Fish disease on Clinch rainbows?

[MBB]

I fished the Clinch last week and noticed that a few of the rainbows had a black fungus looking growth on them. This black substance covered most of the trout infected. I did not see this on the brown trout I caught. Does anyone know what this is? Does it kill the trout?

[MadisonBoats]

Was it similar to this...?

[MBB]

Yes, very similar, except on most of the infected fish it was a bit darker. Do you know what it is?

[waterwolf]

One of a couple of things:

Natural darker colors which some fish have, no big deal.

Where some moron dry handed a fish and removed its slime, and thus resulted in the fungus growth. Person should be drowned to solve problem, fish could die.

Or it could be a result from electroshocking done by TVA or TWRA, which will return to normal after a few weeks, no big deal.

The only bad one is the dry handing, and people who dry hand fish have no business in the CLinch or any other river if they are catching and releasing.

[MadisonBoats]

Originally Posted by waterwolf

One of a couple of things:

Natural darker colors which some fish have, no big deal.

Where some moron dry handed a fish and removed its slime, and thus resulted in the fungus growth. Person should be drowned to solve problem, fish could die. Doubt this will happen in most cases since fisherman are working the line wet with the left and right hands. Plus, it would take alot of work to clean the fish of enough slime to invoke a fungus. Please sir; explain how you catch your typical fish to save its slime....

Or it could be a result from electroshocking done by TVA or TWRA, which will return to normal after a few weeks, no big deal.

The only bad one is the dry handing, and people who dry hand fish have no business in the CLinch or any other river if they are catching and releasing.

Sorry bro! Let us share information and learn from one another.
C.S. Madison

[mikebone]

Hard to tell from the photo if the dark areas you are referring to are actually (raised) or if it is just discoloration. I have noticed a dark discoloration on rainbows in the Clinch for many years..other rivers also, but the Clinch in particular. I am no biologist so I really can't say exactly what causes this. Dry handling (not wetting your hands before handling trout) can certainly cause fungus growth, especially if the water is in the upper temperature range 65 to 70 degrees. Whether we realize it or not we carry a lot of contaminants on our hands like gas, sunscreen, bugspray, and a host of other things that can cause problems for trout. Shocking at too high levels can also cause discoloration and deformation . Often a large hump around the dorsal fin or deformation of the spine. Hard to tell..if the fish seems otherwise healthy it probably is not a problem. If not a TWRA biologist should probably be told about it. Bottom line is I sure can't say for sure but if anyone finds out I'd like to hear it. Good fishing everybody.....

[Fishermansfly]

Brother I don't think he was referring to you or your fish handling skills.

However, prior to landing a fish you should always dip or acclimate your hands in the water. This insures the fish are being handled with COLD WET hands, rather then dry warm hands that are undoubtably covered in various leads and floatants from hook handling. The end result removes the fishes protective membrane which helps fight of various funguses. This can eventually lead to large black patches and ultimately kill the fish. Sometimes pictures pop up on the internet of a freshly caught trout with markings on it indicating a fishermans hand wrapped around the fish.

The coloration matches that of a spawning bow! The fish have just came out of the spawn (late winter) and spawn after the browns. Scale pigment will change with the spawn and several other factors may be to blame.

I can't tell from the picture, but what I'm seeing that fish appears to be wild. The pectoral fins are in great shape and the coloration does not match those of hatchery standard that I've come to recognize on the clinch. The fishes cheek plate it too red to be of hatchery quality. Seeing the size of that fish, 12" or over, it's easy to say that it isn't a holdover by looking at the pect. fins. Also the spotting found around the fishes jaw tells me that fish has been well nourished. Coming out of the fish hatchery these guys would normally look like a shiner minnow, in my opinion! Silver sides, bent or nubbed pectoral fins, minimal black spotting, and finally dull coloration across the board.

Colors of the trout can be effected by their food source.

I would consider myself lucky to have held that fish. Not many have come from that water recently looking that good! Though I really can't say that seeing as I don't fish it often.

Nice fish sir!

~Brett

[MadisonBoats]

Sorry all! I do not think waterwolf was calling me or anyone out...

I had a very bad day yesterday and I guess I felt his post referenced my photo. I actually held that fish in that manner to try and get a picture of the coloration. I wanted to ask some of my TVA friends what it could be.

I will visiting with one of my TWRA Friends in the next week or so to find some more information out about this...

I do think handling a fish excessively and incorrectly can cause them great harm. I try and keep them close to the water and everything very wet that comes in contact with them. I need to order me a new net too..

Thanks for sharing your opinions! Fishermansfly & mikebone

[waterwolf]

Originally Posted by MadisonBoats

Sorry bro! Let us share information and learn from one another.
C.S. Madison

It is as easy as dipping your landing hand in the river you are standing in before grabbing the fish. Stripping line through hardly gets them wet enough to keep the slime on a fish.

It is simple to do, unless it is freezing cold, but this time of year it is painfully easy.

[MadisonBoats]

Originally Posted by waterwolf

It is as easy as dipping your landing hand in the river you are standing in before grabbing the fish. Stripping line through hardly gets them wet enough to keep the slime on a fish.

It is simple to do, unless it is freezing cold, but this time of year it is painfully easy.

Thanks Sir for you time and advice! I try my best most of the time to keep the fish's health in my best interest. However, I do make mistakes when I get excited or when I am struggling to get the fish in...