Odd Marked Smallie

[Brinson]

This was caught a few days ago. Has anyone seen markings like this before?

[jtram]

Dunno why they do that, but I have caught  a few like that one. 

[jpb2187]

Yeah caught a few like that. I've heard it's a wintertime thing. Dunno if its from spending lots of time in the deep water or what but I think its just some kind of pigment thing and thats it. 

[JestersHK]

I've seen trout marked up like that too, maybe scarring from an injury when he was a fingerling?  

[fshndoug]

I hope you released it,black lives matter

just kidding

[Brinson]

I don't keep any Smallies. Just a few walleye.

[Quillback]

Seen it plenty of times on cold water largemouth, but I don't think I've ever seen it on a smallie.  The bios say that it is some kind of pigment thing.  Harmless to the fish.

[jdmidwest]

It is a pigment response to a parasite.  The larval stage of a parasite in bird droppings enters the skin and goes thru one stage of its life cycle.  The fish tries to block it off and the pigment of the skin changes.  I see it alot down in TN in both largemouth and smallies.  Normally in summer and early fall.

 

[JestersHK]

Thanks for the info JDM.  Always wondered why some of them have that.