What can the "bleeding thumb" tell you...

[Bonefish]

I was sitting in a country dinner late one evening, and out the window I watched two guys carefully park their bass boat. They made their way into the dinner and sat down in the booth next to me. Their weathered faces indicated they spent a lot time on the water. As they began to make conversation, I noticed one of the gentlemen looking at his left thumb. I couldn't help notice his thumb was red, raw and bleeding. He looked at his partner and said, "I hope this doesn't heal any time soon."

For a moment, his statement puzzled me, but quickly I realized, this guy must have had a great day fishing. Mostly likely, one of those days you dream about. The pain of such trauma seems to get lost in the memories and not felt. These wounds heal too soon and hides the "poof." The "bleeding thumb" can be a "mark of status", a "reminder", or even "a way of life" to be cherished. My question is, "Is the more blood from bigger fish or the more blood more numbers of fish." It could be from a "fish misidentity."

I can remember my Grandfather and Father asking me to show them my thumb when I came home braagging how many fish I caught. I am just thankful after a day's fishing my wife has not ask me to show her my thumb.

[biggw]

MOST--of the time it comes from big fish they can eat a thump up bad been there done that it hurts--but what a feeling them CC bass are the worst that i have ever seen--

[Cobra190]

Well most of my "Bleeding Thumb" experiences have been from trying to thumb fish that are actually too small to stick my thumb into their mouths to begin with. The rest of them was from just getting a hook stuck in it.

[DJD]

Big fish usually rub me raw at the base of my thumb and on the palm. The smaller fish usually hit the top to middle.

[Dover]

sounds like a good problem to have...I should be so lucky one day... :-)

[MsgMills]

I aways wore my thumb raw from catching so many fish during a night Tournament on Patoka Lake back in the late 80's. That was before they put the slot limit into effect. Not uncommon to catch 100 fish in a 12 hour night tournament....Just didn't have time to even think about getting sleepy with so many fish biting in that lake back then.....

[tracy]

"I hope this doesn't heal any time soon."

he probably meant that he hopes return trips would keep it raw and bleeding.

[dcbasser]

The only bleeding thumb I ever got was the night I was bass fishing caught a fish ,went to lip it out of the net without paying any attention to it only to find out it was a 3lb walleye. Won't make that mistake again.

[Moose1am]

Ouche:
People that fish up North learn that lesson at a very young age. You won't be sticking your fingers inside the mouth of a Walleye again for sure.

Northern Pike and Muskies have big teeth also. And Bowfins have teeth also.

The only bleeding thumb I ever got was the night I was bass fishing caught a fish ,went to lip it out of the net without paying any attention to it only to find out it was a 3lb walleye. Won't make that mistake again.

[LarryG]

Depends, if you are using a single hook bait, its number and size. Multiple hook lures, and you are not using a net, it means that you are one lucky S.O.B..Sure its macho to reach down and grab that fish by the mouth, but if there are two or three sets of hooks, you may be in for a painfull learning experience.

[trentonc2000]

Its a badge used to show off how many fish you caught over the weekend, kind of like bragging. If you like bass thumb, you should try peacock bass thumb...

I used to watch Keith Warren and laugh at that stupid red glove he would put on to lip fish.

[DaveR]

you'll easily get it when fishing (and catching) at night or in the rain. I used to get it all the time, back when I caught alot of fish..lol...
I have been grabbing them over the top on the back of their head to handle them and it seems to temporarilyparalyze them.