Steelhead and parasites

[JODakota]

The other day I caught a hatch steelie hen, a real nice aggressive one. Problem was it had little white worms in its gill. My questions is anybody else encounter this problem? Next questions is what do you do with them? Dispose of them? Or release them back? Any response would be helpful. From my understanding when they hit the fresh water and if they have been stressed their adrenaline starts pumping which lowers their immune system making them susceptible to the parasites. Makes for an aggressive fight but an undesirable fish. I just want to know if I should tag em on my card and kill them but just put them in the trash. or just send them back. I dont think I could stomach eating them knowing that worms had beat me to the punch.

[JODakota]

Lol well I guess that's a good way to think about it. So they usually don't infect the filet of the fish?

[Button Nubbs]

If its hatchery, whack and stack...

[BOWHUNTER45]

Did they have a red head on them ? never seen them in steelhead but salmon sockeye are the worst !!!

[JODakota]

Thanks JKEEN, Will remember that. Well with anything I still got some nice eggs out of it! No there wasn't any red in them. They were little white worms. I had heard about it and I always check the gills. Its the first one I've ever caught with em in it. There wasn't a ton of them just enough for me to notice.

[KillerMiller]

This gill parasite appears to be a species of Salmonicola, which is a copepod parasite often referred to as fish louse or gill louse.  Meat should be just fine.

[JODakota]

Thank you Killermiller. That puts me at a little more ease. If I get another one with it ill just process it like the rest.

[BOWHUNTER45]

Not to freak people out but I always fillet all my salmon and lay them on a paper towel at room temperature and within 1/2 HOUR if their is worms you will know .....almost all fish have worms of some kind !

[JODakota]

lol But of course you still eat them anyway?!!!

[lokidog]

Of course, after they sit there the worms crawl out looking for something fresher....   

I always hold my rockfish and ling filets up to the light, any dark spots get cut out as they are usually a worm.  Doesn't  effect the meat at all.  Find more out of Westport than here in the isles though.

[Bone_Collector]

Dont worry about the parasites they are just in the gills and mouth! The meat is still good, I see a lot of them in the Snake and Clearwater fish that we catch!

B_C

[huntnnw]

 

[JODakota]

Thank you all for the education!!

[WSU]

Those are often found in summer runs that have spent a good deal of time in the river.  I've eaten some with no ill effects.  Was your fish a late summer?

[JODakota]

Yea it was a late summer, wasn't to dark though. Ok good, I just wanted to make sure I could eat them without getting sick.