Gafftopsail Dad!

   Finally, the fish have returned to the Bay.  The waters are teeming with mullet and menhaden which in turn attracts the larger fish.  This is all fine and dandy except for the fact that those larger fish are mostly catfish.  Both the hardhead catfish and the gafftopsails are following the smaller fish as they come into the Bay to spawn.  Every spring, thousands of these large fish enter the Bay.  Most of the ones we are catching are females and are full of eggs. Soon, the female will spawn (lay the eggs).  The male fertilizes the eggs after the laying and then scoops up the orange, marble-sized eggs.  He  will carry the eggs in his mouth until they hatch which can take up to 65 days.  During this time, the male does not eat.  His whole existence is to protect those eggs until they hatch.  Once hatched, the babies (called fry) still stay with dear, old Dad until they can feed on their own.  Male catfish make good daddies!

  The gafftopsail catfish is named because its dorsal fin resembles a sail of a ship.  This fin rises tall on the back of the fish but can be laid flat.  Both the dorsal fin and the pectoral fins are supported by a sharp spine that can quickly injure an unsuspecting predator (or angler).  It is best to be careful when unhooking one!  While both the hardhead catfish and the gafftopsail are edible, not many folks around here use them for anything other than crab bait. Personally, I unhook and release them unless I am in dire need of bait.  Live and let live is always a good mantra.

Why the rescue?

  Hardhead Catfish are the bane to most fishermen down here.  They are not deemed fit to eat, have sharp, jagged spines and can grab a bait before any other fish gets a chance.  Local folks are just not overly fond of the fish.  So?  Why did I rescue one?  Well, why not?  The poor fish deserves a chance at life just as much any other critter.  

  The tale actually started yesterday when Son noticed a rather large catfish swimming in (what we call) the cut.  This is a small inlet that fills with high tide and empties with low.  When the tide in the Bay falls, the inlet becomes nothing more than mudflats.  It was high tide when the fish was noticed.  It had followed a school of little mullet down the long chute from the main bayou but then seemed to get lost in the tide pool.  Somehow, the fish survived low tide...probably by burying itself in the soft mud.  If it wallowed out a large enough space, perhaps the water seeped in.  It is amazing that a coon, fox or otter did not find the hapless fish and make supper of it.   This fish did survive.  Today round noon, I emptied some crab shells into the cut for the bull minnows and noticed our catfish becoming stuck again as the tide was falling.  It had not found its way back through the chute to the main bayou. Ok..so I felt really sorry for the fish.  It looked forlorn as it slowly pushed its way to an even shallower place.  I think it had just given up hope and was preparing to die.

  Nope!  Not going to happen as long as I had a scoop net!  I called Son and he came to help me rescue a catfish!  Between the two of us, we managed to shove the fish from the opposite side of the tide pool to be within reach of my scoop net.  Son pushed with a long pole and I stretched as far as I dared over the marsh.  I did not wish to topple into that mud!  Finally, the fish was in my net!!  Success!!  Almost.  Ugh!  I tried releasing the fish but could not. Being a catfish with those serrated horns, it became stuck in the net!  It took another couple of minutes of me holding the large catfish and telling it that we were trying to help and Son carefully trying to undo the net.  Finally!  The fish was released into the water at the end of the pier!  Away it swam giving us hope that it was going to survive after all it had experienced!  It sure gave Son and me a grand feeling.

That's a new one for me!

  My learning experiences never end, here on the Bayou.  There always seems to be a new discovery lurking in the shadows each and every day.  This is good.  The brain needs a new challenge now and again so it might as well be something to do with my own place.  My finds are researched as far as I can go and then compared with what is on hand.

  This morning, Mark and I were on the pier when I found a small tidbit of an oddity underfoot.  My first instinct was to flip the unusual item back into the water since it was quite obvious that was where it originated but something told me to pick it up.  I did and then the questions started.  What was this thing?  It was like nothing I had ever seen before...or was it?  As I was holding the piece, several small "nuggets" fell off and rolled between the boards and into the water.  Oops!  I had intended on getting a photo of it intact.  So much for that idea.  After a bit of discussion, Mark and I had a tentative idea of what the thing was but I needed more information.  That information proved to be difficult to come by, however.  It was definitely some piece of bone from a fish...we knew that much!

