[Ted]

I caught a trout, just off the Mactaquac head pond yesterday. When cleaning it, I found that it was full of these inch and a half long skinny worms that were alive and moving around. The flesh of the trout was mushy, and you could see where they were eating away at the guts of the fish.

A google search didnt turn up anything usefull. Does anyone have any info on this, as Ive not seen this before...

 

[Bull's Eye]

I have caught very large brookies in a lake 3-4 years ago that were full of those worms. I didn't want to chance it either, not knowing if this was a common occurence or a really bad parasite....sure didn't want these white little bastards in my innards, so I didn't eat the fish.

Any info, I 'd be interested as well....

 

[Ted]

Thanks for the come-back, Bullseye.

I just got a tip from someone that when streams are running low and start to warm up, to not bother fishing for trout in dead water like a beaver pond(where I caught the trout in question). Stick to fast running water. Trout in these dead water areas are prone to worms, I hear. The fall is also bad for worms in trout.

Again, this is hear-say, but it sounds about right.

 

[pond jumper]

If the worms were in the stomach and not in the meat fish should be ok, just a gut parasite, its teh ones that are inbedded in the flesh that you gotta watch out for

 

[Dragon]

I know the Atlantic Cod are affected by lots of white worms in the flesh but that mainly comes from the fish eating food that is mixed up with seal feces. If you catch cod where the water is really cold(like Nfld.) the cod won't have any worms. Also later in the year when the red tide is on (algae bloom), if you catch mackerel there stomachs will rot out of them in no time. The acid burns through their stomach and guts.

 

[Infidel]

I caught a trout, just off the Mactaquac head pond yesterday. When cleaning it, I found that it was full of these inch and a half long skinny worms that were alive and moving around. The flesh of the trout was mushy, and you could see where they were eating away at the guts of the fish.

A google search didnt turn up anything usefull. Does anyone have any info on this, as Ive not seen this before...

As a former resident of Northern Maine, we have seen this in all species of fish, from Landlocked Salmon, Brookies, Smelt, Cusk, Carp,Catfish,Lake Trout, Splake even Yellow Perch. We first noticed it in the early eighties and it has never gone away. It is worse in some years than others with some fish not being very appealing to eat. You can even see them in the flesh of the fish before you even catch them, especially if you are fishing during the day with the windows blocked in the shack. It will appear as an almost fluorescent white spot in the fish flesh when you watch them swimming around. We never had those issues until the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife started to allow bait fish that were not native to a particular lake to be used. When the "Pin Smelt" craze hit in the early eighties is when we started seeing the worm issues. It seems to be a parasite thats pretty rugged and transmits itself from species to species through mainly ingestion, but is also water borne. I have never heard of anyone getting sick from eating cooked fish infected with the worms, but I'm certain those people have a much stronger stomach that I do, thats for sure.

 

[ipop]

these sound like yellow fat worms. a real problem in pickeral and yellow perch, i don't often see them in trout. it seems to be related to water temperature: warm = wormy!
then, it's numbers are also affected by shallow water: deep = good!
they are not a problem in cooked fish, the worms are called "fat" worms because they cook out and become just fat (you know, like the gross worms people eat in the jungle...?!) they often show right through the skin around the head.
if there is only a few, i pick them out. if it's full of them, it's garbage. if i'm filletting the fish, after i take the skin off, i "candle" the clean fillette. to do this, it's just like your grand mothers used to do for eggs (to see if the roster got to it first and fertized it!) - hold it up to a strong light. these parasites are clearly visible by doing this, although you need to check both sides (you also catch any scales that got on the meat). if you see any just use a knife to cut down to the worm, then use the tip to pull out the whole worm.

a nasty parasite, still, i prefer them to "bird shot" parasites - they are hard on the teeth!!!

ps; if you see some bird shot parasites in the flesh ( bird shot or smaller black/dark brown round hard shells) there are a lot more you can't see. again they are fine if you full cook your fish...but i will not eat it - to crunchy!!!

 

[Well Hooked]

I've been fishing trout off and on in NB for over forty years and have never seen the worms you're referring to. I hope this won't become a growing concern and a further threat to the population. Any idea on whether this worm is specific to certain areas or province-wide?

 

[ipop]

i've seen them in the St. John river and it's tributaries and most of southern nb's lakes...so far.

 

[nashwaaker]

I have seen these worms in trout and partridge at different times. Years ago, a provincial biologist told me that the worms are only in the gut and won't harm you.