ZZZZaaappppp!

[ginko]

Got out on Sunday, flicking a fly around Palm Beach inside, wading at low tide all the way up to the headland at the north end.  No fish caught, and just one (nice) flatty seen bolting out of the only cove I didn't put a cast into before I waded in there...damn.

As I turned to return southwards, in about 2 feet of water, I felt something brush my leg.  "oh, probably a piece of kelp" I thought.  But about a minute later, I felt another brush and then got a massive electric jolt.  I hopped out of the water quick smart, whooping and hollering, the whole right side of my body still tingling.  

It's the second time I've had a zap up there - but this was much more severe than the first - I think this time it was a direct-contact by a numb-ray - I don't know of anything else that could deliver a jolt like that.  Thoughts?

 

 

 

 

 

[Little_Flatty]

Sounds like a numb ray. Bad luck about the shock and the fishing. Hopefully the fishing improves as the weather warms up.

[Restyle]

to be honest, as soon as i saw the forum posts title i knew it was a numb ray, i remember by dad telling me to "pat" the ray when i was a kid, ahh what a experience 

[Isaac Ct]

Probably a numb ray mate, I have had an similar experience but I wasn't the one to be zapped. Me and a mate had caught a numbray on a livie of a jetty and when unhooking it my mate barely touch the underside of the lip and got the shock of his life.

Nothing too serious though.

[campr]

When in my teens I had a mate whose dad was a pro netter in Botany Bay and I  went out with them one night netting mullet near Towra.  Don't know if he did it on purpose as young boys do, or an accident but he peed on one.  He won't do that again.  So funny (for me) I laughed for months when the memory crossed my mind.  Ron 

[zmk1962]

Hahaha. Seems like many of us have encountered the numb ray. 
One of my very first posts on FR was about my adventure - 

cheers Z

[Yowie]

A numb ray. Nothing else like it in Aus.

Have stood on them a number of times, always wake me up.   Jabbed one with a metal nipper pump when pumping nippers, and the shock was felt right up to the handle, on both hands. Prawning at night is another thrilling time to get shocked.

They are fairly easy to see in calm clear water, the body outline and the 2 eyes under the sand. In murkier water, or a wind ruffle on the surface, then cop a blast on the foot.

[slothparade]

Could it have been one of the catfish? 

[Rebel]

Great report.

You never know what comes up to you and says G'DAY.

[bessell1955]

I hope you are OK?

[ginko]

@zmk1962 - your report (and that whole post) made for good reading.  

@bessell1955 - I was tingling all day, but came good over night.  

@yowie - the yabby pump incident must have been a classic.

 

[Yowie]

11 hours ago, slothparade said:

Could it have been one of the catfish? 

I doubt it, a sting compared to an electric shock.

[Pickles]

Funny as… @ginko, - can’t stop laughing. Like Zoran says, I think we’ve all had an encounter with a numb fish. A word of warning from an experienced “Wally”, don’t poke one with a Stainless Steel hand spear (eventually you’ve got to pull it out).

I’ve been SCUBA diving though and tapped one on the very base of their stubby tail and they do a complete 360 summersault - fun to watch, but you only get one shot as they are “charged” if you try it a second time.