  The small piece of bone had dozens of tiny holes in it and in each hole was a "peg".  It was a few of those "pegs" that rolled out as I handled the piece.  Our idea of this being "teeth" from a catfish seems to be correct although I could not find any definitive photos of them.  The hardhead catfish have "plates" with small rounded teeth.  These plates are on the roof of their mouth.  The fish do not have sharp teeth like other fish which is why I have never thought about it.  For some reason, I assumed that they had no teeth whatsoever and perhaps just either swallowed their food whole or maybe mashed it.  The mashing is not too far off from reality as these teeth are small and rounded. We figured that the bone came from one of the catfish that we used as crab bait.  The crabs eat all of the flesh and leave behind the bones.  Emptying the bait box, we obviously dropped the small shard onto the pier and thus began our mystery!  So...now we know or, at least, maybe we do.  I will assume this is correct until I find evidence that says otherwise.  Oh, the things I find!

Another Plea to "Just Don't"

  Ok, so I am usually pretty tolerant of people.  (Notice that I did not say folks here. Folks do not bother me.  People do.)  I can accept their opinions.  I can deal with their quirkiness.  I am usually ok with whatever people choose to do as long as it does not affect me.  You do your thing.  I do mine.  We get along fine.  BUT....but occasionally, people irk me to no end and I have to call them on the error of their ways...even if it is a public plea that falls on deaf ears.  I will have said my piece and then I let it go.   This post is one of those public pleas.

  The other day, Mark and I were trying to catch some hardhead catfish to use as crab bait.  There is this unsaid rule about the Bayou that we do not kill anything that we cannot use is some way.  The catfish are considered to be "trash" or "nuisance" fish by most folks but I still insist that they have a right to live...unless, of course, we use them for something.  In this case, if you want to catch crabs, you need bait and it seems that crabs have a penchant for catfish.  So, catfish are caught, cut and used in the crab pots.  If you recall, I recently had a rant about someone putting a fish clip through the gills and out the mouth of a catfish then released it.  The poor catfish was suffering so much with that clip attached to it that Mark worked diligently to remove the clip without hurting the fish any more than it already was.  The fish was then released as we figured it had already suffered far more than it should have.  But, another catfish brings today's rant.  This one was being cut for crab bait when Mark realized that it stomach held something a tad strange.  Something hard and blue was embedded in the fish's gut.  He removed the object to find that the catfish had swallowed a beer bottle cap.    That cap would have created just as many problems as the aforementioned clip.  The fish could not digest food and pass any excrement due to the beer cap causing a blockage.  The fish suffered. Yes, before someone throws it at me that we killed the fish, it is far more humane to kill things instantly to be used as food or, in our case, to catch food than it is to do something stupid that causes suffering.  The blockage would have caused a slow, painful death.

  Now, people!  Use a bit of commonsense!  Why pollute the waters with any objects such as this???  These are the same waters that you fish in, boat on and swim in so why would you toss your trash overboard?  Are you that stupid that you cannot understand what you are doing?  Sure, this was one beer bottle cap but it caused suffering.  And, my (not) friends, you are probably one of the whiners that complains about the waters of the Gulf Coast being polluted yet you find it ok to toss your trash overboard.  Not so smart.  So...just don't.  It is the law to have a covered container with you to hold your trash so it can be disposed of properly.  Throwing it in the water is not proper disposal.  Sometimes, I wish I could smack people up side the head and maybe knock some sense into them.  Yeah, I know...I know...but things like this really irk me. Sometimes, I really do not like people.

Sometimes I Do Not Like People!

  Sometimes, I just do not like people.  Not folks.  I like folks.  Folks are those kindhearted, generous, understanding ones in your life who try to do right by others.  People, on the other hand, are those who don't give a rat's tail about how they treat others.  I repeat...sometimes, I just do not like people.

  This afternoon while we were on the pier, I caught a catfish.  While there is nothing unusual about that, I quickly noticed that something was amiss.  The poor catfish was suffering.  Yep, we will use catfish as crab bait but we kill them quickly and do not let them suffer and we never kill anything needlessly.  But...this poor fish had been maltreated by somebody.  Obviously, someone caught the fish then decided that the fish needed to be on a stringer.  The clip was placed through the gill and out the mouth.  Granted, what happened next may have been purely by accident but somehow the catfish got away with the clip still attached.  

