Most things that swim in the gulf are benign—at least to humans. We’ll cover some of the few that aren’t quite so benign in this section. Be aware of the seasons and regulations governing fishing if you are going to do any of it.
Sharks come to the minds of most people. We have hammerheads, sand sharks, nurse sharks, bull sharks, and on and on. Bull sharks attack more people than any other species in Southwest Florida. We have had attacks in water as shallow as knee deep; most attacks are not deadly, but a shark can take a pretty large chunk out of you. Here are a few suggestions about getting along:
- This should be obvious, but… well, you’d be amazed. If you see a large, slender fish in the water, don’t panic but do get out of the water. It could be a snook, bottlenose dolphin, or something else. Don’t get back in until you have positively identified it. Do not follow what others may be doing. If they stay in the water and it is a shark, someone (you) may have to find help.
- If you cut yourself and are bleeding, get out of the water. Sharks can sense a small amount of blood from a very long way away.
- If you are fishing, be aware when chumming the water. This not only attracts the fish you want to catch; it also attracts sharks.
- Don’t feed the sharks. Shark feeding dives have become popular in the past few years. It’s a bad idea for the apex predator in the ocean to get comfortable with you, especially if they associate you with food.
For surf fishermen, in addition to the above, be sure you are properly licensed. Carry two pairs of fish pliers with you, with at least one that can clip off the barb of a hook. You don’t want to be putting your fingers in the fish’s mouth as most have large teeth. Use one pair to hold the lower jaw and the other to pull your hook. Also, remember the following:
- Do not tie your bait container to your belt and wade out to cast. Sharks can sense the bait moving around. Keep it on the beach in a five gallon or bigger bucket with a lid to keep the herons out of it. Or, get one of the floating bait containers, moor it to shore with a line 50 feet or so from where you’ll be.
- Never, ever tie your stringer of caught fish to you while wading in the water. If you do, you have just become shark bait.
- A lot of surf fishermen will wade out and stay out either casting a lure or using bait. I can see the need for this if you’re casting a lure. I don’t see it when using bait. Instead, wade out to cast the bait to get maximum distance then retreat to the shore while awaiting a strike.
- Always land the fish onshore. Don’t play it while you’re in the water; back out and finish the job on dry land. Sharks can be attracted, literally from miles around to the struggling fish. The bigger your fish and the longer it fights, the greater the chance of a shark showing up.
- If a shark wants your catch, let him have it. Cut your line if you have to.
Stingrays are ordinarily docile animals that bury themselves in sand at the bottom of shallow places. Bad things happen when they are stepped on or startled. They are of little danger when you see them swimming around; it’s when you don’t see them you need to worry most. Do the “stingray shuffle” when wading, and the odds of an unpleasant encounter go way down.
- Swimmers, surf fishermen, and anyone else in shallow water are most at risk.
- Late in the dry season (April through June) is stingray mating/egg laying season and when they are most prevalent close to shore.
- Unless the barb has penetrated some vital organ or you have an underlying medical condition that the sting exacerbates, you won’t die. The pain may make you want to, but you won’t.
First aid in case you are stung, primarily consists of applying heat to the wound to reduce the pain while you get to a doctor. Pieces of the barb may have broken off and there is a danger of infection in any case, so don’t skip the doctor.
SCHOOL OF STINGRAYS or SKATES, Ft Myers Beach
Mimic fish include various skate species and others. None of them like to be stepped on even if they won’t sting you. Be courteous. Do the shuffle anyway.
I can’t tell from the photo whether the fish are skates or rays. They look like skates to me but… well, that’s why you do the shuffle anyway.
The common little salt water catfish (or hardcat) might be the last thing that comes to mind. It is seldom much over a foot in length and occurs throughout the Gulf of Mexico. It has three barbs: in each of the two pectoral fins (on its sides) and one in the dorsal fin (on its back behind the head). The barbs are poisonous. The catfish will raise them when hooked and writhe about attempting to stick you when you try to remove the hook.
Hold them as you would a fresh water catfish, grasping them around the ventral (stomach) side, keeping your fingers away from the spines. Do not step on them to hold them down. The dorsal barb will go right through your shoe if you aren’t careful.
If you aren’t going to throw the fish back, take the pliers you’d use to clip a hook barb and snip the three catfish barbs off at their bases. That renders the fish pretty much harmless… at least to most people.
The dead hardcat on the beach is still dangerous if the barbs are intact, so don’t step on the dead fish. Don’t kick it, either.
We don’t consider the hardcat edible, but they do make good dead bait for sharks and for blue crabs. (The one in the link is not a happy crab).
If you go after the crabs and want to avoid getting pinched, break off one of the pinchers on each claw with the pliers you are supposed to have with you at all times. Do this only if you’re going to eat the crab.
Gaff top or sail cats are another species of catfish that can grow quite large. They are very edible. Exercise the same caution with them as with any catfish.
First aid is pretty much the same for both fresh and salt water catfish. But, believe me when I tell you the sting from a hardcat is a whole lot worse than from a fresh water cat. Use hot water and more hot water.
Jelly fish and sea nettles are a problem once in a while, usually when the water is warm and conditions are right for them. The local authorities are pretty good at warning people when and where a “bloom” may occur. The stings, if severe enough, can be life threatening though I am unaware of anyone having died down here from that cause.
First aid involves lessening the pain and discomfort. Seek medical attention to have a professional check vital signs to rule out further complications.
Not all jellyfish are venomous, but treat I them all as if they were. For example, some of the clear ones wash up regularly on the beach and are likely harmless. God knows how many of the things innocuously and invisibly brushed against us in the water, going unnoticed. Nevertheless, I’m going to let someone else pick them up….
Portugese Man-O-War is not all that common on this coast, but does show up occasionally. If you’re looking for them, you’ll have better luck on the east and north coasts during the summer when onshore winds bring them in from the deeper Gulf and Atlantic. They trail long tentacles containing a neurotoxin used to kill their prey. These can be 15 feet long. Be particularly careful around one that may have washed up on a beach: the tentacles are venomous long after the animal has died and may be obscured by sand.
Red tide is not a tide: it is an algal bloom. It isn’t red, either. Most often, you can’t see it at all. The authorities are especially sensitive to it and will let you know. It will result in significant fish kill.
The algae produce a toxin which can be released into the air. On the beach, this can irritate one’s upper respiratory system, producing watery eyes and scratchy, burning throat. Sometimes there will be a metallic taste in the air. At a minimum, people with asthma should stay off the beach for the duration of the bloom. The beach will be a most unpleasant place for a while anyway, what with large numbers of dead fish rotting on it, and you might want to seek an alternative to it even if you’re in the best health.
At this time, be especially cautious about eating any locally caught shellfish, fish, or shrimp as they may have ingested the toxin before the outbreak was well along. Restaurants ought to be happy to tell you where their offerings came from. If not, then maybe “beef is what’s for dinner.’” Or “chikin.”
Follow Us!