why do trout get sores on them, if so , can you still eat them....

why do trout get sores on them, if so , can you still eat them....

Hey Loui, Nice to hear to bite is picking back up. We almost made it up there Sunday but the house remodel kind of got in the way. I hoping maybe next weekend. You said you caught fish using jigs. What style did ya throw at em? Did you have the chance to throw a B-2 at them? Thanks for the great report.

Hello fishing_pro61 , There are others more qualified to answer this, but in my experience trout get "sores" on them from an injury of some type. Sometimes in the hatcheries, and during transportation the fish can sustain injuries that aren't fatal, and will sometimes get infected Hence a sore is noticed. In most trout waters, the Osprey prey upon the trout, and sometimes the Osprey will make a "Near" catch, and the fish will have talon marks (cuts or punctures) from the encounter. Up at Rufus, I've noticed mink and river otter in the system. Both these lil critter can inflict wounds on the trout, although the mink doesn't usually target fish as a general rule, they can catch the smaller ones on occassion. There are also some parasitic organisms which can cause sores, but I'm not versed in those. Also I think when the trout are caught, netted, rolled around in the bottom of the boat (or shore), then pics taken, and then the fish is tossed back in the water that they sustain a loss of the protective "slime" layer, and that could possibly open the door to infection. But that is speculation on my part. As for eating them, I don't because the fish's immune system is worknig to overcome any "Possible" infection, and any contamination from the "sore" can be systemic. IS it safe to eat them, That is a question someone with more information than me should answer. Maybe some one else will chime in with more info. I usually C&R and if the fish is hooked in a manner to make survival doubtful (read the regs), then the fish is to be counted as part of the limt whether retained or not.
Hope this is helpful, or at least gives thought to more detailed questions.

Hey BigD, yep I did toss the B-2, just forgot to include in in the line up. But I didn't get any bites on it this trip. Will have to make a trip up to the pen area soon. 1/16 - 1/8 oz jigheads tiped with plastic minnow and grub immitations, and black marabou. fished with stop and go retreive and twitches along the way. Most hits were as the lures were falling.
Take care, off to the grind for another day of work.

fishing_pro61, blufin loui on post # 4 pretty much answered your question. I'll add a little to it though. Common since dictates a little about how bad the sores are and should you eat it. If it is a small sore, then it probably is not a concern and you can indeed eat it - consider this an in grown toe nail on you, not going to impact the rest of your body, but not fun either. On the other hand, if the fish looks like the sore(s) are pretty extensive, it is probably best to release it. My observations are that a truly sick trout won't hit a lure, but will occasionally take bait. Now, parasitic organisms, seldom are the parasites a problem with humans, but if you are into uncooked fish flesh, DON'T EVEN CONSIDER eating it. A well cooked fish will kill all parasites, but frankly, I pass on this if I know it is infected. A well cooked fish will also kill all infections, but a badly infected fish will probably not taste too great. Last, nets and fish handling are critical. I often get comments on why I don't have more pictures of the fish I catch and report on. I guess that pictures are considered the anti-lie; no one uses Photoshop? In short, use a knot less net for C&R, a rubber net is idea. Use a soft synthetic net, not a cotton net. Use any net that does not absorb and remove protective slime, and don't let the fish flop on a hard rock or boat bottom, and please, don't keep the fish out of the water any longer then necessary.

Do they still make the Super Roosertails? If so,where do you get em? I havn't see any for years.

hey ya smashmouth if ya can't find the Super Rt at your local fishing shop, go online. it's Available at most major sporting goods stores (basspro/cabelas, etc). The Super Rt works great at slower retreive than the original, and it sure is good around cover, as it's design makes it less prone to snags. Great little lure for crappie and bass.
Good luck and have fun out there

Anglinarcher ,
I didn't know that pictures were the anti-lie, I thought they were included as a courtesy to those of us that are deskbound on such a beautiful day!

Thanks Anglinarcher for the input. the sharing of info is great on this site. Thanks for your contributions.

Hi ya Fishin Musician , I always look forward to the pics also, they show us new places and faces to put with names. There seems to be a glitch with the pics posting with the reports and I alway try to post some pics even if they don't show trophy catches.
thanks for the coment.

Hey there Loui,

I was up last week and found alot of fish up at the pens...Rumor has it that there has been another escape..I do expect these fish to migrate to the lower end within the next week..they are talking about 30,000 got out...Get your Smoker Warmed UP!!!!!

Hey loui...I love how you always share your in sight with your fellow anglers. Great report too. On the trout sore issue....When I worked at Trout Lodge Hatchery near Ephrata, Triploids were my babies. In 1995, the program was in it's infancy. Understand the three chromosome process where the Kamloops trout strain eggs were put under a pressure and actual heating process that split thier chromosones from two, which was normal to three and woo-la, this makes the trout sterile. The Idea behind it was fantastic growth potential because of sterility, the Rainbow-Trips would not sexually mature leading to Kype noses on males or mature egg skiens in females. This was done because the original plan was to sell the fish to the Norwegians and the Japanese for resturants and wholesale fish markets. The Canadian Kamloops Strain of trout are akin genetically to landlocked steelhead. Hatchery Manager Bill Witt of Soap Lake, along with Me and other crew members would separate out the brightest unsterilized Kamloops Rainbows in the race ways and the ones with the fewest spots as broodstock. The game department approached Bill Witt and the Trout Lodge GM with the Idea to stock triploids in Washington Lakes as a trophy fish. Columbia river fish farms owner Ed Shallenberger supplimented the tribal fishery on Rufus Woods, and thus the Rufus Triploid fishery was born. The sores were commen when they were transfered from Race ways at the Hatchery to netpens on the river.. It's perfectly OK to eat them! The Jigmiester

Hey ya Joe, I had heard talk of the "rumored escape" at the pens from fishermen dockside while launching. As you say, they will be drifting downlake soon. Hope some of them survive the fishing pressure to grow into Big fish.
Thanks for the comment, and it sounds like it is time to clean the "Big Chief" for more smoking.

Thanks for the additional info Jigmiester, more info for an interesting topic.
Stay safe and slay a few fish for me this next week.

Thanks for the additional info Jigmiester, more info for an interesting topic.
Stay safe and slay a few fish for me this next week.

#4 and #6 thanks for your comments...any improvements is helpful...i believe if we take care of our lakes , we can all take home a trophy...thanks and god bless