JesusFish

Good Lord, man! holy smokes eh what a story! Glad yer A-ok!

Thanks guys. Ya thankfully it wasn't the same day I hooked my finger. Yes I was drunk and stupid and went to pick it up for a quick snapshot. He did not hesitate to strike me (poor bugger only wanted to slither away).I picked him up and he struck me and I dropped him. I went to pick him up again and he bit my other hand (it was a dry bite however). I started bleeding and I knew something wasn't right. He stopped trying to slither away and backed up into a defensive position wiggling his little tail.

The snake was about a foot in length but had some girth. He was so young he hadn't developed his rattle yet but I noticed the blunt end of his tail. Then I noticed his pits and his scales weren't smooth at all....they felt like sharp beads if that even makes sense. At that moment I realized he wasn't a grass/water snake but in face a rattler and I immediately rushed to the hospital....but upon driving I realized I was still drunk and it wasnt a good idea. So I stopped on the highway and an ambulance picked me up.

Anyone ever see snapping turtles while fishing? I always hear stories but never seen one

Why not...I will include some snapshots from that fateful day. I identified the snake immediately after being bite twice (it dumped its entire venom into the first bite). Just the progress over a short period of time as the venom gradually made its course before the doctors decided to administer the antivenom. Two vials later (at the cost of $20,000 per vial) and several blood tests later I felt brand new. I apologize in advance to all the tax payers.

It was the worst pain I've ever felt in my life.

Lol this thread is too much. I guess its more common than I initially thought. That being said.....its only fair some anglers taste the pain at least once. I heard fish don't feel pain when we hook the through their mouth. A quick google search indicated:

A research team from the Roslin Institute and the University of Edinburgh found “conclusive evidence of pain perception in fish”. The lead researcher, Dr Lynne Sneddon, said the team's work "fulfils the criteria for animal pain" - April 2003

Scientific America reported that goldfish “do experience pain consciously, rather than simply reacting with a reflex” - September 2009.

Norwegian School of Veterinary Science doctoral student Janicke Nordgreen studied nociception and pain in fish and concluded that it is very likely they can feel pain - Reported in Science Daily, 15 Jan 2010)

Other reports indicate fish feel negative stimuli and will react but it may not be pain per se. All I know is that when I got hooked (finger as well).....it hurt like a motherloveer.


As for the barbless Parry Sound gentleman (Dugger)...If you paid attention to your local news about 2 years ago... I drunkenly got bit by a massassauga rattlesnake and had to be admitted to the ICU. They are very abundant in the Gibson Lake area. They made quite a comeback from their endangered status!!

I wish i could help you find the answer but your guess would be as good as mine. Hopefully it is only a local die off and nothing serious. Would be nice to get to the root cause though.

But certainly suckers do not suck lol those condom style lips put up quite the fight when you let them.

Holy poop I lol'd. So descriptive hahaha