[Mrschasintail]

Hubby got hit hard by one. It was on foot, he bled like crazy, I think that helped.

 

[El Primero]

Found a link to a hardhead expert, pretty funny chit

http://badnewshughes.blogspot.com/2003/10/few-words-about-saltwater-catfish.html

 

[James@SeaKingBlue]

Found a link to a hardhead expert, pretty funny chit

http://badnewshughes.blogspot.com/2003/10/few-words-about-saltwater-catfish.html

That was hilarious. Hardheads are child molesters.

 

[InfamousJ]

growing up fishing, my friends and I did some stupid things... one was hardhead punting off the docks at clarks seafood in POC one night. A friend of mine went to punt about the umteenth one of the night and as he kicked the hardhead stayed on his foot... right through his shoe and his foot with the top dorsal fin. He applied his chewing tobacco to it and really never had a problem with it the rest of the night. But no more hardhead punting after that.

 

[seabo]

i beleive baseball sized deserves doctors attention .

 

[TWHJ28]

Iv been stab/ poke by them a few times, last time I squeezed as much blood out as possible and the numbing and pain went away pretty quick. Under an hour. Maybe it wasn't a severe stab.

X2
Had a fin go completely through my finger last Thanksgiving. Immediately squeezed as much blood out and started swinging my hand hard back and forth down by my leg. Blood flying all over the place but wanted to get the crud out. i suspect a piece broke off, months later kept digging scar tissue off the finger and finally a piece of bone like material came out. to this day i still think there is a lil more in my finger because if i hit it just right feels like something in there but may be scar tissue. Mine never got infected but watched it really close and was willing to go in at first sign of infection.

 

[kris_tx]

I remember seeing an article many years ago that said to hold the wound in the tell tale stream from your outboard.

 

[TXPIRATE]

I have found bleach works but you need to open up the puncture a little. Keep an eye on it though. I know a guy who almost lost his hand because of one of those things. Sometimes pieces of barb break off inside on you and that really makes things interesting...

 

[Trouthunter]

Found this on some website.

Personally I always squeeze as much crud out of the puncture as I can then put antibiotic cream on the wound. Snuff or chewing tobacco does seem to help too.

**Salt Water Catfish**
The fins of the saltwater catfish have a complex toxin made up of a mix of high molecular weight proteins and low molecular weight compounds. Like many marine toxins, this venom is believed to be denatured or neutralized at temperatures above 105 F.

Besides intense pain that appears to be out of proportion for the physical injury, systemic symptoms can occur but are rare. They include muscle cramps, tremor, fatigue, syncope and even CV collapse. Treatment in the ER consists of immersion of the affected area in hot water at approx. 110 F for 30 to 90 minutes or until the pain subsides, debridement (cleansing) of the wound completely and liberal irrigation with hot water. Tetanus coverage is provided. It's a good idea to treat with antibiotics that cover Vibrio vulnificus, usually a 3rd generation cephalosporin.
Severe allergic reactions can occur. If you are in a boat and cannot get to hot water, a good preparation to use is a paste of baking soda and meat tenderizer. This paste is also said to be effective for jelly fish stings.

TH

 

[tspitzer]

some of the old Shrimpers told me they use a bottle of house hold Amnoia ==they just pour it over the sting--never tried it YET--have not been hit for a while--

 

[t bone]

kerosene

Got stuck once on the meaty part between my thumb and index finger,hurt like 3 million hells.Some older gentlemen had told me a story of a man and is grandson fishing one day.Man was fishing and grandson was playing around kicking cans when he came up on a hardhead and kicked it,needless to say poor kid was screaming and hollering.A fellow fisherman that was close by came over with a cap full of kerosene and poured it on the wound 20 minutes later boy was back kicking cans.After i got stuck i used some kerosene myself and it worked.

 

[chickenboy]

Had a fin break off in my finger. Two months later had to have surgery. Took a year to get use of my finger back.

 

[bad2thebone]

The slime works it will take about 30 min.or so relieves the pain.

