so worm castings then?
hrmmm

makes good fertilizer
so ive herd

Wow, Jim, thanks for all the effort. I think I'll just give up eating fish all together. Right!

Actually, dos ballenas has offered to analyze some tissue samples. I haven't smelled the stuff but I will and I'll also see if it burns. I don't think it's tar but your theory on an exterior parasite creating pockets of concentrated waste inside of a fish seems reasonable. I just didn't see anything similar to that monster hanging out of your YT, just the usual nematode type worms inside. Blood clots caused by internal parasites seems more likely, or as I think you suggest, encysted clumps of parasites.

The black stuff seems to be concentrated around the gut. I understand that ingested parasites often migrate from the gut to the flesh surrounding it. As I have cut the big chunks into smaller ones, it seems that there is plenty of clean meat further away from the gut.

I guess I'd better do some dissecting. I'd like to hear what our resident researcher finds out. I'll let you know what happens.

As for the other photos, that's just showing off. :luxhello:

Steve

I have a strict policy. I only post fish pictures that are at least a decade old in order to protect vulnerable fish populations from over-exploitation. Those pics just make the cut off.

This goes hand and hand with my policy of only dating women over 25.

Jim

If I knew then what I know now I just would of pulled the worms out of it's back and released it. That fish was like four feet long but only in it's twenties, those parasites were really taking a toll. Tough old fish!! If it lasted that long with them, it might of grown into a huge trophy if they were removed and it was released.

Evidently anchor worms are pretty similar to fish lice. Since they do not lay eggs in the fish if you remove them they are done and have no way re-infesting the fish. I originally thought it would eat, till I found the tar shit inside and then I was like no way. I actually feel really bad that I killed it.

You know how it is though. You get a decent yellow next to the boat fishing solo, you hit them with the gaff as quick as you can.

I got that fish flylining squid on straight fifteen pound mono fishing in really poor visibility, in dense fog, maybe fifty feet off a boiler rock, in flat calm conditions. I knew the boiler was there but couldn't even see it because of the lack of visibility, and the fish kept spinning the boat around while taking line. Really disorienting. I was so nervous when it burned so much drag, then blown away by its size when I finally got it up, that I had it gaffed and decked in a heartbeat, and did not even notice the parasites till I'd already killed her.

Jim

Jim you made a typo...
:D
Fresh photos and women under 25..........

No, I think he meant to say, fresh women under 25

Dude!!!! It's a tough line to draw..... especially right about now!!!

You missed out! Great party tonight. you should definitely consider coming down for the open studios tomorrow.

Plant food....the garden will love it...:cool:

Well, I feel dumb. I went to take some samples for dos ballenas and couldn't find any of the tar like stuff. I must have done a better job cleaning the fish than I thought. But I did come across this critter. I'm guessing it's one of the anchor worms Jim mentioned. Sharon pulled on it and we could see half again its length moving through the fin. Ouch!

Too bad about the tar. It would be cool to have a sample and to get to see exactly what it is. I imagine it's composition varies as to the water conditions the fish and worm live in. Cool on the worm though. Though a fraction of the size it kind of backs up the idea that the tar is directly related to anchor worm infestation. Cool stuff!!! It's times like these that I wish I'd continued with that biology degree. :D

Jim