Walleye Parasite ???

[Traveling Circus]

We got some Erie eyes this past weekend that had small (1/8" - 1/2"),  whiteish/clear, wormlike (or leechlike) parasites attached to both sides of the tail, and behind each pectoral and pelvic fins..... The fish appeared healthy otherwise, and the flesh was normal. Some of the fish had as many as 100 of these hitchhikers............Any Ideas on what they were?

Edited June 11, 2018 by Traveling Circus

[JakeyBaby]

We did Erie also yesterday, but luckily none of our fish had what you described.

[whaler1]

sea lice?

[Traveling Circus]

added a pic.

[whaler1]

Sea lice.


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[reeleyz]

I had something similar on a couple of eyes from the SLR last year. They could be anchor worms.

[jigstick]

Which harbor where you fishing out of?

[lenapelee]

 These are parasitic copepods Not sure of  species.

check out below link.

 

http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/what_are_those_parasites_on_my_trout_kinnunen16

[Traveling Circus]

21 minutes ago, jigstick said:

Which harbor where you fishing out of?

sturgeon point, but the fish were much closer to the SBH.

[bosco]

Sorry to scare anyone on western Ontario or the St. Lawrence but I saw these on a Walleye we caught on a charter near Ogdensburg this past weekend. I pointed them out to the captain and he said he hadn't seen them before. The only reason I thought to even look for them was because of this thread (and I told him as much....that they'd been reported out of Erie). I wonder how far and wide the problem is. If I ever get a keeper this year on Irondequoit Bay, I'll certainly look for them there as well.

[Traveling Circus]

I've checked in the neighborhood of 40 more LE walleye(legal and shorts) since the original post and never seen another affected fish...... 

[longspurs]

Got a couple nice catfish from Long pond with the same grub on them. Not all had them just a couple. Must be getting them from the bottom.

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