parasites in gills

[spoonfed]

cleaned last nites catch and after filleting them i noticed that there is small round (the size of a pin head) black hard parasite in bedded in the meat.also found them on the fins of the fish.i've seen this plenty of times but never in bedded in the meat.usually there is just a black dot on the meat but no parasite.has anyone else seen this and is it safe to eat.i actually picked one right out of the meat.also the crappie had none and the 2 red ears i had only had a few.i figuring this is due to where the fish lives in the water column.this lake is a stained water spring fed lake.any help?

[Desperado]

Like grampa woulda said
"cook 'em and eat 'em"

[marshrat]

We had a bass last year that had worms in it but he was still good eating. Try to pick them out if not cook um up added protein

[esox slayer]

There are "grubs" in some panfish in some of the inland lakes up here.  They're whitish/yellow, about the size of a BB, and flatter though.  I've seen those black spots you refer to as well.

Personally, I've heard that if you cook them they're ok..but I don't, and I don't know too many of my friends who will as well...to avoid this we just don't fish pannies in those lakes...we go to the bigger water and catch them there.

I know this doesn't help much in your question, but we don't eat them here....Esox...

[PIKEGUY]

This was brought up a few days ago/ end of last week maybe. Studies said that if cooked the meat was just fine.

[northdease]

spoonfed, you should check out the MI DNR website, they expain most of the "things" that you will find on the fish. we have a cabin on a lake in hale and every so often you will catch a fish that is infested as you were explaining. the website said if cooked they are no harm; but the ones that are in the meat or heavily infested i will try to cut out the infested spots or not eat the fish because it grosses me out. hope that helps.

[chowdah]

The yellow grubs I pick out unless really loaded then discard fish. The little black specks I was told by F&G a long time ago are a clam larvae ? They are  supposed to be harmless to people especially after cooking. We have some lakes that the smallies are loaded w/black specks and into the panfish somewhat. Its getting hard to find perch without the yellow grubs any more. I've been told they are spread from one lake to another by bird droppings!