Keeping Tabs Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 (edited) Hi Raiders, Yes, this great day of fishing with the fam ended with a trip to hospital....anyone who have experienced or witnessed someone effected by a catfish sting will understand the amount of pain I was in. The day started by launching at Parsely Bay with my wife and two kids (4&2) and heading out we dropped off the crab pots and then drifted off Patonga for flatties. My 4yo picked up a 38cm flatly (PB) and then the wife picked up a 36cm flatly and then my 4yo followed with a 42cm squid (PB). We Beached at Patonga for the worlds best fish and chips then headed up to Lion Island and found a solid school of Salmon which were very fussy but managed to snag one on a metal slug which was good fun and viewing for the kids. Decided to head in and picked up my first pot with a decent blue swimmer then picked up the second pot with two decent blue swimmers and about 10 catfish as well. I went to get the blue swimmers out of the pot and yep I got spiked by a catfish in two spots on the hand and with almost immediate pain I rushed the boat back to the ramp, managed to get the boat towed home. By this stage I was in extreme pain and somehow managed to detach the trailer from the car and my wife driving me to hospital. The next 7 hours consisted of morphen, Endone, local anesthetic injections and very hot water. I should mention none of this relieved pain except the very hot water. Unfortunately for me I started a new job the following day and still in extreme pain and swollen hand/arm I managed to shake hands with numerous new colleagues. My hand being so swollen and dripping wet from the fluid being forced from the skin it was an awkward first day. Three weeks later my hand still hurts. Not infected but swelling still visible. A friendly reminder to keep your distance with the catfish as I can honestly say that is the most extreme pain I have ever been in. Hopefully this read saves a trip to the hospital for another angler ?? Edited August 23, 2015 by Keeping Tabs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil D Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 sorry to hear mate, gld your getting better, just goes to show, we can never be to careful in our water ways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amkr Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Oh wow! I didn't even know they had spikes!!! I unhooked one after the hairtail social, feral looking and feeling thing it was! Thanks for the cautionary tale and warning, I'll be a hell of a lot more careful next time I come across one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest no one Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Wow, that sucks! Good onya for going to work though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamzie28 Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Damn man, hey someone once told me if you get spiked rub the affect area on its belly to neutralise the venom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimT Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 The belly mucous works with flathead if you get spiked....don't know about catfish though?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harold Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Wow, I also didn't know how badly they could hurt you. Glad you are on the mend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dododog Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I did many years ago....... no sleep for the night..... so much pain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saltrix Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I took a mate to hospital in extreme pain after a sting from a tiny catfish while prawning, and another friend blacked out from the pain after being spiked from a common red rock cod, although they do to always seem to be that bad. It pays to have a pair of fish tongs and pliars, and also to know what fish are dangerous both from stings, poison,sharp gills, and bites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keeping Tabs Posted August 23, 2015 Author Share Posted August 23, 2015 Damn man, hey someone once told me if you get spiked rub the affect area on its belly to neutralise the venom. As jot said, it certainly works for flathead but I'm certainly not going to go close enough to a catfish again to test the method Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PARROTFISH Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 What a great way to end the day I was stung by a little black and white stripe catfish(blind catfish i beleive) when fishing Tallebugera Creek mouth on the Gold Coast. Fishing a rising evening tide i saw a school of little fish swim past me a couple times on the surface so thinking they were Poddies and here's some nice live bait i grabbed a rock and slammed it into the middle of the school, stunned a few, in the low light i didn't even think of being bitten or stung i just grabbed one by the tail, as i stood up and got a look at this thing with black and white stripes i was thinking to myself ummmm this dosen't look good for a livie just about to drop the evil little thing when it flicked and hit me in the hand with one of the pectoral spikes. I know the pain you felt, my hand started burning then my whole arm and later turned to aching as well. Luckily i didn't have to take a boat home etc but i did end up at the hospital about 30 minutes after i got stung, they dosed me with pethadine. Those little black and white stripe catfish are evil little devil fish ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papafish Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Yeah I know how this felt!!! I got sting once by a cat fish and it was a small one near my thumb! And it was swelling for like a whole week! They are deadly!