Boot Key Harbor
"Marathon- the Heart of the Florida Keys"

An On-Line Cruising Guide for the Florida Keys & Cuba
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Fishing Hazards

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In the effort to battle, land, subdue and prepare large strong fish boaters are subjected to a multitude of hazards. These fish and other marine life may be armed with sharp fins, barbs, teeth and other nasty weapons – not to mention the human hazards of hooks, gaffs, lines and the like. This really isn’t a fishing article, nor do we have the space here to address everything fully, but a reminder of the key medical points is appropriate as the “season” for the Keys kicks back in this fall. Utmost caution and awareness is advised. Line cuts occur as you haul fish on a hand line, or hand line the leader. An errant loop of 300-lb line, or steel leader, around a finger can easily remove it if the fish is large and surges. A leader that races through your hands when a fish finds a final burst of energy opens a slice wound. Stop bleeding with direct pressure and cleanse it with antibacterial soap. Prevent these cuts with gloves before working lines or leaders with hands. Take line pressure across your palms rather than the creases of your fingers. Fishhook impalement can be a “bit” of a problem. Immediately cut the line. If the barb is embedded you probably can’t pull it out the way it went in (although there is a technique of quickly applying pressure to the backside of the hook to make the barb lower than the entrance channel, then jerking it out backwards – don’t try this unless you really know how to do it!). You generally have to push the hook on through the flesh so you can cut the barb tip off, then it can be removed. Stop the bleeding and apply antibiotic solutions. A good soaking solution is hot water, Betadine (antibacterial) and Epson salts. Always properly secure rods and inactive hooks to avoid these problems. Hooking an eye is scary, but treatable. Quickly cut the line so it can’t pull on the eye, then pack it with clean gauze & bandage to immobilize it (cover both eyes to blind the patient to reduce inadvertent eye movements) and tell them to try not to move their eyes at all. Get medical help. Fish and lobster spine punctures can be painful and infectious. Clean them and make a soaking solution of hot water, Betadine, hydrogen peroxide and Epson Salts. Be safe, and enjoy eating all those fresh fish!

P/C Gregory Absten