Big head, Little body

[Lincoln]

I want to put this out there and see who might have had similar catches recently...

I got out to the tailwater yesterday and fished for a few hours. I caught fish, but they weren't pulling me in. Over the course of the day, I caught two rainbows whose heads were far out of proportion to their body size. Both had the head of a 15-16" fish but probably only measured 11". I've been fishing Taney for many years and had never caught a fish like that before. Very strange. I wish I had a camera.

Please post your comments...

[Gavin]

Dont know...most of the fish in taney look pretty healthy. It sounds like the fish you caught had some type of physical problem and made it out of the hatchery anyway. Cheers.

[bubbaray]

Several years back I fished a small pond at Tom Sawk mountain by the conservation cabin (thats how I got to fish there because I new the agent)these bass were the funniest things you ever saw. They had 2 pound heads and half pound bodies. He said it was because the lake was over populated becuase no one was allowed to fish there. It was lots of fun it didn't matter what you thew you would get a fish every cast.

[Bill Babler]

I have caught a few fish like this is the past, I think most had been preveiously caught and deep hooked. I think they still could absorb from their food to survive but just couldn't promote body growth, I will ask the biologist what he thinks and get back with you.

I believe the head is the accual size and it has not grown, but the body has deminished since the trama or what ever. I don't believe the river is over stocked, quite the contrary.

[gonefishin]

Maybe a genectic engineering mistake. Cross between bighead carp and rainbows

Seriously I dont know but I do agree with Bill...Taney is not even close to being overstocked. Stocking rates for the year are way down.

[MTM]

I believe that you see a little of that on most streams. I know I have seen fish like that on the Yellwostone, Madison, Missouri and other streams out here. I think there are some that are just unhealthy and never grow there bodys like a normal fish does. At least I can tell you for sure it is a case of there being other fish like that across this country. I know of a fish that was caught here in the Yellowstone and there is a picture of it in Dan Baileys fly shop that was about 7 lb's with a head on it that belonged to a much larger fish. I would say about 12 lbs or so. Mother nature ain't she different. LOL Ron

[Arkie Farmer]

This one was a bit like that... It had the length, but not as much weight as you'd expect.

[Bill Babler]

Great photo Arkie. Thats being Johnny on the Spot.

[Arkie Farmer]

Thanks. I've got a shot of him in the livewell that shows his disproportionate appearance a bit better... somewhere

[Terry Beeson]

I wanted to get some information from some other guys I know before putting my two cents worth in.

There are several reasons this could occur in a trout:

Overpopulation (not likely in this case)

Lack of sufficient food (even less likely, I assume)

Parasites (a possibility)

Deep hooking (very likely)

Didymo (?)

Whirling disease (Let's hope not...)

Other disease

Not being that familiar (yet) with Taney, my guess would be deep hooking a fish that breaks off is not "uncommon" here. But then again, some parasites are not that uncommon this time of year either.

I'd like to hear from a MDC biologist on this one as well.