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 4myson Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Glad to hear your doing better mate .Pity your great day out with the family had to end that way . Hopefully it doesn't put you & the family off getting out there again .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seasponge Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Ouch! I fish enough of the hawkesbury to get my fair share of the pesky catfish. Have heard enough stories to know not to mess around with em. The line gets cut, well away from the fish, and the hook gets sacrificed. They can be a pain sometimes when fishing but nothing compared to the pain of getting stun (luckily I haven't found out first hand). The last time i caught one, after having cut several free already that day, I tried to retrieve the hook from it. After ready your post, I think it's reminded me again that a 50c hook isn't worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffb5.8 Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Gee I knew they had a spike but didn't know about the pain they cause. I was just using a towel to hold them when getting my hooks back. Must have done that 20 times over the weekend. Next time I won't Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael2203 Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Years ago the old man and I were fishing at Copeton Dam (Northern NSW) and I caught the spike from a good size catty right in the soft bit between my index and middle finger. As soon as i started with the profanities, the old man leapt into action. He grabbed my hand and stuck it in the mud just below the waterline. After a few minutes the pain eventually subsided sufficiently that I could keep fishing. I dunno if the catty's in the hawkesbury are different somehow, but I just thought i'd share this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimT Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Years ago the old man and I were fishing at Copeton Dam (Northern NSW) and I caught the spike from a good size catty right in the soft bit between my index and middle finger. As soon as i started with the profanities, the old man leapt into action. He grabbed my hand and stuck it in the mud just below the waterline. After a few minutes the pain eventually subsided sufficiently that I could keep fishing. I dunno if the catty's in the hawkesbury are different somehow, but I just thought i'd share this. osmotic effect....mud sucked the poison out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimT Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 I took a mate to hospital in extreme pain after a sting from a tiny catfish while prawning, and another friend blacked out from the pain after being spiked from a common red rock cod, although they do to always seem to be that bad. It pays to have a pair of fish tongs and pliars, and also to know what fish are dangerous both from stings, poison,sharp gills, and bites. red rock cod.......after catching one, went to kick it back into the drink and got spiked in the foot (through my shoe)....within a few minutes had to cut my laces to get shoe off............it was a looooonnnggg walk back from Beecroft Head to Currarong Caravan Park.... sends shivers through me just thinking about it Jim....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam bros Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 wow mate, I didn't even know they had spikes gonna be extra careful of them now Where on the fish are the spike located? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saltrix Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 (edited) The Red Rock Cod's head is heavily armoured with spikes and has needle sharp fins, and Grant's Guide to fishes describes a slight sting as %%%%%ly heat, but a severe sting gives immediate and severe pain with paralysis and swelling of the affected limb,nausea, breathing difficulties, and chest pain for up to 2 hours after and swelling for up to 2 days. Probably depends on whether the poison glands gets to pump. The flesh of a large one is good white meat, but I sometimes wonder whether it is worth the risk of handling them, although I am always careful. Saltrix Edited August 25, 2015 by saltrix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cammo27 Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 I Feel your pain. I got nailed by one while on a bbq boat with family but I didn't want to ruin the day considering we all traveled 2hr up the coast for our day on the water, so I suffered in silence for the following 8hrs until I finally got home to my new best friend the kettle. Definitely some serious pain in those mongrel fish. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad_tate Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 They sure do taste good though - not known as the poor man's lobster for nothing! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimT Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 They sure do taste good though - not known as the poor man's lobster for nothing! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk ditto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seasponge Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 They sure do taste good though - not known as the poor man's lobster for nothing! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Really?! A question i'd always wanted to ask. So I didn't hijack this original post, I created a post here http://www.fishraider.com.au/Invision/index.php?showtopic=78362 discussing the eating qualitys of the bloody things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
locodave Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Where are the stingers on these things? Near their mouth? I've caught many catfish and didn't really know about this, I've always just un hooked them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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