San Diego & SoCal Fishing Forums

Hey All, Just wanted to post a friendly reminder about covering up and using sunscreen, especially you younger guys.

This past Friday I had to have, what was thought to be, a dime sized spot of skin cancer removed from the left side of my forehead. Well once they started to remove it they found that the cancerous tissue went deeper and farther towards the back of my head. By the time they got it all they had to take a 4”x2” section of skin from the side of my skin, all the way down to my skull.

I started out with the surgeon doing the removal and then walked next door to a plastic surgeon for closure of the wound. In her office I actually saw the hole that was left in my head . She was somehow able to avoid having to do a skin graft but left me with a nasty incision and 33 stitches. All told I was “under the knife” for just over 4hrs combined between the two Drs. I was awake during the entirety of both procedures.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, protect yourself from the sun! Being a bit cooler, or getting a nice tan, is NOT worth going through what I just went through!

Skin cancers often go much deeper than skin deep. When I am fishing, I have a thin fabric SPF50 long sleeve shirt on, wide brim hat with flap in the back, half finger fishing gloves and sunscreen for the face and fingers. If you get hot, you can always dip your arms and hat in the water to cool off. Light colored clothes are cooler than dark clothes too.

Sun exposure doesn't usually cause cancer when you are young but catches up with people as they age. It typically takes multiple mutations for a skin cell to become cancerous so it takes time for skin cancers to form in most people.

And it is not just the skin that needs protecting. Protect your eyes with sunglasses.

I am leaving Cabo San Lucas tomorrow. I’ve been here 10 days and have been wearing long sleeve water shirts, full brimmed hat and good Polaroid glasses the whole time. I was pretty religious about applying sunscreen, but missed reapplying 1st day and cooked my face. Dermatologist is not going to be happy with me when I see her on Tuesday for 1 of 3 Mohs surgeries I have scheduled this month, for squamous cell carcinomas on my leg. I haven’t been good when younger about sun protection, but am now, having had a dozen skin cancer surgeries under my belt. So do your best to protect yourself guys, you don’t want to end up up like Moose and me…
Butch

+1 on protecting yourself everyone. I was diagnosed with Gorlin Syndrome 8-9 years ago which is a disease that basically guarantees the development of an abnormal amount of BCCs throughout one's life. Not ideal for someone who already spent their young life incinerating their skin.

I've had 15-20 BCCs removed in <10 years. It's time consuming and very unpleasant but a necessary part of my life to make sure I haven't developed any squamos cell carcinomas. Sunscreen has never been easier, just give yourself a quick spray every trip. Mine is by my bag in my car so I can never forget to use it.

About 20 years ago, I began wearing sun gaiters/face shields because I found myself in sunny conditions a lot, and sun screen on the face was a losing proposition as it had to be constantly reapplied and sun screen in the eyes is as fun as a kick to the balls. At the same time, I had adopted SPF enhanced clothing as well. I'd get the, "Damn, aren't you hot in that hoody?"

I found Simms gear back then for some reason, fly fisherman were already covering up, probably due to the flats fly fisherman that are getting pounded by the sun relentlessly and their influence on specialized gear, including face coverings.

The funniest part? My bass fishing friends would make fun.

"You a ninja?"

"You robbing a bank?"

"Who you hiding from?"

About a decade later, everyone was doing it. Then their gentle ribbing changed to

"Oh, look at you, so trendy."

"Copy cat."

"You're doing it because everyone is doing it.

etc.

So I've been covering up most of my body, and wearing sunglasses for over 2 decades. There's no reason not to.

Between all the fishing I have done, coaching for years, working outdoors and then shaving my head for the past 20yrs, I was always just too damn stubborn to use sunscreen. I am half Portuguese and have always had darker skin. If I did get sunburned it would be tan the next day so I always figured,like an idiot, eh I don’t need sunscreen. BIG MISTAKE!

By the time I got over myself and started using it, the damage was done. This was the second Mohs procedure I’ve had done. It is NOT fun at all!

