Best way to hold a Catfish caught from a lake so fingers don't get injured?

Question

Once a freshwater catfish is caught from a lake, where is it safe to hold them to get them off the hook? Are there gill covers sharp? What is the best way to hold them? Can their lower jaw/lip be held onto with your thumb or would their teeth hurt to much?

Answer 1

Put your hand in a loose fist, lift your thumb up a bit, and stick your thumb in it's mouth. Your index finger should be under it's chin. It's teeth are kinda sharp, but not sharp enough to do damage. It'll feel like rough sandpaper. Works like a charm! Watch OLN (TV Station) one day if you still can't picture it.

Answer 2

Just be carefull when handling if it's your first time, If it's pectoral fin's are out then nothing you can do to put them back in. Don't try. If they are in you can hold them in and they can't move them out. I would get used to picking them up by the mouth, they don't really have teeth. It's more like sand paper. This all depends on the size of fish that you catch too. One thing to remember a catfish is a sturdy fish, and can stay out of water a lot longer than other fish. So when you do get one landed don't panic trying to get him back in the water fast or you will harm it and he may harm you. Just use common sense keep your pliers handy.

Answer 3

Handling Catfish

Answer 4

How To Grab A Catfish

Answer 5

If I remember right catfish have whiskers than can cause a stinging sensation when you touch them. We used to grab them with a gloved hand so we were able to grasp their mouth without coming into contact with any thing that could hurt us. Catfish are a little different than other fish due to the soft bodies, makes them harder to hold onto. Other than that you should handle them just as you would any other. Good luck, and have fun fishing.

Answer 6

Tranquil,

The easiest/safest way I've found is to:

1. Hold the string with the catfish suspended over the water
2. Using needle nose pliers, grab the bend of the hook.
3. One little pop (using gravity to your advantage), the fish falls back into the water...AANNDDD...you don't get catfish slime/goo on your hands.

HTH,

Answer 7

Hello =)

You put the webbing of your right hand (between the thumb and index finger) behind their dorsal fin (the fin on their back) in such a way that the barb comes up over your hand.... then, your thumb behind its left pectoral fin barb in the same manner, and your index finger behind its right pectoral fin barb (the fin where his arms would be, if fish had arms)...

with this grip, hold him on the ground with slight forward pressure. In this way, he cannot puncture your skin, and you can do whatever needs to be done, to free him.

They don't really have much in the way of teeth, but if mishandled, the barbs will puncture your hands, and cause nasty infections.



Namaste, and Happy New Year,

--Tom

Answer 8

My experience is cut its pelvic/ pectoral fins first when you catch it, using a pair of slant pliers to remove its spike weapons, then wrap it with a clothe/towel, as it is slippery. Watch out ! One kind of catfish with yellow strip, often comes in schools, is very poisonous. Even if you get stung by its pelvic spike of the dead catfish, it is still very poisonous. You may need to go to the the hospital at once for cure.

Answer 9

blood baits, stink baits, livers, yeah baloney and cheese (even although cheese melts off the hook) dough baits... all paintings tremendous. yet catfish DONT in basic terms consume issues off the backside. They DO consume stay issues alongside with minnows. the main suitable technique is to bypass at evening, detect a effective spot, easy slightly hearth, crack a lager, tell some fibs, cook dinner some campfire foodstuff... and oh yeah... forged a line hooked with justabout something that smells interior the water. hehe

Answer 10

someone makes a catfish grip! it looks like a big pair of pliers. go to basspro.com look under fresh water fishing and just scroll thru. walmart also carrys them. not sure of the proper name! the best way with your hands is to grab from the under side with the fins out put hand under them gill plates are not sharp and teeth is like sand paper but the jaws are strong use your on judgment.