Worms in Speckeled Trout

[LadyFish]

We catch a lot of trout. Most trout of any size have worms. I hate to waste the flesh but I have a hard time doing as my friends do and just yanking them out and cooking and eating the fish anyway.<br /><br />Snapper, you probably understand this problem as do any others that fish saltwater bays. What are your thoughts?<br /><br />Does anyone know more about these worms? They really don't look much like worms.

 

[SoulWinner]

Re: Worms in Speckeled Trout

They are parasites LF. They are harmless if they are cooked with the fish, but most folks remove them from the fish before cooking.<br /><br />What I have noticed is that the closer to the gulf the fish are caught, the more worms they have. If I fish way up the bays close to river mouths, the specks up there hardly ever have worms. They don't bother me though, unless the fish is totally ate up with them. Then the fish becomes fertilizer for the flower bed.<br /><br />Here is a link with some more info:<br /><br /> Speckled Trout Parasite

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Worms in Speckeled Trout

Wow, thats a great article SW thanks. Its from a Houston paper too.<br /><br />Very interesting read.

 

[SoulWinner]

Re: Worms in Speckeled Trout

Ain't the internet cool!<br /><br />Seriously though, if the fish are just full of worms I bury 'em in flower bed. Usually I fish inshore, way inshore and find only one or two in fish up to 27". I pluck them out and fry the fillets. Also, when I clean specks and reds, I leave the fillet attatched at the tail, and cut the meat off the ribs, then I flip the fillet back (still connected at the tail) and cut the fillet of the skin. That's the easy way to skin and fillet and no messing with scales.<br /><br />Tight lines!

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Worms in Speckeled Trout

I know trout is prized meat around here, but having to deal with parasites just gives me the willies. As far as the flesh and flavor I prefer sheepshead anyway. I don't like mushy fish.<br /><br />But I will continue to catch and clean them because everyone else loves them. I clean all bay fish the same way SW, except flounder which I like to stuff.<br /><br />I know I've tossed some beautiful filets out because of these parasites. I just couldn't stomach eating them if I knew they were in there. And, I check them over with a fine tooth comb when I clean them trust me.

 

[snapperbait]

Re: Worms in Speckeled Trout

Hi, LF.. Ya know, the only fish i've ever encountered that had worms was an amberjack pulled off a reef in 120' off jupiter..<br /><br />Most of the inshore fish around here I would'nt eat anyway.. Way too much crap (litteraly) goes into the water.. It's bad.. Gotta go a good bit north of here to get into good inshore fish, and even then I dunno if i'd eat em'..<br /><br />I think i'd be hard pressed to eat anything that had worms... yuck...

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Worms in Speckeled Trout

Thanks Snap. Our water is pretty good around here but you never know.

 

[biggame@c2i.net]

Re: Worms in Speckeled Trout

Could it be the case of seagulls carrying the worms and spreading it to the trouts. In Norway the Seagulls has moved more and more away from the coastline and fishermen are reporting worms in trout where it not had been registered before. It certainly ha something to do with the Seagull harboring the worms and infects the freshwater. As for other worms in saltwater the seals gets the blame. I lies in the liver of coalfish and haddock and looks like a small curly cinnamon bun. The liver is not eaten when its full of worms

 

[Whitedog]

Re: Worms in Speckeled Trout

The worms decrease relative to the amount of beer consumed during cleaning. Unless the fish is literally riddled with worms I'd clean cook and consume them.

 

[Terrulle]

Re: Worms in Speckeled Trout

Lady Fish, I grew up on Baffin Bay south of Corpus Christi, in a very small town called Riviera. When I was a kid I'd fish trot-lines for black drum. When the fish got in the bigger(15 lb+)range, I usually found worms in them. The bigger the fish the more worms I found. Anyway the worms were clear looking. I'd just cut them out while I was cleaning. They were usually in the tail area. Nothing to worry about though. The fish always tasted great.... T.

 

[reddog349]

Re: Worms in Speckeled Trout

I just did a day fishing and caught a catfish that had a bunch of maggot looking worms in its mouth .What is that/?

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Worms in Speckeled Trout

reddog, thats them. They are really a parasite not a worm. They're white in color.

 

[reddog349]

Re: Worms in Speckeled Trout

wOW-Found them in a cat fish up the Naticoke river (Chesapeake tributary)I was surprised ti hear that - thought they prefered realy salty water.