Yellow perchin Feb 7

Made my maiden trip out for yellow perch on Sunday for a few hours. Arrived at low tide on the upper Choptank trib. Immediately began catching perch sometime two at a time. Most were small males 6-9 inches which were released. When the tide began moving in we had a short flurry of nice fat females from 10-11.5 inches. I lost a few more keeper size while lifting out of the water without a net. I kept 3 for a latter fish fry. Upon filleting them, 2 out of the 3 fish had those nasty red coiled worms. I am a little reluctant to fish there again and plan on crappie fishing next time out. It was nice getting out with an otter seen three times Sunday. Made it back to see all of the Super Bowl.

I have seen that parasite in crappie filets. I just cut them out. After researching I found out that most fish caught and sold commercially have parasites but they are cut out of the meat long before the consumer sees them. How many were in each filet, one or two, or are we talking 20 or 30?

Those worms have an amazing life cycle. Totally harmless.
http://www.kentuckyangling.com/magaz...ife_cycle2.jpg

Capt Mike

Zippy, I saw and cut out 2-3 large coiled red worms per fillet. The resulting fillet was not pretty but I do plan to fry them up and eat them since I don't believe that they are harmful and don't believe in waste. I froze them because I believe that that also will kill any additional ones I can't see.

How large were they? The ones I have seen are about the diameter 30 pound test fishing line and when in a coil its about 1/4 across. I have had days where a few of my fish had them and then most days where none of the fish have them. Capt. Mike thanks for that information, thats really interesting.

Zippy, they were like 30 pound braid line. I didn't stretch them out from the coil but if I did I am sure that they were over an inch each. I have caught many yellow perch over my life time and I have found that over the years that these red worms are in fish when there has been a lot of vegetation (maybe snails consumed there) and suspected poor water quality. Although it seems many times the red worms will be in the flesh near the guts they are also found in the back area and tail areas. Sometimes I can see the worm in the live fish maybe under the scales.

I ve noticed that crappie have them more then other fish and Ive never had them in non tidal crappie only tidal crappie .

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Originally Posted by tear-em-up

I ve noticed that crappie have them more then other fish and Ive never had them in non tidal crappie only tidal crappie .

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Same here Tear. Most of them are in the belly area. I have caught a couple of fish that had then running through an eye.

I did catch some yp in a small pound that have had some parasite that looked like pepper all through the meat.