Handling Catfish

[LivingLegend]

Ive always fished for bass and blue gill, but im gonna start fishing catfish but i need some help handling them, i know they can poke and stuff but anyone have any tips i could use so i dont get poked?
[signature]

[Simp]

Yeah man, getting finned sucks! They can just BARELY pierce your skin and you'll bleed worse than you think.

The mouth is where I handle my catfish. I use gloves though. The lips will tear your skin up if you don't. I have my thumb in the mouth, on the bottom lip, and the other fingers clamping down around the throat area, I guess you'd say. Same concept as when holding bass and crappie, just hold on a lot tighter and don't freak out when they put a little bit of pressure on your thumb. Be careful when getting to the mouth though. It could thrash while you're going in and tag you.

However, the catfish I catch are never more than 10lbs. For larger cats, I know there is a technique, but I do not know it. Wait for one of these big cat guys to give you an answer there.
[signature]

[lurtch]

if you put your hand right behind the top dorsel fin and pinch the body you wont get stuck..this works on the smaller ones..i hate it when they start spinning....good luck..
[signature]

[Simp]

The spinning is why I hold em in the mouth. It's also why I use a swivel on my catfish rig. No spinnin' off the hook [cool]
[signature]

[lurtch]

you ever try a pair of neddle nose plyers to grab em by yhe lips it does work..
[signature]

[springkitty]

I wear good shoes and hold them down with one foot to remove the hook with hook removers, then pick them up with needle nose pliars.
Their poison is compared to a scorpion medically.

[tlspyder13]

Pick them up with lip grips or pliers if you don't want to stick your fingers down their mouth. It can be rough. Then bring along some wire cutters. Just reach down and cut off the spines that polk you and have the poison. Now you can grab it about anywhere with no problems. As long as you want to keep it.
[signature]

[lurtch]

i ussually grab em behind the top dorsel fin..if they give me a free shot..i carry a pair of pliers to..
[signature]

[idahoron]

I hold them with the belly in my palm and the sitngers between my fingers. After I get them to the float tube I cut the stingers off. I got this form a guy on this site, TD. Ron
[signature]

[lurtch]

yea..ive seen that on a post looks alot eisier then coming in from the top..try that way next time..
[signature]