  Obviously, this happened some time ago as the clip was now embedded, not only in the fish's mouth but even in its side.  Where the clip pressed against the side of the fish, there was a great indentation.  The side of its mouth was bloody and sore from the clip rubbing against the skin.  With the clip snapped in the locked position, there was no way for the fish to ever escape this slow and very painful death.  

  Yeah, like I said earlier, we will kill a fish for food or for bait but never let one needlessly suffer.  My heart went out to that poor, old hardhead catfish.  The fish was unhooked and Mark carefully removed the clip.  He tried not to tear the fish's skin any more than necessary to remove the embedded clip. As we held the fish, it seemed to know that we were trying to help it.  Not once did it try to flip around and stab us with its sharp fins.  After a few photos, I gently let the fish back into the water.  It seemed mightily grateful for our efforts to help.  I can only imagine how much easier the catfish's life will be now. 

  It is people who do things like this that I do not like.  There was no earthly reason to stick that stupid clip into the fish.  My goodness!  If you wish to keep the fish, use a bucket or, at least, be careful not to release the fish with that horrid thing still attached.  Whoever did this rates right along up there with the wannabe fishermen who use 5 lb test line with a steel leader and huge cork.  I have caught many a fish with the rig still attached to them.  Pulling that cork around eventually kills the fish.  People....use commonsense!  No wonder I do not like you!  You cannot fix stupid.

I Was Wrong

 Unlike some folks, when I am wrong, I am wrong and I admit it.  No problem.  Why argue a dead point?  If a mistake is made, own up to it.  Do not try to justify your mistaken ideas.  Do not try to prove the other person wrong.  Just say "I was mistaken." and let it go.  SO...that said...I owe my husband an apology.  I was wrong.  He was right.  I had long disbelieved something about a critter here on the Bayou.  I fully thought it was a myth that male catfish will actually brood the eggs after the female lays them.  I had to see it before I believed it.  Well, I saw it so now I am a believer.  He does, indeed, carry them in his mouth.  During the month or so of brooding the eggs, the male catfish does not eat.  He survives on built up fat in his body.  Sometimes even after the eggs hatch, the little ones will linger in his mouth for protection from predators.  He guards them until it is safe for them to be on their own.  Discovering this, I have a new found appreciation for the lowly hardhead catfish.  

  Late this afternoon, I headed to the pier.  It had been a long day of pushing the lawnmower about the hillside and I needed a break.  As usual, Moe, the heron, visited making net-throwing a necessity.  The bird was hungry so I caught him a few little mullet.  Also in the net, was a medium sized hardhead catfish.  My first thought was to use the catfish as crab bait so I shook him free from the net and picked him up to de-horn him.  There was no use in getting stabbed by one of those prongs!  That hurts!  It was then that I noticed his bulging lower jaw.  Hmmm...interesting.  Just about that time, poor Daddy Catfish gasped for breath and three eggs fell out of his mouth!  Oops!  After a few photographs, Daddy Catfish was gently placed back in the water with his horns intact!  Hopefully, he will find the three errant eggs that were also dropped back into the water.

  So, Mark, I cede to your wisdom on this matter!  I have lived on or near the Bayou all of my life and never knew about the struggles of the male catfish.  I have learned something new and interesting!

Dead Fish Falling From the Sky

  Sometimes it pays to keep a watchful eye on your surroundings.  Other than the obvious threat of stepping on a cottonmouth while traipsing about the marsh, I usually feel relatively safe here on the Bayou.  With it being wintertime, even the threat of a snake is nil.  I do, however, worry about the old dog, Mr. PJ.  He is not accustomed to the hazards that come with living "in the wild".  So...I keep a watchful eye out for his safety.  He is great as protection...when he is aware of his surroundings but with age, his senses have dulled a bit and he often overlooks things.  Just today, that became apparent.

  I have always trained the dogs to do their "business" way down near the marsh on the east side of the property.  Here, there are two possible trails and the dogs have always preferred the lower one.  This way, I do not have to worry about a misstep into "their" territory.  My moccasins stay clean!  I usually just tell the dogs to "go down the hill" and do not have to lead them.  This has always worked in the past as it frees me from having to have a leash for the dogs and, also, gives the dogs a bit of "privacy" for their daily business trips.  Periodically, I do a check on the lower path just to make sure no potential hazards have popped up....or in today's case....plopped down.  

