coho with nodules under skin

czechmate · 11-14-2011, 06:07 AM

I caught a coho the other day and as I was releasing it, I noticed a lot of hard bumps under the skin. No camera... I will try to describe it.

These nodules were about 1/4 inch to 3/8 in diameter, spaced a couple of inches apart. There were probably a couple dozen on one side, little less on the other. The skin was raised up a bit where the nodule was and it may have been discolored a bit (greenish tinge). The fish was bright and sporty, like there was nothing wrong with it.

It was like something in a movie, where you would expect an alien burst out of the underskin pod....

Any idea what that may have been?

eyeFISH · 11-14-2011, 07:10 AM

Scale pocket disease.

Scale pocket disease (AKA salmon pox) caused by the protozoan parasite Myxobolus squamalis growing in the scale pockets. Often seen on sport-caught coho in the summer. Not yet reported on chinook. Like beauty, ugliness is only skin deep. Parasite harmless to fishes.

czechmate · 11-14-2011, 08:32 AM

That's exactly what it looked like. Thanks, Doc.

raindoggy · 11-14-2011, 12:27 PM

I recently caught a b run nickle bright on the lewis fillet it out n there were wjat appeared to be puss pockets in the meat only about 5 in both fillets..looked like lil zits in in the meat that would pop white fluid inside..none in tail section of fish...they were not poxs caight a few w those two this year.....is the world of clean fish comin to sn end???

fish_stalker · 11-14-2011, 01:09 PM

Me too. I caught one out of the Toutle a couple months ago that had lumps like that all over its body. Freaked me out. I asked several other fishermen what it was & no one have ever seen anything like it.

When I fillet it, I dug into the meat to investigate. There were round white egg-like looking balls about 1/8" embedded in the meat. This fish had it bad so there were a lot of these 1/8" balls. I didn't know what it was so ended tossing the fish. Didn't want to take any chances.

FishBranch · 11-14-2011, 01:18 PM

I have observed this on both steelhead and chinook.

Fish_N_Russ · 11-14-2011, 01:32 PM

Wow, a person could do a whole episode of "Monsters Inside Me" just on Fish parasites lol

Captain 40 · 11-14-2011, 01:46 PM

Those are flavor pockets!

Spin84 · 11-14-2011, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish_N_Russ

Wow, a person could do a whole episode of "Monsters Inside Me" just on Fish parasites lol

Please don't.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain 40

Those are flavor pockets!

sandrail001 · 11-14-2011, 02:35 PM

There is a small coastal COHO fishery that I would say 80-90% of the coho we catch have this. I have pics of fish with these but as you zoom it it gets harder to see them. Next fish I catch I will take an up close shot. I attached a pic of a Coho that had some, if you look on the belly you will notice a few. This fish did not have too many, but some are covered in them.

chinook503 · 11-15-2011, 05:42 PM

I seen this first in eagle creek silvers, about 10 years ago. then i started seeing the same thing on hatchery trout at detroit lake. I wonder if it hatchery caused.

sandrail001 · 11-15-2011, 07:35 PM

The Coho that we catch with this are all WILD.

Buck · 11-15-2011, 07:36 PM

Here is a photo of a wild coho I landed and released this fall that had salmon pox. I would say that 60-70% of the fish we landed all had the pox - all wild.

bankhog · 11-15-2011, 07:44 PM

Some of you are referring to tapioca disease, which is different, but still disgusting. I have caught many chinooks with tapioca disease. Springers and fall fish.

BlackBass · 11-16-2011, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bankhog

Some of you are referring to tapioca disease, which is different, but still disgusting. I have caught many chinooks with tapioca disease. Springers and fall fish.

Very true! Caught some fish out of the Siletz this year that had tapioca disease . Nothing in the meat that looked like white puss balls. I have seen this in the last few remaining Hatchery Coho. It seems to get worse as the fish ages.