Dealing With the Sharp Walleye Teeth Bite Safely
Anyone who's spent per day on the lake knows that a walleye teeth bite isn't something you desire to experience firsthand, especially when you're trying to unhook a trophy fish in a hurry. You're away there around the drinking water, the sun is simply starting to dip, as well as the bite is definitely finally turning upon. You land the beautiful 24-inch gold-sided beauty, and the particular excitement from the instant, you reach in to grab the jig. That's usually when it occurs. A fast head shake, a slip of the finger, and suddenly you're searching at a collection of neat, biting punctures on your knuckle.
Walleyes are incredible predators, plus their mouths are usually perfectly designed for 1 thing: making certain slippery prey doesn't break free. Unlike a striper, which you may safely "lip" to hold it good, a walleye demands a lot more respect. If you consider to thumb a walleye like a person would a bass, you're going in order to regret it immediately.
Why Their own Teeth Are extremely Efficient
To understand precisely why a walleye teeth bite will be so pesky, you need to look at the anatomy of the mouth. They don't have got the grinding, sandpaper-like pads that various other freshwater fish have. Instead, they possess dozens of needle-sharp, glass-like teeth that trim slightly backward toward their throat. These aren't meant with regard to chewing—they're intended for gripping.
Each time a walleye strikes a minnow or a perch, those teeth drain in and secure the prey in position. Because the teeth are angled back to the inside, the more the prey struggles, the deeper the teeth kitchen sink. This is great intended for the fish's supper plans, but it's terrible for your fingers. If your finger gets caught and the fish thrashes, individuals teeth act such as a series of tiny scalpels. It's rarely the deep, "Jaws" design wound, but it's enough to result in a fair amount of bleeding plus a stinging sensation that will lingers for the particular rest of your trip.
The Reality from the Bite
Let's be real: getting nipped simply by a walleye is almost a rite of passage with regard to northern anglers. It usually occurs you're being a bit overconfident or maybe just a little too hurried. The "bite" itself is normally more of a scrape or even a series associated with punctures. Because their own teeth are so thin, they are extremely sharp. You might not also feel it the second it happens, but then a person see the blood, and the tingle starts to established in after the lake water hits the particular scratches.
The real danger isn't necessarily the bodily damage to your own hand—walleyes don't possess the jaw pressure to take a finger off—but rather the bacteria as well as the sheer annoyance of it. If you've ever had a "walleye ring finger, " you know it could get tender and swollen if you don't get care of it. Their mouths are home to most sorts of marine bacteria, and individuals tiny puncture wounds are the perfect method for that stuff to get through your skin.
How to prevent the Sharp End
The greatest way to handle a walleye teeth bite is to avoid getting 1 in the very first place. This begins with having the particular right tools upon the boat. If you're fishing for walleye, a good pair of long-nose pliers is non-negotiable. You want to become capable to reach into that mouth and pop the catch out without putting your fingers anyplace close to the "danger zone. "
Many anglers furthermore swear by using the specialized gripping tool or a landing net with rubber mesh. The plastic mesh is simpler for the fish's slime coat and keeps the hooks through getting hopelessly tangled, which in turn makes the unhooking process much faster and safer for you.
When you do have in order to hold the fish with regard to a photo, the "gill plate grip" is the standard. You slide your own fingers under the particular gill cover (carefully avoiding the specific reddish gills) and make use of the structure of the jaw to keep the fish. Actually then, you have to be careful. When the fish decides to thrash whilst you have your own hand tucked in there, you can still get "nicked" by the teeth or even the sharpened edges of the particular gill covers them selves.
What to Do if You Get Bit
So, it happened. You got a tad too close, and now your browse is leaking. First thing's first: don't panic. It's simply a fish bite. However, you need to take a minute to clean it up therefore you can maintain fishing comfortably.
- Clean it immediately: Use a few clean bottled water or, in case you have this, a bit associated with soap. Avoid cleaning it in the lake water in case you can assist it, as that's just introducing more bacteria to the wound.
- Stop the bleeding: Walleye hits tend to hemorrhage more than you'd expect because the punctures are so clear. Apply firm pressure with a clear rag or a bandage.
- Disinfect: Keeping a little bottle of hand sanitizer or a few alcohol wipes within your tackle package is a professional move. It'll tingle often, but it'll kill the bacteria.
- Protect it up: A simple bandage or even a wrap associated with athletic tape will certainly keep the slime and scales out of the cut while a person finish your limit.
If a person notice the region getting really reddish, hot, or swollen a couple days later, it's worth keeping a good eye on. "Fish finger" is the real thing, plus sometimes you may need a bit of antiseptic cream to settle it down.
Just how Teeth Affect Your Tackle
The walleye teeth bite doesn't just happen to the skin; it happens to your line, too. While walleye aren't quite as "toothy" as northern pike or muskies, their particular teeth are definitely sharp enough to fray monofilament or even fluorocarbon.
If you're getting a lot of fish, or even if you simply had one large one on the line, check the particular last few ins of the leader. Run your fingers over the line. When it feels "fuzzy" or nicked, cut it off and re-tie. There will be nothing worse compared to losing the seafood of a lifetime because an earlier walleye's teeth weakened your line simply enough to make it click under pressure.
Some people use wire leaders, but for walleye, that's usually overkill and can actually scare them off given that they have such good eyesight. A weighty fluorocarbon leader (10–12 lb test) is usually usually enough to stand up to those needle teeth while remaining invisible enough to obtain the strike.
The Myth of the "Venomous" Bite
You'll occasionally listen to old-timers talk regarding walleye teeth becoming "poisonous. " Let's clear that upward: walleyes are not venomous. They don't have venom intrigue, and they aren't trying to utilize you with everything. The reason people believe they may be "poisonous" is simply because the wounds often get swollen. As we described, that's just germs from the water and the fish's mouth area doing its thing. It's an infection, not a contaminant.
Another common myth is that will walleyes lose their particular teeth in the particular summer, which is usually why the angling gets "slow. " This is mainly a legend. Whilst they do shed and replace teeth throughout their existence, they don't drop all of them at as soon as like a child losing their child teeth. If the particular fishing is sluggish in July, it's usually because of water temperature or baitfish patterns, not because the walleyes have sore gums!
Respecting the particular Predator
At the end of the day, a walleye teeth bite is really a reminder that you're dealing with a top-tier predator. These fish have evolved over thousands of years to become efficient hunters in dark, murky waters. Their teeth, their particular incredible "wall-eye" eyesight, and their aggressive strikes are most part of what makes them such a blast to capture.
When you respect the fish and its products, you'll have a far better time on the particular water. Bring the particular right tools, get your time unhooking them, and probably keep a couple of extra bandages in your pocket just in case. Right after all, several very little scratches really are a small price to cover the successful day of fishing and a potential shore lunch time. Keep in mind: thumb the bass, but never thumb the particular walleye. Your fingers will thank a person.