I fished when I was a kid. Often we fished in places where we’d catch catfish, especially in my grandparents’ pond. That thing was full of catfish (and a rogue monster shark who’d steal our lines and hooks but was never caught).

I was always told to be careful when touching catfish because they sting.

Until today, I always thought catfish would somehow sting me from their whiskers so I was always hesitant to touch fish. Their whiskers were always right there! Danger! Danger! I’d use pliers to get the hook out, or get someone else to do it. And what if I thought it was a brook trout, but it was really a catfish! Danger!! I didn’t want to get stung! Those scary whiskers! I’d be better to just never grab any fish at all.

Today I learned (TIL), that catfish have prickly ends to their fins. Hence why they could “sting” you. No, nothing electric or poisonous. And their whiskers are totally harmless. They don’t do anything to you.

Jeff told me to never, ever, confess this revelation to anyone.

But I had to come clean. Now I will not be so hesitant to touch fish.

Update: Apparently, some catfish (like this one found in Canadian waters) have venom on their prickly fins, so I’m going back to my original instinct of never hugging a catfish. Ever.