just wondering
do the wiskers on a catfish really sting?
ive heard from some that they do some that they dont
ive always stayed away from them cause i wasn’t sure
dryfly
Never heard that and I doubt they do…something probably said because of the spine in the pectoral fins.
I’ve heard this before, but like you, never tried it to find out. I’ve also heard of people having fingers and hands bitten off by the powerful jaws of catfish. Heard of folks down south “Cat-fistin” or “Stink-fitin” and lost limbs. Probably none true, but who am I to say…and I definitely won’t stick my hand in there to find out. :shock:
- Catfish wiskers do not sting. Catfish do have very stiff petoral fisn that can poke you. You can steady a tired catfish to remove a barbless fly by sliding your thumb and index finger under its outstretched petoral fins. Ten perecent or so of the catfish will spin when you hook them drumming their petoral fins on your leader
Catfish whiskers do not sting. The fins behind the gills will get you though if you don’t handle the catfish correctly. From experience the fins if your stabbed do hurt badly, like for days,
:shock: And you guys wonder why I only fish for trouts!?! :roll:
I have lipped catfish with my thumb and forefinger just like a bass. The thumb is one finger I still have. I know, the thumb isn’t a finger. :lol:
I have too, but not with anything really big. I still have my thumb/finger too, but since I heard that…no way I like my thumb/finger!
Wild One,
What do you think of those guys that dive under water and pull catfish out of logs with their bare hands?
One of the first things I learned fishing as a wee one…how to hold bullheads and catfish.
Forget the Whiskers … watch out for them “spikes” coming out from each side of the head!
And speaking of catfish … did anybody catch that documentary on Public Broadcasting awhile back where they featured catching catfish (BIG CATFISH) by hand! It’s called “noodling” and a favorite sport in Oklahoma to Missouri ~
Dale
Here’s what I’m talking about ~
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6763659
You can do a Google and bring up lots of this stuff … you talk about seperating the men from the boys, wow!
Dale
THAT’S CRAZY
why would anyone want to do that?
a catfish that size probably could take a limb
dryfly
those catfish were huge!!!
you couldnt pay me to put my hands in logs to catch those!!!
if poked - rub the injurred area on the cats belly. The protective membrane (slime) is a soothing sorth.
Won’t heal it worth a hill of beans - but sure makes it feel better.
darrell
Oh yeah - and ya gotta plant a huge one on the kitty, square on the lips too get the full effect.
I was taught to use the fins as a handle to hold em while pulling the hook out.
Slide your fingers up his back and put the dorsal fin between your index and middle fingers. Hook your fingertips over the pectoral fins to keep him steady as you remove the hook. The fish will stiffen out the fins as a defense mechanism. Get’s your hands pretty nasty/slimey, and only works on fish up to about 3 lbs, unless you have really big hands.
Kirk
Kirk …you didn’t tell them what to do with their thumb 
There IS a place for it… that’s what the big hands are for!!
Kirk
I got string before on a blue channel catfish couple years ago and it did hurt.
The whiskers don’t sting, but I have seen them cut (at least some of them can). The catfish can move them around and I have seen them slice through unsuspecting skin and draw a line of blood.
Ed