  I meandered down the lower path only with intentions of photographing a baby raccoon that was feeding on the mudflats. The little rascal scampered as soon as I neared the site so I decided to do my "path check", instead.  It is a good thing that I did.  That little raccoon could have inadvertently saved Mr. PJ, the dog, a good bit of pain.  The remains of a large catfish were sitting with the spine poking straight up.  Had the dog blindly been running down the path, he could have possibly stepped right on that spine.  There is nothing worse than getting one of those barbed fins stuck in your flesh and this one was a good four inches long.  That poor dog would have had an immediate emergency trip to the vet!  Obviously, an osprey had caught the catfish and carried it to the top of the tall pine along the edge of the path.  Here, the bird feasted but then dropped the hard head with fin intact.  The head fell with the dorsal fin sticking up like an arrow.  That fin and the pectoral fins are the ones that will do damage if they puncture flesh.  

  While it was about as nasty as things can get, I gingerly picked up the fish head by the dorsal fin and tossed it far out into the marsh.  There, Mr. PJ will never step on it.  Sometime during the night, I am positive that an otter or raccoon will make short work of the osprey's leftovers.  What bothers me most is that if the osprey has chosen this spot as its main roost, there will be more fish remains plopping down on that lower path.  This means that I will have to do daily checks instead of weekly or Mr. PJ may just have to choose to use the upper path as his bathroom.  We shall see.

Well, That Was Awkward!

  Mark and I made a late afternoon hike about the hillside.  Of course, we wound up on the pier and, well, decided that work for the rest of the day was out of the question.  Fishing was calling.  He caught a few menhaden for bait and we tossed the lines.  It did not take long before both lines were zinging out from the reels!  It was beginning to look like a great idea to be fishing....until we landed the fish.  Both were huge catfish.  These were of the hardhead type and not worth keeping as food. We tried again....and again...and again.  Each bait brought up another large catfish.  Since we do not keep these fish to eat, they were gently removed from the hook and tossed back into the water.  Most of the time, the used minnow went over with the fish.  This "baiting" of the waters gathered a rather large number of gulls and terns to the area. Each waited for another free meal.

  It did not take long before we were out of bait.  Mark "fished out" the last bait and, once again, hooked a large catfish.  This time, however, the hook had snagged the fish instead of the fish taking the bait.  The poor thing was hooked in the belly!  Well, that was awkward! Mark removed the hook as gently and painlessly as possible and released this fish as well. Catfish are tough fish and this one will heal soon.  The fish will be feeding again by morning and will hopefully have learned its lesson to stay away from hooks. 

  With the last bait used, our attention turned to the gulls and terns.  One last menhaden was floating near the pier and a few birds were circling overhead.  Hoping to catch the "perfect shot", I got into position and held the camera steady.  Ready, Aim, Shoot!  The first dive of a tern went amiss and the bird flew away with no supper.  Then right behind that one, a tern made a quick dive, snagged the minnow and flew away with all of the other gulls and terns chasing behind.  They all wanted that menhaden!  With millions of the little minnows swimming in the water, it tickled us that the one dead fish was so coveted.  Our show was over as the birds flew southward chasing that single tern.

  When I looked at the photographs that I had taken, the one of the diving bird reminded me of how graceful these birds are while hunting.  Since the minnow was picked up mid-flight and next to the pier, the bird had little room for error.  The little tern handled the situation admirably and never missed a beat as it took off with its prize. Well, that was definitely NOT awkward!  I only hope that after that impressive dive, the tern ate its supper in peace without being harassed by the other seabirds.

Does this count? Fish lassoing!

   Mark and I have been up before dawn each morning in hopes of catching a few fish before the sun gets too hot.  Summer has hit the Bayou and it is not playing nicely.  But, the fishing has been "fair to middling" as of late and the best time to cast a line is at daybreak.  Mark heads out in the small skiff to "catch the big ones" while I stay on the pier where I can mend crab traps while watching my lines.  The crab traps have been taking a beating from otters and alligators so my tending them while fishing works well.  If I catch a flounder or trout, it is delightful but even an old hard-head catfish will suffice as those are used as crab bait.  I am forever watchful for that tug on my line.


