St. Louis Pond #6 Channel Cats (Yellow Grubs)

[Hondo]

I've recently caught a few channel cats in Pond #6 at St. Louis Ponds...they all have yellow grubs in them.

Just wanted to let everybody know...after discovering this, I've been releasing them, as I think they are unfit to eat.

[rodholder1]

Are the yellow grubs in the meat or in the stomachs? If the meat has Worms the water is probably to warm.

[Hondo]

In the meat...some are in the fins and tail, some along the lateral line (or around it, anyway, and some deep in the meat, so when you cur them open, you see them on the inside of the fish, but not in the stomach. I'll post pictures when I'm at a faster computer, on Monday.

[Twothirteen]

ew :/

[Hondo]

We caught some bullhead, too, and they were fine...definitely a bummer about the channel cats, though, we've been restlessly waiting for the weather to catch up with our craving.

[IslandBass]

That doesn't sound too enticing to eat. Are those grubs parasitic?

[arkansasbasser]

More protein! Just kidding. I wouldn't eat it either.

[Hondo]

That doesn't sound too enticing to eat. Are those grubs parasitic?

Yes, they're parasitic...I read up on them after finding them...apparently they're worms. They can live in the flesh of fish for years, until a heron or some other bird eats the fish. When the bird eats the fish, the worms (grubs) lay eggs in the bird...bird poops the eggs into the water, and you get a new batch of grubs.

What I read also said that the grubs do not affect the taste of the fish, but that fishermen usually reject the fish when they see the grubs (duh!).

I asked a fish biologist about it, and he said the fish are fine to eat, after removing the grubs. This is a bit ridiculous, though, as the worms a numerous, and it would not be worth the effort.

[FelonFinder]

That can't be comfortable for the fish. Die, worms. DIE.

[loveseafood]

Yes, they're parasitic...I read up on them after finding them...apparently they're worms.
What I read also said that the grubs do not affect the taste of the fish, but that fishermen usually reject the fish when they see the grubs (duh!).

I asked a fish biologist about it, and he said the fish are fine to eat, after removing the grubs. This is a bit ridiculous, though, as the worms a numerous, and it would not be worth the effort.
my buddy told me in the 80s he worked at a prosessing plant in alaska and somewhere on the or coast and he said they fillet them then run them across a glass table with a light under it and if it has worms they pick them out with tweesers/forcept things and then send them on down the line to be froze and transported to market :passout::passout::wink:

funny i came across this topic as i was at safeways earlier and they had some nice sized fillets and a few of them were real ratty looking not a smooth cut and i was thinking looks like they picked a few worms out of them ones:passout: lol

[IslandBass]

Thanks, Hondo. I'm nearly ready to hurl. :sick:

[viettony]

are there a lot of channel catfish in that pond or is it mainly bullhead catfish?I would love to try to fish there sometimes, is it easy to find the place from beaverton?

[Hondo]

are there a lot of channel catfish in that pond or is it mainly bullhead catfish?I would love to try to fish there sometimes, is it easy to find the place from beaverton?

There seem to be a lot of both channel and bullheads in pond #6...take I-5 South to the Woodburn exit, take a right and go straight until the road turns sharply right (about a mile, I would guess). Take a Left where the road turns sharply right, the take a right on Jensen Rd. Take a right at the end of the road. When you come to a railroad crossing, turn left on the street just before the tracks, Tesch St. This will lead you to the ponds. Open 6am-9pm.

[viettony]

do they have signs posted to show you what pond is number six,cause i heard there are a couple of ponds there and i guess you cant night fish there correct. what bait do you use to catch the channels out there?thank you for all the information by the way.

[Hondo]

Worms on the bottom...when you go in the gate, follow the dirt road until you see a parking lot on your left. This is pond #1. Pull in there and look at the map on the big sign at the left side of the lot. There are seven ponds covering 52 acres. Have fun!

[Hondo]

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/fish_guts_channel_010.jpgSorry for the delay...here's the pics (and remember, the fish were pretty small (6-7 in.):

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/fish_guts_channel_006.jpg

[mkwerx]

eew. I'd be tossing that meat.

[Hondo]

eew. I'd be tossing that meat.

:yeahthat: All I have left is the pictures.

[viettony]

Hey hondo, i finally made it out there on tuesday evening.I got out there about five in the evening and fished at pond six, with no bites at all for two hours.then some guys told me i was fishing at the wrong pond and to go way in the back.when i got there, someone was leaving with a 20 pound catfish.I dropped line and got two huge fish on but one i couldn't set the hook and the other one snapped my line.I will try again this sunday and head there at six in the morning.I am use to fishing for the bullheads so i am not use to getting hit hard by a channel catfish.I guess i have to set my drag better.But thanks for the info again.

[Hondo]

Hey hondo, i finally made it out there on tuesday evening.I got out there about five in the evening and fished at pond six, with no bites at all for two hours.then some guys told me i was fishing at the wrong pond and to go way in the back.when i got there, someone was leaving with a 20 pound catfish.I dropped line and got two huge fish on but one i couldn't set the hook and the other one snapped my line.I will try again this sunday and head there at six in the morning.I am use to fishing for the bullheads so i am not use to getting hit hard by a channel catfish.I guess i have to set my drag better.But thanks for the info again.

Awesome, Viettony! I've seen some big ones roll, but never gotten a big hit like that (in Pond #6). Way in the back? Do you mean way in the back of pond #6, or did they send you the other way, to pond #4? Maybe if it's pond #4 the channels won't have those grubs. The place we have gotten lucky was in the back of pond #6, where the pond is wide.

It's never fun to have your line snapped, but it's exciting to feel that first hit.

[viettony]

i did go to the wide area in pond six and did not get one back.I don't know the number of the pond i went to, but the water was real murky and i saw carp jumping out the water.Like i said, i will be out there this sunday morning for sure.I am just happy i don't have to go to idaho for this fish.

[Hondo]

That sounds like Pond #7...pretty low water right now, and its kinda greenish-brown? Right next to the wide part of Pond #6?

If that's the spot, something broke my line there last year, too...and we caught a few little bullhead.

Maybe we'll run into you on Sunday, if we head down that way.

Thanks for the info...happy hunting!

[konakid]

We get those in rock fish a bit just pop them out and youll be fine.We normally dont well just cook them and they disapear.

[FelonFinder]

You normally dont well just cook them? What does that mean?

[TooDrunkToFish]

You normally dont well just cook them? What does that mean?


Here's what he meant to say:

We get those in rock fish a bit. Just pop them out and you'll be fine. We normally dont pop them out. We just cook them and they disappear.

[FelonFinder]

Gotcha. Thanks.

[viettony]

i went there this morning and only hooked one bullhead catfish.No luck on the channels.Maybe next time.

[rodholder1]

Looks like he may be Toodrunktowrite.:D