Sick Looking Fish

[Gone Fishing]

Was able to get out late yesterday afternoon for a few hours around Baxter. Had 9 keepers with 14 fish total. Had a great time. But was more concerned with at least 7 of them with sores on them. They ranged from bloody wounds on there backs and tails to nickel sized spots on there sides and heads. Have saw fish like this before but not this many in a small area.

Just wondering if anyone else in that area has noticed the same thing.

[Tom Spence]

I've been on Table Rock quite a bit this year and haven't had any fish like that. If you keep catching them with the sores you might give the Conservation Dept a yell and see what they think. Sounds like you had a great day though with 9/14 keepers.

[jdmidwest]

I have noticed it alot on the bass around here, esp Largemouth and Kentuckies. I might wonder if the abundance of heron have something to do with it. It is some kind of parasitic worm or fluke.

[Guest kevinkirk]

Might be from sewer or fertilizer burns. We see that here in lakes that are more polluted than yours.

[laker67]

I have noticed it alot on the bass around here, esp Largemouth and Kentuckies. I might wonder if the abundance of heron have something to do with it. It is some kind of parasitic worm or fluke.

jd,

Blue herons and lamprey eels. I'm not 100% sure that it is a lamprey, but it looks similiar.

[Whack'emGood]

That type of stuff got really bad at LOZ a couple of years back. We were catching fish that were covered with sores... and nearly every fish we caught had at least a few on them. I don't think it is really hard on the fish (I hope not)-- just a nuisance for them. We have been catching alot of fish all Summer long on TR and haven't noticed any of that ourselves. Maybe it's just that particular area of the lake that has the problem.

Whack'em

[Guest kevinkirk]

I had a pond for many years in my front yard and the blue herons were hell on the fish. THey would spear them and poke holes clear thru them. You learn to know what that looks like. Not a lesion etc. Poor water quality will cause fish to get worms and lesions too. High dirty water carries lots of parasites, etc.

I had to take measures with the herons.....bout cleaned me out. I mean scare them off..hahha

[laker67]

I

I had to take measures with the herons.....bout cleaned me out. I mean scare them off..hahha

I talked with one of the "private" hatchery owners a few years back. He said that he had a permit from MDC that allowed him to kill 7 blue herons a year, on his property only. He said that he kept losing track of how many he had eliminated and would have to start over on the 7 count. Next time you go by the new brown trout rearing facility, count how many blue herons are standing at the end of the raceways. The raceway itself is covered, but the ends are wide open. I counted 21 at 7:30 last Wed morning.

[Guest kevinkirk]

SEVEN.? I always had trouble keeping track after that amount also. I hated those birds. They were so smart, you could just crack the door and they would fly off and land just out of .......er....range....and then soon as it was quiet, here they would come again. Yes, you can get a permit wherever you live for damage control. They are good fisherman but wound and kill hundreds of fish for every one they get. I needed an alligator in there I think. Dang i hated them. Worked my butt off to have a nice place and they ruined it.

Open season would be an asset to their numbers for sure.

[laker67]

KK,

They are the modern day "Pterodactyl" minus teeth. When you spook one at night, that squall will make the hair on your neck quiver!