Warning for us fisher people

[shrimpman steve]

I was spiked last week by a tog spine and have since developed "fish handlers deseise".

No joke, look it up. If left untreated can be very serious. I am lucky and made it to a dr. Who was familiar with this. My finger looks like a sausage and is many shades of green and purple.

A friend of ours had this last year which is why I didn't wait to long. I just wanted to warn all my fisher friends. If you get a hook or spine puncture and it gets infected, get to a dr. Right away or you could start loosing body parts:eek:

[Reel Class]

Excellent advice!

But, If you treat a wound right away, you really have nothing to worry about Steve. When I say treat it, you gotta take a few minutes, stop fishing, and clean that thing out right after the injury takes place. We always have a bottle of peroxide on the boat, and there's nothing wrong with dousing a wound that was exposed to bacteria to some fresh peroxide which should remove all the bacteria. Also, the salt water which surrounds us is also great for killing bacteria - if you have a wound and don't have peroxide -- rinse it in the drink!!

However, I'm a victim of my own advice here though. I'm usually super careful. But 2 springs ago, I got poked under my nail bed with a baited hook. Didn't think much of it since it was just a small little thing. Next day, that thing started throbbing and blew up like a thanksgiving day balloon. I actually went to my dermatologist, and he wound up lancing it - I was on antibiotics for 10 days after just to clear it up.

[SplitShot]

Thanks Steve and Allen.... good to know

[Down Deep Sportfishing]

Glad you caught it early, the antibiotics will clear it out, be well, then go take it out on his mama.

[Joey Dah Fish]

Great post Steve thanks and I hope it clears up quickly

[HDMarc]

Hope your hand heals quickly Steve. As for our friend Chris who had this same issue last year, he has recently experienced some additional health issues and has been out of commission. If anybody wants to reach out to him I'm sure he'd appreciate it

[Foul Hook]

Was that all You caught Sunday?:rolleyes:

[shrimpman steve]

Hope your hand heals quickly Steve. As for our friend Chris who had this same issue last year, he has recently experienced some additional health issues and has been out of commission. If anybody wants to reach out to him I'm sure he'd appreciate it

Spoke to Chris yesterday. He defenitly had some complications. I'm hoping I caught mine in time.

[JBird]

Sound advice for sure. I have been finned, poked, nipped, bit, scratched and cut a lotta times over the years and I don't even play around anymore. Too many times one little nick on the knuckle turns into a swollen puss oozing wreck the next morning. Peroxide is great for foaming out any dirt and junk but I think iodine is the best thing to carry with you. Throw it on the cut as soon as you can after it happens. Having a little tube of neosporin with you isn't such a bad idea either. Case in point:

I was cod fishing a little while back out of PP and as we were setting up on a new piece I was walking down the deck with my hand running down the rail. I wasn't paying attention and ended up with a 6/0 gamakatsu slathered in clam snot jammed deep into my index finger, way past the barb. Time for party boat surgery! I had to hang out with it for a while as both mates and the captain were occupied duoble anchoring. The mate ended up pushing it through for me and cutting off the barb but before he backed it out I had him cover the hook with neosporin, that way it pulled the antibiotic ointment into the wound. I kept my finger clean and redressed it when I got home. The next morning there was no swelling, only minor discoloration and it was only sore when I put pressure on it. The stuff works!

[TomKaye]

EXCELLENT Advice gentlemen.
Don't ask me how but two years ago unhooking a short, I put a Virginia hook under the fingernail of my left middle finger.
I left it untreated, tried to send a message to that fish, but the fungus infection I got is just now almost cleared up.
I now carry alcohol swabs, sporin & bandaids in my tackle bag. Can't just rub dirt on any little nicks & punctures anymore.
You can teach an old dog..........etc...........
Tight lines. Thanks for the input guys.

Tom K.

[Capt. Lou]

Neosporin truly a wonder drug, I carry a small tube all the time just in case! Also have good quality badages with u , the kind that will stick even when wet or tape N gauze to keep wound clean.
Found out some yrs back Doggie skin started to bother me ,so now use gloves, dehooker or let mates handle to prevent contact !!:cool:

[catsmeow]

I'm A huge believer in peroxide. A few years back pulled a real lame brain stunt. There were birds working while fluking and was putting on 2 plugs to cast put on first and then go where is the other one, Put on my console seat and sat on it. Buried a treble ( one hook in the back of my thigh). Took a filet knife and cut my skin open to get the hook out. Had my nephew dose it a few times with peroxide, bandaged it and kept on fishing. Took about a month to fully heal. Did not go to see a Doctor. I have seen articles poo pooing perxide because they say it kills healthy skin. Hey it kills what you need and killed and that affected good skin will grow back fine. Yes always treat and knicks from hooks, knifes, of fish immediatly. Peroxide, neosporin, and a bandage.

[njboarder]

yup.. always need to be careful.
I didn't pay too much attention to cuts and puncture wounds before, but learned my lesson..
Got stuck while filleting a porgy which got infected and i had blisters all over my back and belly. anything that touched the blisters were extremely painful and had to practically stay topless for a few days.. still have a couple of scars, even though most of them faded away.

Got stuck with a sharp gami between my fingernail and skin but the sinker pulled the hook down and tore the skin. not sure if it was something in the slime or something got into the broken skin, but the wound developed into periungual wart, which has been bothering me for a couple of years. been visiting dermatology who has been giving it cryo theraphy (spraying liquid nitrogen for up to 30 secs, ****ing hurts), but very slow progress. :mad:

You can bet I am much more careful nowadays as well as carrying first aid kit that contains alcohol, neosporin and waterproof bandages...:D

[bbfisherman]

these are disinfecting agents which can be helpful.Peroxide, neosporin or bleach 1 part bleach 4 parts water in spray bottle is great.

[Oceanroamer]

This is a serious thing and can leave some lasting affects in the form of dead tissue or bumps and such that reach the lymph nodes I believe. Good luck.

[tautog]

If you have immune deficiency, the infection will spread much more rapidly and can even kill you. Go to the ER right away, especially if you have an immune problem like RA or being on chemo.

[shrimpman steve]

Two days on levaquin and feeling and looking better already. I keep a bag with peroxide, sporin and waterproof bandages on my boat. Time to put together a mini kit for my seabag.

[Solemate]

Be very careful to take all the antibiotics and keep and eye on this for at least z6 months. I had and infection like yours and thought it was healed. A few months later the thumb started to tingle again and before I knew it I was back at the doctor. Another round of antibiotics before it was gone

[GDubya07]

these are disinfecting agents which can be helpful.Peroxide, neosporin or bleach 1 part bleach 4 parts water in spray bottle is great.

I grew up with bleach in everything , I guess my grandmother was right - bare with me here but we called it realyy no word for it - Be-On-Galeeeeene

After reading this I need to put together a little kit together for my tackle box/bag

Heal up Shripman and get better - take those antibiotics and finish em

GDubs-:cool:

[rikard.froberg]

A lot of good advice here. but.... working for the leading hand protection company I have to say wearing gloves is a better way to make sure you don't get cut in the first place. I am always surprised to see how many fishermen do not wear them. not only do they keep your hands warm and safe, you also don't end up smelling like a fish cleaning factory.

We make very comfortable and flexible cut protection gloves these days. Unhooking an angry bluefish I feel much better wearing them.

PM me and I can point you in the right direction or even get some samples.

Rick