 

[wet dreams]

Folks been using the slime for YEARS, its worked for me and others....WW

 

[BullyARed]

Tweezers to remove any remaining debris in the event a piece of the barb breaks off. Clean with soap and fresh water, perhaps rinse with some betadine also if available. The poision/venom is a protein so if you have the luxury of hot-water it will help neutralize or denature the protein. I suppose some dilute vinegar (similar to the uric acid in your urine) would also break it down, same principle as using it in marinades to help tenderize meat. It breaks down the proteins. I have heard some of the old-salts say use the slime as well, I wouldn't do it any longer. With the possibility of vibrio (flesh eating) bacteria in the water along with all the other nasty opportunistic pathogens, reintroducing slime to the wound could make matters worse. If the folks on the boat are diabetic or immune compromised in anyways, probably should make a trip to a clinic and get on some antibiotics.

On a lighter note, when I was in high school and used to deckhand for some guides in Rockport, I got finned several times. Seems like every smart *** customer we had offered to pee on my hand

2X. Excellent post.

 

[ComeFrom?]

Tetanus Shot

 

[jerry109999]

RUB SLIME WITH CAUTION:

The below was taken from a thesis study from aTm. A HUGE percentage of Hardheads and Gafftop's were studied in the Galveston area and Trinity Bay.

Factors that determine the relationship of these Vibrio spp. bacteria on catfish are not yet known. Future research should be conducted to characterize the outer slime layer of catfish for nutrients, i.e. proteins or polysaccharides, that make catfish a suitable habitat for the Vibrio bacteria, and whether the catfish just serve as a means of getting the bacteria from unfavorable habitats to more favorable habitats. The latter would be
more likely during colder months when temperatures begin to drop and bacteria shift to a VBNC state. Further research on community structure may help with tracking the source of these bacteria on the fish. This study focused mainly on two of the Vibrio spp. bacteria that are highly pathogenic to humans. These bacteria were chosen for the threat of infection to humans.

Summary: Most ALL catfish and ALOT of Gafftop's have the Vibro virus on/in their slime.

Jerry

 

[El Primero]

For all fishing folks keep your tetanus shot up to date. Here is some information/abstract from a journal. I find this stuff really interesting, I'm not a fearmonger or a "sky is falling" type of person. I just saw some very unfortunate outcomes (amputation and death) from saltwater injuries that were much more benign than a sticks from a catfish or stingrays. I grew up pounding the shorelines up and down the TX coast and can't wait to get back to it. Just trying to keep fellow 2coolers in the know and supply some additional knowledge.

Management of extremity trauma and related infections occurring in the aquatic environment.

Noonburg GE.
Source

Memorial Health University Physicians, Savannah, GA 31405, USA.

Abstract

Wounds sustained in oceans, lakes, and streams are exposed to a milieu of bacteria rarely encountered in typical land-based injuries. These include Vibrio species, Aeromonas hydrophila, Pseudomonas and Plesiomonas species, Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, Mycobacterium marinum, and other microbes. Failure to recognize and treat these less common pathogens in a timely manner may result in significant morbidity or death. Initial antibiotic therapy should address common gram-positive and gram-negative aquatic bacteria, depending on the environment. Trauma occurring in brackish or salt water should be treated with doxycycline and ceftazidime, or a fluoroquinolone (eg, ciprofloxacin or levofloxacin). Freshwater wounds should be managed with ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, or a third- or fourth-generation cephalosporin (eg, ceftazidime). Injuries sustained in a marine or freshwater environment may result from bites or venomous stings of aquatic organisms as well as from accidental trauma. Musculoskeletal trauma caused by venomous underwater species (eg, stingrays, stinging fish, sea urchins, and coral) requires immediate neutralization of the heat-labile toxin with immersion in nonscalding water for 30 to 90 minutes. Appropriate management of aquatic wounds requires recognition of the mechanism of injury, neutralization of venom, antibiotic administration, radiographic assessment, surgical débridement with irrigation, wound cultures, and structural repair or amputation as indicated by the severity of the injury.

 

[Roughneck]

By using slime, you are just rubbing more bacteria into the wound.

 

[poppadawg]

Sounds like you should:
Bleed it
Perioxide
Vinegar
Hot water: Engine pee