fishplate42
Well-known member
I am in the process of gearing myself up to do a spot of pike fishing for the first time and one thing that has cropped up several times is the fact that any cuts to the fingers while unhooking a fish are likely to bleed profusely. On more than one occasion this has been put down to the fish producing an anticoagulant.
I can find no reverence in fact to this anywhere. Logic tells me there is no need for a pike to produce such a substance and if it does, where is it coming from. It has been said that it is in the saliva... As far as I know fish don't make saliva - do they?
Could it be that the bleeding is made to look worse because the hands are wet, and possibly cold? Could it be because the injury is lots of small deep but fine cuts?
The only other thing that has occurred to me is that the fish slime might have some anticoagulant properties? If so why?
Just curious.
Ralph
I can find no reverence in fact to this anywhere. Logic tells me there is no need for a pike to produce such a substance and if it does, where is it coming from. It has been said that it is in the saliva... As far as I know fish don't make saliva - do they?
Could it be that the bleeding is made to look worse because the hands are wet, and possibly cold? Could it be because the injury is lots of small deep but fine cuts?
The only other thing that has occurred to me is that the fish slime might have some anticoagulant properties? If so why?
Just curious.
Ralph