skjordan Posted June 18, 2006 Report Share Posted June 18, 2006 I caught this smallmouth in Sugar Creek last week. It fought hard, like normal, but when I brought the fish to hand I noticed the startling discoloration extending from the middle of the fish towards the rear. Upon further investigation I found two vertical marks about 2 1/2" long extending from the backbone down..........Im assuming a heron bit off just alittle more than it could chew. Is the color change a bruise or maybe worse????????? Chances for suvival???????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Smith Posted June 18, 2006 Report Share Posted June 18, 2006 Looks like a bruise to me, Steve. Fungus would be lighter...columnaris would have attacked the fins and it would be bloody. Pathology isn't my long suite, but I'd tend to agree with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skjordan Posted June 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 If thats a bruise remind me to give Herons a wide berth on the river Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Smith Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 If thats a bruise remind me to give Herons a wide berth on the river Dude. They'll put your eye out. I don't know if I believe a heron did that. There are plenty of ways for fish to get dinged up. I'm not coming up with something convincing in my own mind yet. Herons tend to take out a chunk...and yes, that would be a HUGE mouthful for a heron to take on. They swallow their prey whole, you know. Otters, other fisherman (my personal guess), fortunes of war.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Ferguson Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 I would guess that the "bruise" caused some sort of nerve damage that affected the fishes ability to camouflage himself. Bass change coloration to blend in with their environment. Looks like the he may not be able to change colors on half his body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyP Posted June 21, 2006 Report Share Posted June 21, 2006 that's wierd...lookin at just the picture, I would say some genetic condition. But if there was an injury mark than I'm sure that was the cause. Fish will probably be fine...I got a 17incher a few years back that was missing about half the meat on one side behind his dorsal fin. was fat strong and healthy and healed over just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenW Posted August 27, 2006 Report Share Posted August 27, 2006 I caught one Friday that had a big dark spot on the one side of it. It was not nearly like your fish but It did go back about two inches from the dorsal fin. On this one I could easily see a V shaped scar on both sides of the fish. I'm not sure what caused yours to do that but a heron had to be the cause of mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim bielecki Posted September 12, 2006 Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 I would say the fish was injured...possibly was washed over a dam, bad release from someone else (could've been injured on a rock), a dog fishing... you never know. As for survival...I think it's fine...fish are remarkable animals in their ability to sustain serious injury and survive...they don't have much blood concentrated in the flesh, most of it is found in and around the organs, heart and lungs, if it can swim and feed it can survive. In the world of the animal kingdom only the strongest survive to reach adulthood...if your fish gets a chance to breed I would say it's a good gene pool for the future!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Smith Posted September 12, 2006 Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 I would say the fish was injured...possibly was washed over a dam, bad release from someone else (could've been injured on a rock), That was my idea too, jimb, but I spoke to Steve J. recently and he said those two marks made a downward pointing, triangle-shaped wound at the front edge of that discoloration. We can't see it clearly in the photo, so we're guessing other things, but that's the kind of wound a heron leaves, so Steve was probably right all along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.