  Things were going well this morning.  I had repaired one trap and was cutting wires for another when I noticed my line spinning out of the reel.  When I jerked back with the rod, I felt a good tug.  Yep, this fish was pulling hard and perhaps was a bit larger than the previous ones.  Excitement was beginning to build!  Then the fish was hauled onto the pier.  This was no larger than any of the others but it was a lot stranger.  Well, the fish was not too strange but my method of catching it was quite odd!  Even though the catfish had the bait minnow in its mouth, the hook was no where near embedded in the jaw of the fish.  I had, more or less, lassoed my fish!  The line had wrapped around the fish and the hook snagged back on the line making a nice, efficient "slipknot". The more the fish tugged, the tighter the knot became around its tummy.  

  I looked at the poor fish dangling on the end of my line and had to giggle.  You, my fine friend, will live another day.  Go tell your grandkids how you survived the battle with a rod and reel and lived to tell the tale.  I carefully untangled the fish and plopped it back in the water.  Away swam the happy fish none the worse for wear with nary a mark on him!

  My question...does this even count as fishing?  Since I did not actually hook the catfish, can I really say that I caught him or should I just relate the tale of how a fish became entangled in my line.  At least. this is probably the best method ever for catch and release!   Lasso your fish!  There is no need for those sharp, pointy hooks!

"Catfish Pearls"

  Mark and I were on the pier this afternoon when I spied something rather unique.  Two small "pearls" were sitting atop the old crab box. Aha!  I picked up the two stones and asked Mark if he knew what they were.  "Shells?" Well, his answer was not quite right but, then again, he did not really examine the two stones at close range.  Not many folks would know just what these things are.  Pop showed me these years and years ago.  He was the one who told me that they were "catfish pearls" which is sort of a misnomer.  Although Pop knew exactly what the stones were he used the common name for them instead of the highfaluting word of Otoliths.  

  Otoliths are also known as fish "earbones".  Earbones?  I am not sure fish even have ears!  Actually, these otoliths were from the skull (right at the base of the spine) of the saltwater catfish.  (Most fish have them, to be honest.  These just happen to be from the catfish.) This is the same catfish that we call a  Hardhead Catfish (for good reason).  The otoliths are used by the fish to keep balance much like how our inner ear helps us with equilibrium.  Without these we are liable to see lots of catfish swimming upside down!

  
  These otoliths are what rattle if you shake a dried catfish backbone. Many folks collect the dried backbone because of the legend of it being a "Crucifix Fish".  In an earlier article, I wrote about this legend and how the image of the Crucified Christ can be found on one side of the backbone and the Roman shield on the other side.  If the backbone is shaken, a rattling sound can be heard which is supposed to represent the dice that were tossed for Jesus' robe.  It is those "dice" that I picked up from the crab box.  When you think about it, all of this is rather interesting. The thought of finding Christ in a lowly catfish confirms a good bit of faith.  It just goes to show that you can find God in a lot of unexpected places but only because he is in your heart to start.

Beauty is where you find it.

  Nature has a way of mesmerizing me over and over again. I come across something as common as a fish bone and I am spellbound.  I study the piece as if I had never seen the likes of it before. I have to figure out just what bone the thing is and where it belongs on a fish. My fascination does not cease there but carries over into stories, tales and legends of the fish itself.  My interest in a fish's bone took up a good bit of the afternoon.  At least it kept me from becoming overly active during the hot part of the day.  Our temperature reached mid-nineties by early afternoon and the humidity made if feel much warmer.  Perhaps I should look at my overactive imagination as an advantage rather than a curse!

 The fish bone that held my interest was the backbone a hardhead catfish (better known as "crab bait" around here!).  As I filled the crab trap bait box, a small chunk of bone fell out on the pier.  I knew just what it was so paid little attention to it at first.  At second glance, though, I was "hooked". (hehe! Pun intended!)  I picked up the piece and examined it because the whole thing had the appearance of lace.  Small holes had eroded into the bone leaving a web-like design.  Well, that was just downright pretty! (For some of us can see beauty even in dead things!)  This was the backside of what folks normally look at when observing these particular fish bones.  Legend has it that the "other side" of the catfish bone bears an image of Christ on the cross hence the name "Crucifix Fish".  I have several of these sitting about the garden and pier.  When folks from other parts visit, the bones are a point of interest and usually are toted back home with the visitors.  Many have never heard of the legend nor have taken the time to examine a hardhead catfish backbone.  The description below is from a small, printed card that Mom kept in her china cabinet.

