What Are Those Parasites on My Trout?

Enjoyed that content? Want to see more? Click here to subscribe bit.ly/3eADeto
If you want to support this channel consider becoming a community member by hitting the join button or alternatively check out my Patreon account. Members and Patrons get access to exclusive content and one on one interactions with me. Click here to learn more: / spiltmilt
Anglers throughout the country are encountering more and more parasites on their trout and Kokanee. What are these parasties? Why are they becoming more prevalent and how do they affect the fish? Does it affect their edibility? Find out in my latest video.
Thanks for watching! Consider making a one time "Super Thanks" donation to this channel to help support filming in 2023.

[@tomrichardson2487]

Thank you. A friend and I just got back from fishing at Howard Prairie lake in southern Oregon. All of the trout we caught had these parasites. Some of the smaller fish, under 12" had hundreds of them. We did not keep the badly infected fish, but released them. The larger fish 15 -16 inch didn't appear to have as many, these we kept and I ate one for supper last night. The taste seemed a little muddy to me, but that was probably due to the water not the parasites. Thanks for the information, you answered my questions.

[@FlyTech541]

Hey I’m from Klamath falls also and this happened to me next to prinville rez

[@scottweagel5416]

Yes Sir, I have seen not only an increase in these parasites over the last 20 years, but also a spread to high elevation lakes in southern Oregon.

[@alansisson4343]

Definitely seeing them on more fish, especially in the local shallower lakes. On rainbows but not on the Kokanee. Thanks for your videos, they’re awesome. Very much appreciate you sharing your knowledge.

[@olzama13]

Until I watched Morgan’s World mention this vid, I had never seen Copepods on my trout. Thanks for the education.

[@TheFlyerBill]

I’ve been fishing on the west side for years. I have now found copepods in a lake locally. Never was a thing before in this area. I don’t eat them when I see it.

[@dognzo893]

I was at Flaming Gorge last weekend fishing with Chad, we caught a 5 pound Kokanee it was so cool. But we caught a few trout while fishing for kokes and they had them on the trout but not on the Kokanee.

[@spiltmilt]

A 5 lb Koke! Sweet!

[@dognzo893]

@@spiltmilt I was fishing with Chad, he uses the Paulina tackle and is friends with Richie. I had some problems with the net job and I ended up getting halfway into the water and bear hugging the 5.2 pound Koke onto the swim deck. It was pretty wild. Such a fun memory to make with a friend. Especially because that was his boat record for Kokanee. I’m glad I didn’t blow it 😂. So now we call it the “bear hug”

[@kylewilson3442]

They’ve been really bad in the Little Pend Oreille Lakes in E. Washington over the past 5-6 years. Seemed like they were getting better for a while but this last summer was horrible. I still keep a few for the pan & smoker but I’m not a huge fan of hatchery trout. I try to gently scrape off the parasites that are easy to get to even on the throwbacks. Not sure if it helps any. Only the rainbows are affected in those lakes. Perch, crappie, & bass are all free & clear. Wonder if the state ever plans to do anything about this?? Highly doubtful, but one can hope. Thanks for another awesome video!

[@todgarred1450]

Last couple of years they have been getting bad on Rosevelt however this year not as bad. I usually take a steel scratch pad and scrub the fish and they clean up quite nice and it also removes the scales and slime.

[@returnofsid]

I've been lucky enough to fish fisheries that are fairly parasite free. I have always told people that they don't affect the meat quality, and find it amusing, how many swear they ruin the meat. When I have rarely caught infested fish, I typically keep, especially heavily infested and likely to die anyway.

[@rickw9169]

Last year the Kokanee in Whiskeytown Lake (N. California) were super infected. This year not. Some of the trout from Shasta are also showing infestations. The Shasta trout seem to be less infected now than they were in late Spring. According to our local DFG Biologist, there is no harm to eating the infected fish as long as they are properly cooked. No Copepod sushi, please.

[@coreybellfaust7468]

Fascinating. Thank you for shedding some light on this. Do you know if Lake Chelan has this issue with the fish? I'm assuming since it's such a large lake you wouldn't have to worry about it as often if at all.

[@spiltmilt]

I've not encountered in Lake Chelan.

