happy moments

[snakecatcher]

Got stung by a happy moment whilst emptying a cast net a while ago - little bugger was hiding behind a mangrove leaf. It is definitely an experience I don't want to repeat but if it does happen again has anyone got any onboard remedies which might help with the pain? Putting your hand in hot water for as long as possible isn't a great help if you are 45 mins away from the boat ramp - copious amounts of the amber fluid does however help take your mind of it.

[onerabbit]

Hi snakecatcher, as a senior first aider, & someone who has also been hit with marine venom, I can say with all certainty that, yes, hot water , as hot as you can stand is THE BEST REMEDY for all venomous fish injuries.
If hot water is not an option, then go with the ice , its not as good but does help, had to give a bloke a frozen mullet once after he grabbed an eel-tailed cattie to take the hook out & it twisted in his hand.
I have been hit not only 1 time, but in both feet on separate occasions by dogfish (blue catfish), the first time needing hospital.
If I was in the boat & copped a bad hit, with no ice or hot water,I'd just go home.
However , beer as a short-stop sounds good to me!!!!!
Muzz

[brett_rokesky]

Hot water is the go.
I always take the old man fishing, and he always brings his flask of tea.

[Black_Jack]

How many people have a coffee flask in the boat. is it hot.

its not clean hot water but i would use it

geoff

[Volvo]

Failing all that belt feck out of it with whatever you have onboard n then stick it in the gob n suck the pain out of it lol...Normally whats happened in the past when ive been spiked as had nuthin around to use otherwise...
Got spiked in the finger/thumb one about five miles or so out to sea by a poor mans lobster (Scorpion Fish) hurt like all hell..got the missus ta pull the anchor up and head for home.Soon as i just hit the boat ramp the pains gone as if it wasnt there in the first place..

[bevnarch]

my young one got done by a happy a few weeks ago ,,,we had nothing on the boat, no hot water or ice till we got home so i took a chewie out of my mouth and told here to hold it on there untill we got back..........took her mind off it and was fine ...............mind over matter good aint it arch

[FOOCKCHUCKER]

another good reason to keep a very sharp knife in ya boat to cut the line before you are happy momented and have to cut the effected part off. p.s. another good reason not to fish naked i spose.

[Panda]

Its the heat that breaks down the venom. Any source of heat will do. I use a disposable cigarette lighter. The metal part around the top gets quite hot after a few seconds. Hold it against the stung area. You can regulate the heat by turning the lighter on and off. Used it several times with good effect.

[bevnarch]

your a smart bugger panda ,,what a good idea arch

[snakecatcher]

The lighter is a top idea - I'll definitely take one of them on my next trip.

Cheers all

[onerabbit]

Good on ya Panda, I never thought of that, cheers, Muzz.

[fish2eat]

Caught a happy moment in my castnet just this weekend.....my wife was about to bend down and get it out, not knowing what it was.....nearly a disaster until we got a set of BBQ tongs

If heat is required, you could maybe use the engine heat, ie take the cover of the outboard etc and run it for a few minutes

[Custaro]

Getting a good spike is never much fun. Heat is definately the go. You can use the water from your tell tail, pee on it, boil some in anything you can find. Catfish spikes, the aboriginal way is to cut its eye out and squeeze the gel out of it on the wound.

[roz]

Volvo's method or the hot water,

I was stung on my left hand by a black trevellly a few years ago, not nice at all. I didn't have anything on board the boat either, just had to put up with it. The effects lasted for about two weeks.

[fish2eat]

Volvo's method or the hot water,

I was stung on my left hand by a black trevellly a few years ago, not nice at all. I didn't have anything on board the boat either, just had to put up with it. The effects lasted for about two weeks.

I think a happy moment and a black trevally are the same thing, just another difference in local names.

Can I assume that even very small ones still pack a punch??