Red Worms In The Flesh of Crappie

[mermentau]

I was up in Nezpique today (caught 10) and noticed that I've been seeing quite a few fish with red worms in the flesh. I'm wondering if anyone knows about those critters. I just carve them out.

It doesn't look to me to be the same worm that you find in brackish water. It's been years, but aren't they white.

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[fishervet]

roundworms.....cook properly and enjoy...bon appetite..

[Shallow Runner]

Mermentau, I asked this question to a biologist @ LSU ag center. The water birds cranes etc. leave waste behind in which the small baitfish eat. The sacalait in turn eat the baitfish. The worm starts in the bird and ends up in the fish. I also was told just cut it out, cook you're meat thoroughly and you're good to go.

[Micropterus salmoides]

Don't cut, just pull.

[mermentau]

Mermentau, I asked this question to a biologist @ LSU ag center. The water birds cranes etc. leave waste behind in which the small baitfish eat. The sacalait in turn eat the baitfish. The worm starts in the bird and ends up in the fish. I also was told just cut it out, cook you're meat thoroughly and you're good to go.

I don't have a problem dealing with them, but it looks bad for the fish. They often have a blood spot on the exterior side of the fish that goes with the worm in the meat. I say in the meat, but now that I think about it they might just be on the wall of the gut cavity. fishervet probably going to laugh at my biological terminology.

[saute86]

Like this one.I found 4 in my last catch. I soak my filets in cold water for a few minutes and they will come out on there own.

[Duck Butter]

If you really get to looking they seem to be in the majority of the guts. Never really seen any parasites in the flesh of crappie that I can remember, BUT in speckled trout it seems like over half of them have some sort of 'worms' in the meat. I always pull em out before cooking and never let the wife see me do it or she ain't gonna eat em.