"Of all the fishes in the sea, our Lord chose the lowly sailcat to remind us of his misery while on the cross.  His body on the cross is outlined, the hilt of the sword that was plunged in His side is clear defined.  Look on the back of the fish's bone where the Roman shield is shown.  When you shake the cross, you will hear the dice being tossed for our Lord's blood stained dress."

  The Crucifix Fish/Hardhead Catfish is one of the lowliest fish in the Bay.  Folks around here do not eat them and will just as soon whack them in the head as release them.  Personally, I find they are great crab bait but will only keep those that I know I will use.  All others are released.  The fish is then used as bait and the backbone saved and sun-bleached as a memento from the Bayou.  This all goes back to waste not, want not. Every thing is used.  Of course, there is always someone ready to jump on any moneymaking scheme.  You can buy these same bones with a little printed card at any of the souvenir shops in town and pay some exorbitant price! Some say it is good luck to find (not buy) the backbone of the catfish.  Others (like me) just find them very interesting.

Self-baiting Crab Traps!

Every day, I head to the pier to bait up my crab traps.  More oft than not, I have to catch a few catfish to use as bait.  These are the Hardhead Catfish that hang around the pier.  They are not desirable as a food fish and have a tendency to  make a nuisance of themselves so I have no qualms about making bait out of them.  Most of the old-timers around here (me, included) will tell you that they are a "dime a dozen" since they are so plentiful.  Lately, however, I have been so busy that fishing was out of the question.  Yesterday, I planned on just grabbing a bag of bait from the freezer.  When Mark is home, he will catch mullet by the hundreds and bags some for me to use as crab bait.  As I rummaged through the freezer, I came across some ham.  Ugh!  That stuff seemed terrible!  It was so freezer burned and..well..nasty!  I really must clean that freezer!  Into the bucket went the ham!  That and a bag of mullet remnants would become crab bait for the day!  I headed to the pier and filled the traps..three of them received a helping of ham, while three had mullet.

Today when I went to check the traps,  I found that I had eighteen nice, fat crabs!  Every trap had crabs in it but three had extra surprises in them! As I pulled on the outer three traps, I was sure that they were filled with crabs!  Those traps were extremely heavy and something had them flopping around like crazy!  When I finally got the contraptions up on the pier I was amazed to see that there were five nice-sized catfish in with the crabs! The three ham-baited traps had caught catfish! Well, that was a happy incident!  Self-baiting crab traps are always nice!  I made a mental note of the fact that catfish seem to like to eat ham!  This could come in handy if I ever run short of fish bait.  The catfish are not too good to eat but make the best crab bait and I really like crabs!  I suppose this is a story of "trading  up".  Something that would have normally wound up as trash was turned into something useful.  Freezer burned ham turned into fish bait for non-edible fish which turned into crab bait for delicious Blue Crabs!  I do believe that was a happy turn of events!

The Whiskers are Innocent!

I often write about the fish that are in the Bayou and adjoining Back Bay area and for some reason these fish are always presenting me with new fodder for discussion.  Often I have told how we will use the "trash" fish such as the Hardhead Catfish as crab bait since they are more or less inedible.  (Michael would disagree with me and tell me that everything is edible..some things we just choose not to eat because they are either poisonous or just plain do not taste good.  I suppose he is right but still...I do not plan on eating a Hardhead Catfish any time soon!)  Those same Hardhead Catfish are armed to the gills with sharp spines in their dorsal and pectoral fins.  It is these spines (which are more like spikes!) that will do major damage to anything that comes in contact with them!  They are quite sharp and loaded with a bit of slime that is mildly poisonous.  These spines are what do the damage contrary to what a good many folks obviously believe.  I have been told so many times in the past few weeks that it is the catfish's "whiskers" that are "stingers"!  Where do folks get this stuff?  These are usually the same folks that try to stomp on the catfish to kill it before removing the thing from the hook.  They use all caution to avoid those dreaded barbels under the chin all the while not thinking that the fins are a lot like serrated knives!  Unless you are wearing some impenetrable boots, do NOT step on a Hardhead Catfish!  Personally, I would not even step on one if I thought my boots were remarkably tough!  I have been nicked enough by the spines to know that a full-fledged gouge could spell major trouble and often a trip to the emergency room at the local hospital.  You see, those spines are barbed.  Once the pointy end stabs into the flesh, it is not a wise move to try to yank it back out as the barbs will shred the flesh.  As the flesh is shredded, all of that poisonous slime oozes into the small slices and starts its job of inducing more pain.  Not to mention there is about a billion different bacteria floating around in the water that are just waiting to find a body to invade!  So you see, it is highly important to be extremely careful when handling these catfish and it is just as important to realize that those whiskers are not the pain inflicting part of the fish!

