a drink and finding a red rock cod that a mate had snuck in there without telling anyone. The dorsal spine went under the thumb nail and snapped off, i was seriously contemplating cutting said appendage off as i think it would have been less painfull, the only thing that offered relief from that was to soak in ice slurry until a little numb and then immerse the thumb and a finger that was room temp in a thermos of coffee we had on board and repeat the process. Cheers Andy Have grabbed red rock cod many times, hand under the belly with my fingers around the side of the head to remove the hook, never been stung, yet I hear stories from time to time of people getting stung. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad_tate Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 Thanks for the note about the Flathead venom tef1on, I didn't realise that was the case. I must be one of the lucky folk who doesn't react badly to it - I have been stabbed lots but never had what I would call a stinging sensation or an adverse reaction. Sounds like that isn't necessarily the case for everyone else though! I too always handle them with supple gardening gloves. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qnut Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 Im a believer in the flathead belly trick... been stabbed many a time and it has always counteracted the anticoagulant for me anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamestown Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 I still don't believe there is venom in a flathead b barb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryder Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 http://www.avru.org/general/general_flathead.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchie Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 http://www.avru.org/general/general_flathead.html Good link there Ryder! I think that puts that one to bed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NaClH2OK9 Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 Great link Ryder the gurnard was a surprise to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zmk1962 Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 I use heavy gloves or a towel to handle my keeper flatties - avoid the barbs and belly slime altogether. I carry a thermos of black tea on the boat - that doubles up as my hot water soak. I also carry a small bottle of white vinegar for blue bottle stings - many a time I have had lures trawl through blue bottle wands(?) only to have the strands wrap around my fingers as I try to remove what I thought was thin seaweed. Learnt the vinegar solution from the Whale beach lifeguards many years back. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishheadbreno Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 I got stung by a stingray once and the pain was almost as bad as when I broke my leg/ femer The only thing that stopped the pain was to heat the area with a cigaret lighter Having hot water onboard would be a better option Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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