I was surf fishing East (South) of Goleta Pier after work last night. I was using a 1 oz. Krocodile trying for seabass. The water was nice and clear but had quite a bit of scattered kelp and eel grass so it was kind of a pain to get a good retrieve without it getting hung up. I started off just reeling straight in, then tried crank/stop/crank/stop. Then I tried crank very fast/stop/crank very fast/stop/SLAM! - first cast it gets nailed and I pull in a 26.5 inch halibut. Kept fishing but couldn't buy another strike - of course it was a rare occasion that my lure didn't come back with a strand of eel grass on it. I tried some plastics and jerkbaits but the same thing. As I was walking back to the car I noticed a "cleaner" looking patch of water closer to the pier so I waded out and gave it a shot - nothing. I started walking out and as usual I was shuffling my feet to avoid being stung by a ray. Then as I got closer to shore (water about half way up my calf) the current was strong and there was some thick kelp so I started stepping over the water and kelp. Bad mistake. I stepped down, felt something hard against the side of my foot and then a sharp pain. I walked out of the water to see a tiny hole in my diving bootie with blood pouring out. I took off my bootie to find a small puncture wound which was starting to hurt very bad. By the time I got to the car it was hurting worse than anything I'd ever felt (or that I can remember). I drove home in immense pain and it took everything I had to get my diving bootie off. My sister took me to the hospital. That was fun - with all the shark attack stuff recently I thought for sure I was going to limp into the hospital with a wetsuit on and they were going to think shark attack. They instantly stuck my foot in some hot water with some soap & betadine and it almost instantly felt better (relief). On the way to the hospital I was actually using some of the breathing techniques we learned when my wife was pregnant for labor and by god they work! It helps to relax but it's almost impossible to do so. Anyways, as the water cooled the pain would come back so they kept switching it out with new hot water. After about an hour they took an X-ray to see if the stinger was in there and the doctor checked it more closely (no stinger). The doctor said that most marine venom is neutralized by heat so if you're ever stung by something in the ocean - trust me - get it in hot water fast - that was more painful than I can possibly describe.

***********************

You can't catch tomorrow what you kill today - please practice catch and release.

I got home from work and Jen emailed me saying that there was a halibut at your house, you got stung by a bat ray and there was nobody to cut fish. Unfortunately I didn't get home from work until like 11, so I couldn't have been of much help... Glad to hear you're alright though. What the hell was that ray doing that shallow??? Maybe it wasn't a ray at all... Could be the same beast that Frank hooked last summer from his float tube. Same area as I recall. From the various reports, it is estimated at 150lbs., with some sort of stabbing or prodding device. It probably resembles "the predator". It feeds on sardines and large mammals. It's method for consuming large mammals is to suck the meat out, through the ankle.... alright, that's enough of that. Glad you're okay, seriously.
-Brian

I had the same misfortune, getting the wrong end of a ray in the foot- I was a kid, about 15 years old, camping in the midriff area of baja- let out some bad words that the whole "family" campsite was shocked to hear, but my friend's dad who took us there is a doctor, it was water as hot as I could stand, made it feel better till the water cooled, then repeat. Not fun, but chalk it up to a learning experience. If I remember, we whacked the tails, and grouper, it was worth it!

I have felt the pain you are talking about. I was about 12, and a pretty good fisherman.... so I thought. I was down at my uncles and aunts in Newport Beach, and thought I caught a thornback. I brought it up to the house to show the folks, holding it flat on my palm. Well it flipped and I dropped it on the concrete. Apparently, it did not approve of my fish-handling skills, and when I went to pick it up, it whacked me right in the middle of the palm. At this point, I was looking for who ever was holding flaming torches to my wrist and armpit. The pain was intense. At the hospital, I learned about the round sting ray, a small, roundish ray that has a nasty stinger. THey are caught much less frequently than batrays. I do see them fairly regularly at Campus point while diving. OH BTW, spooked a 10 and a 15 lb WSB there last weekend..... bummer.

This is probably the culprit.

http://www.calfishing.com/dcforum/User_files/3b8bbca75e59e05a.jpg


Marco Farrell
http://www.whiteseabass.com

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Some info about them.

Family:
Dasyatididae (Stingrays)
Genus and Species:
Urolophus halleri
Description:
The disk of the round stingray is nearly circular. The back of this
species is brown, often mottled or spotted, and the underside is white
to orange. The round stingray is one of six rays found in California
waters which have a stinger on the tail. It can be distinguished from
the others since it is the only one with a true tail fin. The others have
either a whip-like tail or very short tail with no fin membrane.
Range:
This species occurs from Panama to Humboldt Bay, California,
including the Gulf of California. Round stingrays are most abundant off
southern California and northern Baja California at depths up to 70
feet.
Natural History:
Round stingrays obtain much of their food by burrowing in the
substrate. Their diet includes worms, crabs, snails, clams and small
fishes. It takes 3 months for the round stingray young to develop and
they are approximately 3 inches wide at birth. Sexual maturity is
reached in 2.6 to 3 years, and mating occurs from May to June and in
December. There are one to six pups, depending upon the size of the
female.
Fishing Information:
Most round stingrays are taken incidentally by anglers fishing for other
species. However, should one wish to go after them specifically,
marine worms or pieces of clam are good bait. Sandy or muddy
bottoms along a beach or in a bay should provide good fishing.
Round stingrays are potentially dangerous because of the wounds
they can inflict. If an angler is stung, the wound should be cleaned
thoroughly and bathed in water. One should see a doctor if pain
persists or infection occurs.
Other Common Names:
ray, stingray, stinger, stingaree.
Largest Recorded:
22 inches; no weight recorded; however, a male 20 inches long
weighed 1.5 pounds.
Habitat:
Shallow Sandy Environment