The most effective sun protection is SPF50 or above is clothing although I prefer sunscreen for the face myself. But a Buff (face and neck gaiter) is even better. If you find a Buff constricts your breathing, then try a bracket like https://www.amazon.com/Internal-Comfort ... r=8-7&th=1 .

Examples of face protection: https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/search- ... protection

I am 71 and have yet to get any skin cancer even though being fair skinned and outdoors a lot between fishing, biking and hiking. Sunscreen, hats and SPF50 clothing work.

Ruined all my nice sun gear with all the bloody saltwater fishing I've done in the past year and this stuff has been a great inexpensive replacement:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C27FDZSV?re ... th=1&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F8VHN2RJ?re ... th=1&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0FBW ... KCZY&psc=1

Just picked up 4 more short sleeves, 2 long sleeves and a hoodie for $82 by getting the colors that were on sale. White is a cool color because you can wreck it then bleach it.

9 surgeries, mostly basel cell. A few squamous. I asked my dermatologist what I could do to stop this. He said, "nothing, the damage was done decades ago". Which is weird because I have never been a sun worshipper.

So this warning is mostly to the youth...who won't listen anyway!

Including the 3 surgeries to be done this month, it will be 15 skin surgeries for me..
11-Squamous cell
1-Basel
1- AIMP
1- Opening of previous squamous surgery because of infection
1- An infected cyst..
And as Fisheromen stated, this is mostly from bad behavior as a younger man.. Me.. Oddly 3- of the squamous cell were on my upper thighs that really never see much sun... The Dr. said that happens sometimes when you have issues on that same limb... Most, but not all of the problems are on my legs, followed up by my neck and chest... None on my back or face/head, which I find odd, but am happy about... So guys... Cover up
Butch

Fisheromen wrote: Sat Sep 13, 2025 7:45 pm 9 surgeries, mostly basel cell. A few squamous. I asked my dermatologist what I could do to stop this. He said, "nothing, the damage was done decades ago". Which is weird because I have never been a sun worshipper.

So this warning is mostly to the youth...who won't listen anyway!

Depends on the youth. My kids were good about wearing sunscreen, all it took was one bad sunburn.

There are some old geezers who won't listen either.
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/art ... 29164.html

Weird how some people won't admit UV causes cancer but believe cell phones, Wi-Fi, power lines, vaccines, etcetera do.

Just saw: https://www.npr.org/2025/09/17/nx-s1-55 ... ay-benefit

I wonder how taking b3 would affect all your Rona boosters, you may go into shock

As Moose said "Kind of graphic"
2 down, one to go... Right shin... Gonna mess with my surf fishing for a bit..
Butch

Getting old sucks

Nelson 1 wrote: Thu Sep 18, 2025 11:36 am Getting old sucks

That looks almost like someone sucker-punched you.. I still think Moose has us beat…
Butch

Midnightpass wrote: Thu Sep 18, 2025 12:48 pm

Nelson 1 wrote: Thu Sep 18, 2025 11:36 am Getting old sucks

That looks almost like someone sucker-punched you.. I still think Moose has us beat…
Butch

You are correct about that he did have it worse. Right on the bone. At least I had a little fat underneath my skin to work with. And the first month everywhere I went I had explained to people that I did not get in a fight. Although I always thought about thinking of a good story.

Nelson 1 wrote: Fri Sep 19, 2025 8:40 am

Midnightpass wrote: Thu Sep 18, 2025 12:48 pm

Nelson 1 wrote: Thu Sep 18, 2025 11:36 am Getting old sucks

That looks almost like someone sucker-punched you.. I still think Moose has us beat…
Butch

You are correct about that he did have it worse. Right on the bone. At least I had a little fat underneath my skin to work with. And the first month everywhere I went I had explained to people that I did not get in a fight. Although I always thought about thinking of a good story.

Scars are always better stories than tattoos…. ……
Butch