Weevers

[tonyfromalnwick]

Fished Warkworth beach today, hoping for a bass or two, managed two undersized flounder !

BUT....in the space of about 100 yards I came across 3 lesser weevers flapping about in the shallows.

Anyone ever seen owt like this before ?

Please, don\'t let your kids go paddling in their bare feet. The consequences don\'t bear thinking about.

 

[Charlton]

hotter the summer the more you get, used to get loads, many moons ago when i worked as a lifeguard on Tynemouth beach, when summers where summers, a bit like this one. Have seen big strapping blokes in tears after being stung, others get away with it for some reason

 

[STEVO]

cheers tony info much appreciated mate

 

[willywetegg]

Cheer\'s Tony mate. When ever I took my two boys to the coast during a hot summer I always told them to keep their trainers on in the sea. You can never be too careful.

Jim.

 

[gazzawill]

were over run with then on seaham pier also showing up on the hall beach from 1 inch to 4/5 inches

 

[Chippy]

Fillets from larger specimens of the Greater Weaver apparently make good eating.

 

[MikeR]

Came across one flapping about on Sandsend beach last year. Scary when you see all the kids running around bare footed.

 

[Chippy]

Did you catch anything at Sandsend on Saturday AM Mike?

 

[Red5]

With the Coastguard, during last years coastal run, we ended up down at Alnmouth. A guy came up looking for a paramedic or doctor as his child had ben crying for over an hour after \'standing on something\'. Got him into the back of the coastguard vehicle and found he\'d stood on a Weever. Nasty! This kid had been screaming for an hour before his parents notified us. We took him into hospital and he was fine after treatment, but awful seeing this kid in distress!

 

[thewestwind]

Good advice Tony but can I just say one thing. Just because they\'re nasty little buggers please don\'t feel you have to kill \'em. I don\'t know how many times in past years I\'ve seen them pulled in on spinner and then stamped on by some empty headed dick and me praying just praying the spines will go through their shoes.
Like everything else they\'ve got their part to play although I haven\'t got a clue what it is, a bit like Bluebottles and Tory\'s really

 

[TC]

Thanks for the heads-up on this one, Tony.

As Alan says, with this long spell of hot weather, there\'s increased chances of happening upon one (or more) on our beaches.

For those who don\'t know what to look out for (either when they inadvertantly land one, or spot one in the water), this is what they look like:

 

[MikeR]

No Chippy. No birds working the water or anything. A few sea trout jumping though.

 

[tonybax]

got stung off one in lanzarote the thing was huge about pound and half thaught my hand was about to drop off.

 

[5150]

If you\'re stung apply heat, eg place your foot/hand in hot water, as hot as you can stand - it breaks down the toxins more quickly, same goes for Lionfish if you keep tropical marines and get tagged by one.

 

[MikeR]

Just to add to that last piece of advice which is spot on - the stung area should be submerged for around 30 minutes.

 

[Chippy]

Potassium permangenate can also help treat the wound but the best advice would be to get medical assistance, especially if very young.

The are probably in the shallows breeding at this time of year as the breed from June to August.

 

[Red5]

Re:The hot water thing....When the kid we took arrived at hospital the medical staff were doing the complete opposite(using cold water) even though 2 coasguards were telling them they needed to use hot water!

 

[Howitzer]

Aye it hurts like ****. I got stung off one at sandy bay years ago. I didn\'t know what it was so tried to unhook it it it got me. The hospital told me about the hot water thing, unfotunately i had already had my hand in a rock pool to reduce the swelling !!!

Have seen a few on Blyth beach during the summer too half burried in sand.