06-05-2013, 02:33 PM
[#0000FF]Small catfish are more dangerous than larger ones. As cats grow larger their sharp spines become worn down and rounded off by foraging in rocky areas and by nesting in holes in the rocks. It has been a while since I have caught anything small enough to have the super sharp spines...but one of the first things I USUALLY do if I plan to keep a catfish is to break off the spines. I would have probably released the one that got me...if I had been able to get my usual grip around the belly while removing the hook.
That fish may have caused me some weight loss, but I caused it even more. It ended up in my keeper basket and lost two whole fillets of weight at the end of the trip. I shall especially enjoy dining on the culprit.
Some of the things to keep in mind for handling and controlling cats...to help prevent what happened to me: 1. Use a net to scoop the fish and then lay it on a flat surface that will not be subject to puncturing. 2. Immediately get a controlling grip on the fish...around the belly, with your fingers straddling around the pectoral spines. 3. Remove the hook. 4. Break off the spines if you plan to keep the fish. 5. If you are going to release it, be careful. Best to place it back in the net and then place it in the water. Dropping or tossing the fish can result in a sudden twist or flop and you can still get stuck.
I have only had one catfish put a hole in my float tube. However, I have had a lot of spiny rayed fishes like bluegills, perch, crappies and white bass fall off the hook and bounce off the tube...leaving pinhole leaks behind from their spines. I have been stuck a lot more with the other species than I have with catfish. Usually not as painful or bloody but bad enough.
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That fish may have caused me some weight loss, but I caused it even more. It ended up in my keeper basket and lost two whole fillets of weight at the end of the trip. I shall especially enjoy dining on the culprit.
Some of the things to keep in mind for handling and controlling cats...to help prevent what happened to me: 1. Use a net to scoop the fish and then lay it on a flat surface that will not be subject to puncturing. 2. Immediately get a controlling grip on the fish...around the belly, with your fingers straddling around the pectoral spines. 3. Remove the hook. 4. Break off the spines if you plan to keep the fish. 5. If you are going to release it, be careful. Best to place it back in the net and then place it in the water. Dropping or tossing the fish can result in a sudden twist or flop and you can still get stuck.
I have only had one catfish put a hole in my float tube. However, I have had a lot of spiny rayed fishes like bluegills, perch, crappies and white bass fall off the hook and bounce off the tube...leaving pinhole leaks behind from their spines. I have been stuck a lot more with the other species than I have with catfish. Usually not as painful or bloody but bad enough.
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