Bass Thumb - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Blitzseeker · 09-08-2003, 10:01 AM

Does anyone else have thumbs that are "allergic" to bass?

Ever since I started serious surf fishing about 7 years ago, I've noticed that when I catch several smaller/medium sized bass and pick them up by the mouth using my thumb, I seem to have an allergic reaction. The skin where my thumbprint is becomes slightly cut up and I lose one or two layers of skin over the next week or two.

Friday night it happened to me (8 bass from small schoolie to about 15 pounds), and I remembered that I'd been meaning to ask the board about it.

I fish with several die hards on a regular basis, and it never seems to happen to them.

Anyone else get this?

redlite · 09-08-2003, 10:51 AM

Similar here. I have just finished peeling the 3rd layer of skin off all my fingers from the weekend. It just started happening last year. I have a feeling that it is more from handling bait (eels, herring, pogey) than from fish, since it still happens and I haven't been catching fish. My skin is really dry. I put lotion on them and it seems to just evaporate and my hands are all dry and peeling again in minutes. Been considering going to a dermatologist to make sure I don't have some type of fish fungus growing......

fishaholic18 · 09-08-2003, 10:59 AM

Same here. I always thought it was a good thing, it means your catching fish. Maybe I'm wrong.

RIJIMMY · 09-08-2003, 11:27 AM

I get it too. I dont think its an allergy, just from the rough lips on wet skin. Other people might not get it because their skin is calloused or tough. Im a sissy office worker so my hands are not used to manual labor and the fish tear them to shreds. I also have a tendency to grab the line when I catch a fish in the surf so my hands get cut pretty bad...

Mike P · 09-08-2003, 12:58 PM

Bass thumb, heck, anyone can get that.

What I really like is when you get bass wrist and forearm

fishweewee · 09-08-2003, 01:00 PM

Pfft. Let me show you my bass SHOULDER.

fishsmith · 09-08-2003, 01:07 PM

wee wee looks more like your bass hole

JPowers · 09-08-2003, 01:32 PM

"What I really like is when you get bass wrist and forearm "

Bloody back-of-the-hand. Don't even have to ask the guy.

JohnR · 09-08-2003, 01:49 PM

BassHand - Looks like someone shot it from 15 feet away with a salt gun ....

How about SpinyDogfish Thumb

Christian · 09-08-2003, 02:10 PM

i had blue thumb earlier this season, was catching bass with friends whithout light when i went to stick my thumb in a fishies mouth without thinkin, he didnt clamp just grazed my thumb, almost instantly pulled it away but i did get sliced but covered it up in duct tape so i was fine.

redlite · 09-08-2003, 02:14 PM

Guttin blue fish the other day, I nicked a finger on one of their teeth and it gave me one heck of a cut. The thing didn't stop bleeding for almost 2 hours. Thank god it was dead.

Got Stripers · 09-08-2003, 05:48 PM

Interesting thread, because I've had bass thumb for decades, but I've never ever pealed entire layers of skin and that's happened to me twice in the past month. In years past my thumb would be mince meat and shreaded bad, but I never pealed, could there be something in the water perhaps or a bacteria strain that a certain year class of fish are carrying.

Any doctors in the house?

KLMulder · 09-08-2003, 06:47 PM

If you think Bass thumb is bad try hand fishing for cat fish in the wakarusa rive in kansas. You just walk around in the water feeling around under fallen trees until you find something soft then you pet it till you find the head stick your hands in it mouth and grab hold of anything you can and then watch out baby your going under when he figures out he cant eat you. you get riped up from the elbo down. If anyone wants to go try in going back next fall for dove season and would be happy to have some company on the ride

BigBo · 09-08-2003, 07:30 PM

Blitzseeker, let me ask you something. When this bass thumb occurs, does your pancreas hurt? Could be FEB.

MikeTLive · 09-08-2003, 09:20 PM

Here's a suggestion (and maybe a reminder from kindegartedn for some of you big babys)

dont put fingers where fingers dont belong.

LINESIDES · 09-09-2003, 01:23 PM

I mentioned this once before, and was almost bulged for it.
Nice to see I am not alone with this issue. As I said in my thread. It is in there slip coat. Or slime coating. What ever you want to call it. I get it on the backside of my fingers, when I put my hand inside the gill plate. The back of my fingers get scraped by the gills. Something like small cat scratches. Then my fingers swell up. The large dorsal fin will do a number on you also if you are allergic to this situation!!! Evidently it has no affect on some people. I thought every body was going through this. I am still learning! Great stuff. The pain is still worth catching thes fish!

Krispy · 09-09-2003, 02:13 PM

Heres a reference thread:

http://www.striped-bass.com/vbulleti...?threadid=8487