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A kindly osprey gives a catfish an aerial tour of the neighborhood


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Florida Everglades National park - Vlux114

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Hi Stuart

Great shot - I've always taken these with a Canon 1 series and a 300mm or so L - interesting to see how a V-lux can also work.

That's a Gafftopsail Catfish which I have had the misfortune to catch sometimes while beach fishing on Sanibel Island over many years.

The spines (dorsal and pectoral) have poison and the body also has a kind of "toxic slime" on it.

Complete PITA to get if off your hook and back out to sea without doing it or yourself some harm...guess the Osprey knows what it's doing!

PS. I've had an osprey take a landed fish off me on the beach several times - they're cheeky and not stupid!

Edited by NigelG
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On 2/9/2023 at 10:09 AM, NigelG said:

Hi Stuart

 

That's a Gafftopsail Catfish which I have had the misfortune to catch sometimes while beach fishing on Sanibel Island over many years.

The spines (dorsal and pectoral) have poison and the body also has a kind of "toxic slime" on it.

Complete PITA to get if off your hook and back out to sea without doing it or yourself some harm...guess the Osprey knows what it's doing!

 

A good friend of mine who I've fished with many times in the Gulf of Mexico showed me a trick for this. With the catfish dangling on your line over the edge of the boat, you get your pliers on the hook and twirl the fish in a circular motion opposite the direction of the hook. It usually comes right off and is back in the water without you ever touching it. 

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28 minutes ago, fotografr said:

A good friend of mine who I've fished with many times in the Gulf of Mexico showed me a trick for this. With the catfish dangling on your line over the edge of the boat, you get your pliers on the hook and twirl the fish in a circular motion opposite the direction of the hook. It usually comes right off and is back in the water without you ever touching it. 

Harder when fishing from the shore but a good tip - thanks.

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Nigel -

Thank you.  As a boy I heard that about catfish spines (even the freshwater ones) and have assiduously avoided touching them.  Our guide in the Everglades also told us about the spines and slime.  Perhaps that's like a good French sauce to the osprey

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