sick fish

[Okiedog]

FYI and for what its worth, seen a 3lb bass the other day in long creek that was one sick puppy. He was drifting about a foot below the surface with his head slightly down, has a lot of white looking noduals growing on him and he himself was real dark, almost looked black. At first I thought it was a sick catfish it was so dark.

hopefully its nothing but I havent seen that too many times, didnt seam right.

[LWW]

For the last few months, quite a few, but not all of the fish I am catching have numerous wounds along the sides of there bodies. My friend visiting two weeks ago asked me why all of the fish he was catching had the these wounds. I told him it was probably from hooks on a spook or other baits that had hooked the fish and would heal. As I continue to find similar wounds on other LM and Spots, it makes me wonder. Has anyone else noticed these wounds on their fish?

Here's a photo of what I'm talking about.

[Hunter91]

I have been catching a lot of fish with raw spots on their sides or in their mouths or parts of lips missing. I have been fishing around the Kimberling area and just assumed these were tournament caught fish that had been released in the past couple weeks. They all fought well and seemed healthy except for whatever wound they had.

[Sam]

I've caught several big crappies and a couple of white bass this year on the Long Creek arm with the same kind of wound (lesion?) on their side.

That makes me think those marks on the bass aren't from treble-hook lures or from being caught before. Crappies usually wouldn't be biting on those kind of lures, and big crappies don't often get "caught and released" anyway.

Whatever it is, in cleaning the fish I've found the mark goes about 1/2" into the meat. It makes a dark-red inflamed area that I've been careful to cut out of the filet. I haven't seen a worm or anything in those places.

I sure hope this isn't from disease, parasites, or pollution.

[MOBass]

Thankfully all of the fish I have caught this year have been clean and healthy. I haven't been down in a couple of weeks though. I'll be fishing from Indian to the 86 bridge Thursday and might go back on Saturday. I'll try to rember the camera in case I find any sick ones.

[Kicknbass]

I have been catching a lot of fish with raw spots on their sides or in their mouths or parts of lips missing. I have been fishing around the Kimberling area and just assumed these were tournament caught fish that had been released in the past couple weeks. They all fought well and seemed healthy except for whatever wound they had.

Could these scars be from spawning? I believe bass do rub raw spots on their lips, sides and tails making and protecting nest. What I hear being discribed appears to be more than spawing scars, though the timing is right for this theroy?

Just a thought.