What Is This?

[CMAC]

I really hate to post this, but after deep thought I was hoping some biologist might see this and give their opinion. This is a picture of a very sick, nice sized large mouth taken swimming near the surface. I have seen fish with sores, but nothing like this, I won't mention what lake.

Can't get picture to down load, sending to Phil.

[laker67]

I really hate to post this, but after deep thought I was hoping some biologist might see this and give their opinion. This is a picture of a very sick, nice sized large mouth taken swimming near the surface. I have seen fish with sores, but nothing like this, I won't mention what lake.

Can't get picture to down load, sending to Phil.

What you have just described, must be a common, every year happening on LOZ. The few times that I am on the lake for early crappie fishing, I see this almost if not every year for the past twenty or so years. I don't have a clue what it is, but it is always adult bass that I witness in this condition.

[CMAC]

Picture attached!

[Samkam1]

Picture attached!

I know they dump a lot of sewage into LOZ; and the number of failed septic systems around TR is extremely high -- could this be what is causing it?

[Guest]

deleted

[DoveTail]

Maybe an eagle can get a snack (if it doesn't make the bird sick)? Looks like that fish won't recover.

[Fly_Guy]

I was thinking some virus - MDC has an article on Largemouth Bass Virus, which has been confirmed in TR, LOZ, and several other swmo lakes - but LMBV doesn't appear to cause lesions. I would guess a parasite or bacterial infection of some sort. I would net these fish and kill them to avoid it spreading. If it is post tournament stress, they may not recover anyway.