Wormy Rainbows

[dan_f1422]

Just a quick poll if you will to see if anyone has ever caught wormy landlocked rainbows? I have been out ice fishing here in the Anchorage bowl on a new lake I have never fished until this year and for the past two weekends have brought home fish that were loaded with worms. When I say worms, I mean worms that are not only in their intestines but embedded in their flesh and look like white specks until you dig them out and they strecth out to about 2 to 6 inches.....Kind of like a piece a fat piece of silk or hair. I have been in touch with ADF&G biologist to let them know of what I found. Basically I have been told that if I cook them to the right temp they are okay to eat..... That just is not too appealing if you know what I mean. Does anyone else reccomend eating them?

[jimmygunns]

I don't know, but I think I threw up in my mouth a little bit!  I've been used to perch from lakes having a few worms here & there, but I still pick them out before I cook them.  The wifey gets grossed out if she see's them before I cook them.  I think she would never eat them if I took out a 6" worm!  That's pretty bad dude!  I don't think you are eating more fish than worms!

[dan_f1422]

My wife freaked out about them too.... We have not eaten any of them. I am not going to fish this lake anymore unless I am catching and releasing. They were hogs by the way.... 20", 17", and 2- 16".....

[dan_f1422]

Here's a link to the pictures from the two I caught today..... I have pictures of the worms in the fillets too, but they are too nasty to post!

http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=5386&d=1197168987

[AKBob]

Dan

I have seen a lot of Rainbows with worms down here on the Kenai. On most of the lakes that drain to the Swanson River and Moose River systems you will find the fish have worms to some degree.
You will also find that Halibut and sea run Salmon have worms also.
Yes some times they can be very disgusting as there are so many, just make sure they are fully cooked.

[Coldfinger007]

Dan, if you fish Cluney Lake on Ft Rich you'll see these same worms in the belly flap of most of their dolley vardens.  You can actually see the bumps on the outside of the belly.  Interestingly, though, the rainbows from this same lake have very few (if any) worms.  I fished Finger Lake last winter quite a bit, and I did not find any worms in those dollies or trout.

[Barleydog]

Dan,
You found a 6" parasite in a rainbow?  WOW!   I don't think I've ever witnessed such a worm on a freshwater fish.  Is there a sewage plant discharge near your fishing spot?  Most of the small pinworm style critters up here come from waterfowl origins and nothing to really worry about when cooked, (or so I have presumed?)    Some of our burbot from the river have worms, especially when you catch them near the Utility outfall!   No wonder why they get so big!

[fishalot2day]

i have never found anything like that maybe a couple 1/2 in. ones in some cod