These are spines that are in the dorsal and pectoral fins of Hardhead Catfish!  

The barbed fins are not there just to irritate us to no end!  In fact, they are merely there for the fishes protection.  When the fish feels threatened or agitated, the fins become weapons of defense.  Once the fish is threatened, the dorsal fin becomes erect.  This action in itself can keep the fish from being swallowed or bitten but add that stabbing. poisonous barb into the mix and the protection is magnificent!  Gars, sharks, cobia are few of the predators that will eat the Hardhead Catfish. Can you imagine a big, ole gar trying to chomp down on the lowly catfish and poking that fin right through the top of its jaw? Owww!  I think the gar would definitely think twice about eating another!

A nearly three inch long spine from the fine of a Hardhead Catfish.  Look closely and you can see the barbs that  can tear your skin and cause a dangerous puncture wound!

About those whiskers hurting you..nah..they might tickle but it is the spines that can inflict the horrible wounds!  The whiskers or barbels do play an important role in the survival of the catfish, however, as they help the fish find food.  The whiskers are loaded with sensors sort of like tastebuds that can "taste" food even in murky waters.  Without them, the fish would likely often go hungry in areas where the water is muddied by the constant churning of the tide.  This said, it would be prudent to remember that it is not the whiskers that are poisonous nor do they harm you..it is those spines..those sharp, barbed, toxic-slime-coated spines!  Be careful!!!

Live and let live..at least as much as possible!

I was pondering the positive side of the Hardhead Catfish.  I am sure there must be one somewhere!!  For anyone who does not know what I am referring to..think nuisance fish..bait thief..slime maker..pain inflictor.  Yep..that catfish!  I catch a lot of the Hardhead Catfish when I am fishing off the pier and for the life of me, the only positive use I can think of is as bait.  They do make good bait for the crab pots!!!  Still, in the grand scheme of things, there has to be some point in this fish being around.  Like I said, I was pondering this fact as I caught catfish after catfish..then all that changed.

A female Hardhead Catfish.

One of the catfish spewed numerous eggs all over the pier when I picked it up to remove the hook from its jaw.  The bright golden orbs sort of stuck to the pier boards and glistened like gemstones.  I immediately felt a great sense of remorse for harassing this poor fish!  She had aborted her eggs all over my pier!  I tried to hold her more gently and remove the hook.  Once that was done, I slipped her back into the water and flipped all the eggs back, too.  I can't imagine that did one iota of good because, well, I don't suppose there was even a slim chance of her doing anything about those eggs floating around in the murky water.  Still, there was hope!  I had read somewhere that a male catfish will hold the spawned eggs in his mouth until the hatchlings are able to fend for themselves.  Surely, in all the catfish I was hooking, there was one chivalrous male that would be willing to adopt some orphan eggs!  I can only hope!  What am I saying???  I was just complaining about the bait-thieving, slimy fish and then I have guilt feelings over a few aborted eggs?  Oh, my!  I think I have been standing in the sun a bit too long!

Closeup of two Hardhead Catfish eggs.

The Hardhead Catfish is one of the most plentiful fish around in the Bay.  They are not overly huge as the majority only get about three pounds.  This fish is edible but is extremely hard to clean and from all accounts, tastes pretty bad. The dorsal and pectoral fins are all supported by barbed spines that will inflict nasty wounds. These spines are actually covered with a slightly poisonous slime which can cause infection very quickly.  When dealing with the Hardhead, extreme care should be exercised!  Those fins will get you!  Now..back to pondering why in the world this fish was created!  It definitely has to have a positive use somehow!