Because it was in such shallow water I'm thinking it was a round stingray. I caught one years ago while surf fishing with bait for sharks in Goleta. At first I thought it was a thornback also. I didn't see this one because of all the kelp.

Damn that is never fun. Hot water is definately the thing to do if you are stung by a ray, sculpin, whatever. If you are are stung by a jellyfish putting amonia on it is supposed to make it better (Fresh Urine is probably the only place you are gonna find that if you are stung)

I never got stung by a ray Leapin' Bass, but my brother did about 20 years ago. We used to spearfish a little with hawaiian slings. He accidentally speared a small ray and thinking it was a halibut, he put his hand on it so it wouldnt shake off the spear. It nailed him on the hand...he was in intense pain...I think he went to the hospital but the stinger was not imbedded in the skin. At least...looking on the bright side you got a nice halibut! Good Job!

Sorry to hear 'bout the pain Pete. I know what nasty pain feels like and it sucks arse! Chalk it up as another fish story you'll be able to tell.

Brian that mystery fish I hooked a long time ago might actually HAVE been the predator seeing as how I saw it roll on the surface, but didn't get to see what it was. That fish is the reason I moved up to 15 pound test and beefer fiberglass rods instead of 10 on a light graphite stick. Not a big step, I know, but it was tough for me to abandon the thin super limp line. I'm sure someone will tangle with him(er, it) again sometime soon enough. Oh and if you do catch him, gimme that fastrac back!

Speaking of nasty stories, a buddy of mine just told me that he read in the paper a while back that a group of respected fishermen saw a great white right outside SB Harbor come out of the water and pluck a seal off of one of the big bouys. Thought I'd share the fear with my fellow 'tubers and kayakers. Gotta love it!

;-)

http://www.sport-fish-info.com/dcforum/dcpages/DCForumID8/2743.html#

http://www.sport-fish-info.com/dcforum/dcpages/DCForumID8/2750.html#

Here's a couple of links to local whiteys, the second has some insane photos! Watch out in the yak!

Whoaaa. Hey I heard there was a good show on Shark Week recently about the flying whites or something like that? The one where the great whites are jumping clear out of the water with the seals in their mouths. Did anybody tape that one by any chance?

There was. Didn't tape it, but here's the scoop:

They only do this off one area of South Africa. The southern fur seals swim along near the surface. The white sharks cruise along the bottom while scanning upwards. They have a camouflage advantage because the water is clear near the bottom but murky on the surface, so they can see the seals but the selas can't see them. When they find one, they shoot up really quickly before the seal can react and go flying out of the water with seal in mouth.

Amazing. On the show they had a dummy seal with a down-looking camera so they could get a split second warning before the attack to start shooting still photos for Nat'l Geo. There was maybe a 1/4 sec. time from when the camera saw the shark to when it hit the dummy. Barely enough time to tell the camera man to shoot.

Yeah, I heard they set up dummy seals and the sharks would go nuts on em. I guess they were like seal silhouettes that they either let float, or trolled behind the boat. Pretty cool.
-Brian

I have it on tape. Most likely I will be in SB this weekend. I can leave it with someone there if people wanna see it or whatever.

Of course knowing my house I wouldnt be surprised if it has been taped over already. Damn sister always tape gymnastics!!!

A picture is worth 1000 words:
http://www.calfishing.com/dcforum/User_files/3b8e6aac1bed8aaa.jpg
Is that Santa Cruz Island in the background?

Maybe I will stop tubing the Salt...after I go for WSB in Monterey(The Southern tipof the shark triangle of California).
Those Pix's are awesome! Anyone with a boat out there want to save me from being shark meat?

Tight lines,
Wade

No No No, heres why you dont float tube!!

http://www.calfishing.com/dcforum/User_files/3b9570a7271a0ab6.html

I know i know, i dont know how to get the picture into the text, daaaang it!!!! Hey Shwimbait, wanna fix it please!!

It is said that lightning never strikes twice, but this is not true. Does anyone know if an immunity is developed so that there is less trauma if there is a second sting, or is the effect cumulative, so the second is worse than the first? Let's hope in your case that you will never find out.

You were stung through your diving bootie. I wonder if they can also sting through a standard wader boot?

Keep shuffling those feet. This a great lesson for us. It is too bad that it had to come at your expense.

Take care.