# Warning to bank and wade fishermen



## Cats1967 (May 25, 2017)

Thought this would be a good time to introduce myself. My name is Phil. I joined the site in May and took up creek fishing this summer. I live in Pickerington so I have been targeting Big Walnut and Blacklick. Just this past month I have started having success with Smallmouth mainly in Big Walnut. My warning is I went out this morning to Big Walnut to fish a favorite spot that I usually get to through the water but after the rain it was a little too high for my liking and tried to get there through the woods. I ended up stepping on a ground hornets nest and before I knew it they were all over me. I was stung almost 100 times on my back shoulders arms head and face. I called my wife and she called 911 because I had no idea if I was allergic. The police and squad came and took me to Mt. Carmel East. I just got home and in alot of pain right now. When I go out fishing I keep in mind all of the dangers. Wild animals slips and falls drowning and strange individuals but never thought of something like this. Runnng into a hornets nest never crossed my mind. If I was allergic I would have died out there. Maybe it is my own ignorance but I thought I would post this to warn others who may not think of this danger. Not too many things scare me but I have to admit I am afraid to go in the woods now. I sure this fear will pass. Didn't catch anything


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## kingfisher72 (May 14, 2016)

That's horrible. Glad to hear you are on the mend.


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

yes good reminder for all. glad your okay


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## 21938 (Feb 17, 2010)

Glad you came through it ok too Cats. We found 3 nests on our property this year that we had to deal with. I've kept my eyes peeled while mowing since August. I'm not allergic either but those little bugger stings are painful... couldn't imagine a hundred. Again, glad you're ok.


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

Glad you're okay as well. Thank you for the reminder.


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## n-strut (Apr 14, 2010)

Glad your ok. I had something similar happen years ago at Alum Creek about this time of year. I’m always on the lookout for them nasty things. I frequent the BW a lot if ya ever want to tag along.


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## dbortolani (Jun 1, 2016)

I know it well. I was fly fishing on a trout stream outside of Baltimore while I was there for my son's summer lacrosse tournament. Walking a creek path, I stepped on a log and out they came. I was fortunate that I was able to jump into a deeper pool in the stream and after going under a few times they left. Only a few stings. Nobody knew where I was and my cell phone was in my car so I was lucky. Hope you feel better.


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## cane pole (Nov 27, 2011)

Cats1967 said:


> Thought this would be a good time to introduce myself. My name is Phil. I joined the site in May and took up creek fishing this summer. I live in Pickerington so I have been targeting Big Walnut and Blacklick. Just this past month I have started having success with Smallmouth mainly in Big Walnut. My warning is I went out this morning to Big Walnut to fish a favorite spot that I usually get to through the water but after the rain it was a little too high for my liking and tried to get there through the woods. I ended up stepping on a ground hornets nest and before I knew it they were all over me. I was stung almost 100 times on my back shoulders arms head and face. I called my wife and she called 911 because I had no idea if I was allergic. The police and squad came and took me to Mt. Carmel East. I just got home and in alot of pain right now. When I go out fishing I keep in mind all of the dangers. Wild animals slips and falls drowning and strange individuals but never thought of something like this. Runnng into a hornets nest never crossed my mind. If I was allergic I would have died out there. Maybe it is my own ignorance but I thought I would post this to warn others who may not think of this danger. Not too many things scare me but I have to admit I am afraid to go in the woods now. I sure this fear will pass. Didn't catch anything


Cats really glad your ok. That's one of my biggest fears bee's. When I'm mowing, or just out. I got stung when I was a kid, and ur right I'm sure you will get over it, but you'll never forget that experience. Glad you're ok, be careful.


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## Cats1967 (May 25, 2017)

Thanks for the replys. My head hurts and I have the feel of needles and a bad sunburn all over my upper body and face. After I recover I need to check my waders I know there is damage from running through the brush.


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

Glad you’re okay!!


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## Lightweight (Jun 3, 2014)

I hope I never run into that problem! And that’s never crossed my mind, thanks for sharing and glad you’re OK!


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## polebender (Oct 29, 2011)

Good to hear you’re alright! I ran over a yellow jackets nest with my mowing tractor a few years back and got stung multiple times! Not as many as you but they still got me pretty good! They come out of the ground and are all over you before you realize what’s happening!


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## basser53 (May 14, 2005)

Cats,Welcome to OGF. Thanks for the reminder.I got nailed last year before deer season trimming shooting lanes.Got hit about 25 times on head,ear, neck.Very painful.My buddy with me said" Ezekial Elliott couldn't have anything on you Running away"


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## FOSR (Apr 16, 2008)

Been there too while groundskeeping at OSU and Ohio Dominican, and clearing brush at friends' places. Sometimes there's no clue other than a hole in the ground, the size of a quarter. Suddenly the air becomes peppery.


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## Cats1967 (May 25, 2017)

Starting to feel better still some swelling but very itchy all over. Took today and tomorrow off from work. I had to work through the woods to get to that area so when the attack happened I had no clear path to get out. Best part is I didn't drop any of my fishing gear. Wasn't about to leave my brand new Pflueger President reel and tackle bag in the woods. Wife thought I was nuts


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## Whaler (Nov 16, 2004)

That would have killed my nephew. He has to carry an Epi Pen in case of a bee sting of any kind .


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## FOSR (Apr 16, 2008)

I have a major allergy to them, too. I get what looks like a giant mosquito bite, and extreme itching with swelling for several inches around it. If that ever happens in my throat I'll need a tube in my throat very soon.


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## devans1986 (Apr 25, 2013)

Deazl666 said:


> Glad you’re okay!!


This sounds like something that would happen to you! Watch your steps.


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## devans1986 (Apr 25, 2013)

Hope you feel better soon cats.


