Fishing Victoria Forum

Hmm, there's something odd about this story. Yes, sea lice will strip a flesh bait in no time, but has this sort of thing ever happened to anyone before? They are super common in Port Phillip Bay - if they were a problem, wouldn't some of our flounder fishers have reported this kind of issue? Some beaches are commonly covered in these things, but do they really attack humans in this way? Interesting if so.

it looks bad because of the blood but it's nothing but minor skin deep bites

he probably had an open wound somewhere maybe and that triggered them to feed on him??

Just another reason not to go in the water,

purple5ive wrote:he probably had an open wound somewhere maybe and that triggered them to feed on him??

That's what I was thinking. Or he had just removed his shoes and socks and the skin was soft enough for them to bite through.

I've had them chew on my feet and legs when fishing from the beach at Cleeland Bight, usually on a full-moon (strangely?).

Their bites itch a bit, but I've never had them draw that much blood, just the odd spec...

Mike.

Full moon is when they go nuts. Commercial shark fishers have to get their gear out of the water as soon as the moon comes up. Otherwise all they get is eaten fish. It said he stood in the water for half an hour. With the cold water he wouldn't feel them getting into him. All I can say is lucky he wasn't skinny dipping

Geezus, if they are the same sea lice as the ones from Queenscliff then i wouldnt be surprised. Had a silver whiting on a squid prong too deep few times there and when i inspected the bait there was literaly bones and dozens of these creepy lice things falling off it like in scary movies. I only know of 2 types of lice, the greeny onesnthat are flat n hang on seaweeds and the ones from queenscliff that are more like maggots and slice through bait like silverfish through cloths. Getting chills from this

Apparently they were sea fleas, not sea lice. So that should make everyone feel a bit better ...

They had a marine biologist on the radio who said that bites aren't uncommon but most people flick them off when they feel the bite. This bloke was standing still and had no feeling in his legs due to the cold so he didn't realise he was getting bitten and do something about it.