AJ's mom, Wendy Campione, said he had a big gash on his leg when he got out of the water.

Boy receives 16 stitches after being bitten by fish in lake

A 10-year-old Franklin boy got 16 stitches after he was bit by a fish in Dodge County.It happened last month at Fox Lake."It was like a big grab, and it sucked on me," AJ Campione said. "I screamed 'I've been bit!'"AJ's mom, Wendy Campione, said he had a big gash on his leg when he got out of the water."I swam back, crying," he said.That's when his mom said she knew he had to go to the hospital."When I got into the boat, I was just bleeding everywhere," AJ said.Campione said she wanted to know what kind of fish could bite like that.She asked nurses who told her fish don't bite.But after doing her own research, Campione said she thought it could have been a musky.Great Lakes Fishery Supervisor Brad Eggold said a musky biting a human is extremely rare.Muskies are ambush fish, and they sit and wait for prey to come to them.In this case, it was AJ's foot -- likely a case of mistaken identity.Eggold said he does not believe this is a trend and that swimming in area lakes should be considered relatively safe.

A 10-year-old Franklin boy got 16 stitches after he was bit by a fish in Dodge County.

It happened last month at Fox Lake.


"It was like a big grab, and it sucked on me," AJ Campione said. "I screamed 'I've been bit!'"

AJ's mom, Wendy Campione, said he had a big gash on his leg when he got out of the water.

"I swam back, crying," he said.

That's when his mom said she knew he had to go to the hospital.

"When I got into the boat, I was just bleeding everywhere," AJ said.

Campione said she wanted to know what kind of fish could bite like that.

She asked nurses who told her fish don't bite.

But after doing her own research, Campione said she thought it could have been a musky.

Great Lakes Fishery Supervisor Brad Eggold said a musky biting a human is extremely rare.

Muskies are ambush fish, and they sit and wait for prey to come to them.

In this case, it was AJ's foot -- likely a case of mistaken identity.

Eggold said he does not believe this is a trend and that swimming in area lakes should be considered relatively safe.