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## steven kovach (Sep 24, 2014)

Cats1967 said:


> Thought this would be a good time to introduce myself. My name is Phil. I joined the site in May and took up creek fishing this summer. I live in Pickerington so I have been targeting Big Walnut and Blacklick. Just this past month I have started having success with Smallmouth mainly in Big Walnut. My warning is I went out this morning to Big Walnut to fish a favorite spot that I usually get to through the water but after the rain it was a little too high for my liking and tried to get there through the woods. I ended up stepping on a ground hornets nest and before I knew it they were all over me. I was stung almost 100 times on my back shoulders arms head and face. I called my wife and she called 911 because I had no idea if I was allergic. The police and squad came and took me to Mt. Carmel East. I just got home and in alot of pain right now. When I go out fishing I keep in mind all of the dangers. Wild animals slips and falls drowning and strange individuals but never thought of something like this. Runnng into a hornets nest never crossed my mind. If I was allergic I would have died out there. Maybe it is my own ignorance but I thought I would post this to warn others who may not think of this danger. Not too many things scare me but I have to admit I am afraid to go in the woods now. I sure this fear will pass. Didn't catch anything


Wow glad u ok. I've been hit by them not fun at all but 100 times u r lucky to get out but they r hard to detect until your on them then it's to late


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## Cats1967 (May 25, 2017)

Thanks for all the well wishes. Doing much better and went back to work today. Ive been told that if your stung multiple times it can lower your body's defense against a sting in the future so I'm making an appointment with my doc to see if I need to take any precautions


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## bruce (Feb 10, 2007)

I see an epi pen in your bag , your car and home.


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## FOSR (Apr 16, 2008)

My first experience with yellowjackets was around age 12, climbing around on a pile of junk. There must have been a nest in there because suddenly they were everywhere. I ran for a little above-ground pool and dove in headlong, and stayed down as much as possible until things cooled down. I got maybe 20 stings.

To this day I'll mess with old junk piles only in winter.


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## ironman172 (Apr 12, 2009)

Lucky for you, I couldn't imagine that, Ihad one just out side my cabin porch beside a small walk bridge appeared there in a week or 2.....luckily noticed it before we or the dogs got attacked.....2 cans of hornet spray that night filled the cupped entrance and the ones in there.never had a chance....the few stragglers that didn't make it back that night weren't happy the next day.....gone for the last so many years.....another reason I don't go into the woods during warmer times of the year.....glad your alright and thanks for the heads up.....for the early deer hunters watch what might be lurking in your stands if you leave them out like I do


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## chrisrf815 (Jul 6, 2014)

Glad you are ok, that sounds like a rough time. 
I had a run in with some hornets or wasps not sure, only they were up in a tree. My buddy and I were fishing a cove on mosquito lake, when i got my buzzbait snagged high up in a tree, took a risky very long cast. Then I started yanking on the buzzbait repeatedly trying to get it out of the tree. Next thing we heard was a very loud buzzing noise. We looked up and there were hundreds of yellow jackets coming for us. I put the trolling motor on full blast and some how got out of tbe cove with no stings. We still tell the story to this day. Just something else to look out for.


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## Cats1967 (May 25, 2017)

Now that my swelling has gone down I can see the sting marks. Just on my arms I counted 32 stings not including my back shoulders and head


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## matticito (Jul 17, 2012)

Glad you're not allergic! I feel your pain! I got into some in '15. I was walking along the Cuyahoga valley railroad to fish a spot only accessible along the railroad. I walk on the tracks just because it's easy. The train doesn't move all that fast, and you can feel and hear it coming and the conductor blows his horn. I always move well off the tracks when he is coming. 

This one time, I'm returning to my car after catching nothing. I let the train pass. I return to the tracks to finish walking back. 

Yellow jackets in the timbers don't like passing trains! I didn't know what hit me. I started trying to put run them and tripped, straining my ankle and rolling on the tracks. Finally I hopped off and far enough away to escape them. 

I yelled back to my wife to move away from that spot. She got only 1 sting and I had a dozen or more. The ankle was worse. It was getting near dark 830pm and the conductor came down to see if I caught anything. He sent for help which was appreciated. I couldn't walk out of there.


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## FOSR (Apr 16, 2008)

Hm, I suppose the railroad guys probably have some stories about discovering yellowjacket nests in rolling stock.


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## Rick L Roop (Nov 15, 2017)

Thanks for the heads up


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## dcool (Apr 14, 2004)

I feel your pain and am glad you came out okay. Had a similar incident while mowing my yard. i mow every week and never had a problem until early fall. I mowed the front yard and then mowed the back. As i was coming back around the front yard to put mower away i got hit 15 times on the top of my head(bald head). Got to checking later and found a quarter size hole in the ground in my front yard that was full of those ground hornets. Went out late that night and filled the hole with sevin and that took care of the problem. Will check yard good next year.


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## Lazy 8 (May 21, 2010)

Hey Cat, did they look like these?
https://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/fs040/

We had a unique situation growing up where we had sandy soil transitioning into clay. We had lots of the Sand Hornets. One time as a teenager, I was barefoot with posthole diggers and a spudbar, digged a rotted locust fence post out of the ground and unknowingly, I hit a nest of the suckers. I was stung twice on the bottom of my foot. I had a hard time walking.
All this while we had 20 some hives of honey bees in the lower lot. But I'll tell you, a sting by a honey bee ain't chit like one by a Sand Hornet.

Cat, I can't even imagine what you're going through.


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## Snyd (May 5, 2004)

Good Reminder - Glad you are ok -I have step on one myself but its been at least 20 years ago.


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## Cats1967 (May 25, 2017)

Lazy8 those look nasty! Fully recovered and can’t wait for next spring


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