Warning for us fisher people
 

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:

Re: Warning for us fisher people
 

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.

Re: Warning for us fisher people
 

Thanks Steve and Allen.... good to know

Re: Warning for us fisher people
 

Re: Warning for us fisher people
 

Great post Steve thanks and I hope it clears up quickly

Re: Warning for us fisher people
 

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

Re: Warning for us fisher people
 

Was that all You caught Sunday?:rolleyes:

Re: Warning for us fisher people
 

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

Re: Warning for us fisher people
 

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!

Re: Warning for us fisher people
 

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.