I've been spined by a LMB???

[Cal Bassin]

It's been a long time since I have been nailed by a LMB, but last night "Ninja" fishing I got hit in the thumb bad by the dorsal fin spine. My question is, has anyone ever had one break off in the finger or body? The angle that it happened at and the depth of the penetration leads me to think... oh ya and the purple color of my thumb and the pain.. that it may have broken off inside. Sure it will just take a few days but man o man.... By the way it was a 6.3 lb bucket mouth.

Thanks for any replies.....

[tunaman]

A buddy of mine got stuck by an albie, and he claimed it penetrated to or into the bone (can't remember now which). It got infected pretty badly, and he finally ended up having minor surgery on it.

Hope yours isn't that bad... take good care of it now - lots of washing, tincture merthiolate, good salve like A&D Ointment or similar, and a bandage to keep it clean. Watch for infection and get to the doctor if you see any signs of worsening over the next couple of days. Good luck!

Roger

[sTony]

I have had it happen on several occasions while weighing in fish during tournaments. They do break off and get stuck and generally your skin will let you know it wants out when the festering starts. I'd dig the darned thing out sooner if it's bugging ya enough. I have what I believe to be a piece of Clear Lake Largemouth stuck in my hand right now but I can't seem to get enough of it to pull it out. Got some strong anitbodies floating in this here machine cause I rarely if ever get infections and the like. Knock on wood.

sTony

[Cal Bassin]

Thanks for the replies.... How do you add pictures??? I have a few of my thumb!

[TEAMDEADMONEY]

Put them on PhotoBucket, then transfer them to western bass..

I hate being spined by bass. I dont understand how KVD, Ike and the rest of the boys just reach down and grab bass like its nothing. I guess Im just a wuss..

Pete

[Cal Bassin]

Here we go, trying to add pictures!



<img src="http://i324.photobucket.com/albums/k357 ... C03033.jpg">
<img src="http://i324.photobucket.com/albums/k357 ... C03036.jpg">

[tunaman]

Nice... got it good! Looks like it was angled and pretty deep, judging by the size of the bruising. Watch it closely...

Roger

[sTony]

I dont understand how KVD, Ike and the rest of the boys just reach down and grab bass like its nothing. I guess Im just a wuss..

Pete

Not a wuss Pete. KVD and them all have spent a lot more time grabbing fish then you or I will likely ever have.

sTony

[Robert F]

Guess poaching doesn't pay. A buddy of mine had to go to the doctor to get a spine removed. I would try some peroxide. It might help moving it out to the point you can pull it.

[smittyfish]

A 6.3 largemouth........... looks like a good trade to me.

[redPHish]

Push on it. If the spine is in there you will feel the hard part. I had a spine in my pinky finger for a week. If I banged my pinky it would nearly make me tear up. I finally gave in after about 10 days and saw the doctor. He pushed on it and said it felt too solid. So he x-rayed it and you could see it. looked like a pointy bone in my finger.

I still have the spine in a little sample jar with solution to remind me to be careful.

Don't leave it in there dude. It's just unnecessary pain.

[Team Fugowee]

Your choice . Thumb or.......... No thumb.

[dockboy]

Clean it out with something like alcohol or another liquid that will help disinfect the wound. I'd try digging it out. Same idea as a splinter under the skin. I'd rather dig it out and make a small scar and take the pain rather than the possibility of a dangerous infection and the possibility of serious antibiotics. If anything, go to the doctor to get it removed or checked if it becomes more painful.
Seems I always get the spines good too. Had a couple of times where I got stuck by one and bled like crazy, for such a small wound. Once was in a tourney, in a friends boat thankfully. Would've hated to get blood on the back deck of a boat belonging to someone I don't really know. Even on small cuts I usually try to wash my hands as soon as I get off the water, and a bit of rubbing alcohol for insurance. Remember, this isn't some wood splinter or piece of random matter. The spines are part of a living organsim and they are sure to have potentially harmful bacteria on them.

[Cal Bassin]

OK guys,

I wanted to post a follow up, since you have all been so kind to reply with your input.

The swelling went away about to days later, and the coloring has returned as of the 4th day. Seems I was either able to squeeze it out that night, or I have good anti-bodies in me.

I am going for strong anti-bodies, since I have survived 2 black widow bites, and the possible...says the doctor, daddy long legs bite. Both with no major issues, other than a few days of pain, swelling, and the sluffing off of all the skin on affected arm the next mornings......

Anyway,

Thanks again for the post replies,

Billy

[longshot]

I was fishing a tourny and just as i lifted a fish onto the deck it got off and i stuck my hand on top af the fish and it hit me in the niddle of my palm
3 months later it wouldnt heal so i went in to the doctor and they did X-rays and found that the tip had broken off!!!
surgury and antibiotics and 2 weeks im good to go but nomatter its painful and takes time to heal!!!
LS

[Ron T.]

Some info for you guys . The next time you get stuck and it burns like heck , soak a rag with piping hot coffe and hold on the wound . My boy got stuck by a chuckle head on the Island tak and Capt. Steve Kelly told us the cafene fights off the toxins from the spine . My boy felt much better in miniutes .

[some guy]

I was a deckhand for a few years and ive been stuck many many times. Ive been stuck cleaning fish and I was even blessed to have a "rent-rodder" bounce a sculpin into my back while i was giving another sculpin a hair cut. Most the time i would just find the sharp side and push it out through my skin. Just push on the backside and it will come out through the skin and you can use a pair of dykes or needle nose to get it out the rest of the way.


Be thankful it wasnt a sculpin or those pictures would be alot worse. It's the fishes last shot at revenge for all the 4/0's we drive through em.

[Steve]

About 6 months ago a dorsal spine of a redear went into my finger along the finger nail (back under the cuticle). Hurt like heck but didnt think anything of it. A week later I woke up at night with an extremely painful finger. That lasted about three days and I almost went to the doctor but didnt. About a week after the pain went away an odd color started progressing up my finger nail, and eventualy caused half of my finger nail to fall off. My finger nail now is totally screwed up, and I probably should have gone to a doctor. I obviously got a nasty infection and as far as I can tell my finger nail will never be normal shaped again.

You should be fine considering you only got hit in the skin.