[@AK-ln2gz]

We caught 2 trout at 40-60ft at our local lake (3609 ft elevation) full of these sores. The bass we caught near the shore had none. Location northern California (Tahoe national forest area)

[@davidmichaelheavenlymusic]

Caught one today that was a real bad infestation. Massive Legions that were bleeding, felt bad for the fish. Wiped off as many as I could and crushed them. Put the trout back in the lake not realizing what they were. Thanks for the information

[@billfaubion6295]

Anchor worm is what I was told they are sometimes called[if I'm wrong let me know] Found it this year in Timothy & Lost Lake in Oregon --- also in Merwin, Yale & Swift lakes in Wash. If not too bad I harvest them ---- these fish are part of my diet. I go thru a lot of work to catch them & I fully intend to eat them. I suspect the hatcheries don't disinfect their pools properly as it appears they are speading the parasite. Would like to know about this.

[@spiltmilt]

Yes anchor worm is another term for copepods.

[@danm1319]

They definitely are all over Oregon fisheries as well

[@jdalley5192]

Yes, I’m seeing more and more. I use the bad ones as can an bait.

[@michaelmoore2872]

Hi there I have noticed in some of our put and take lakes here in Alberta Can. The water levels are low and we are hitting hotter summer weather.The stocked Rainbows have these bums on them .some of the fish seem more infected than others I have been cooking the less infected ones in the smoker they seem to be okay .Thanks for the info on this nasty subject . Keep up the great work on your vids. they are all great can't wait till you hit the ice

[@edmundrudolph]

Southern Oregon (west) lakes are all feeling the pain of warmer water. Yesterday I caught a limit of trout on Lost Creek Lake and all were infected. Water temp was 77 degrees and to my suprise the fish were biting in the top ten feet of water with 100 + deep water. I still eat free fish from the government…

[@western-fishing]

I saw many on Kokanees at lake Washington and lake Stevens. I generally eat them, since no effect on the meat

[@dougdaykin4060]

I fish a lot at Lake Don Pedro in the Central valley Calif and this year was especially bad for parasites on trout I still clean and eat if they are at least 15". The Kokanee didn't seem as effected. The same lake has been in the 100's most of July and August it is brutal. As have been many lakes in the lower elevations Regards

[@ShenpaiWasTaken]

Really interesting video. I haven't really noticed parasites but I am also on the west side of WA so the lakes aren't quite as hot. I do keep a few stocker trout but I mainly target Kokanee and salmon. If the meat quality of the fish was as good as the one you harvested I might target them more; the meat is normally a kind of gross white/pale color.

[@kylemorris231]

Twin lakes on the colville reservation has been loaded with it for years now, gonna be a bass crappie lake before we know it. I believe the tribe was trying to do something about it with pumping something in the middle of the lake. Not sure if you’ve been there or not but it’s a fun spot on the south twin

[@brennon6537]

My wife and I went fishing today at spring valley reservoir in Idaho. And every fish that we pulled out have those on them

[@ryanjones-heard4564]

I've recently started catching fish here in Central oregon high cascade lakes with these parasites.

[@Kokaneeangler]

I catch a few kokanee with them on in my north western WA home lake too. I find them mostly on the gills and around the pectoral fin. I've noticed last few times out, koknaee I catch at certain part of the lake has them and kokanee I've been catching at other part of the same lake doesn't have any. I don't know why that is.

[@spiltmilt]

Copepods are free floating plankton so they don't necessarily move great distance. It could be that some area of the lake hold higher concentrations than other.

[@bayoubilly6971]

Just found some today. Calaveras county ca. first ever on a lake I’ve fished my hole life

[@LovingIdaho]

I have caught quite a few in Idaho with that in the last 3 years .

[@fishhunt9874]

I just saw them for the first time. It was on my first ice fishing trip to Lake Davis in California. I released the trout.

[@davedolinsek2685]

I fish north of the 49 in and around Vancouver BC. The only time I see the parasites on fish is the non hydro controlled dams which are stocked but the small lakes mean depth is only around 30 feet. Yes the lake temps can exceed 80 to 90 degrees and the plant and algae levels make it not fish able for me due to the parasites. Unfortunately we have people up here that’s don’t care about the quality of the fish they catch and just kill them.

[@jessetharp6319]

I’ve been seeing a few of my Kokanee in my home lake in western WA with them. Seem to always be in the gills. Should I be contacting WDFW in my area to tell them what I’m seeing? I’ve been harvesting the fish as normal. They look healthy otherwise.

[@spiltmilt]

Really no need. They are widespread in the state

[@DrewsOnFirst]

Disgusting, but thank you for raising awareness and teaching.

[@jerryberg6244]

The unfortunate truth. Thanks again for a valuable message. As you've seen the gill lice at Blue Mesa Reservoir is fairly bad. I'm sure it's mostly due to warmer temps and lower water levels. I see some lice on the pectoral and anal fins as well. I just hope it doesn't lead to an overall population decline of Kokanee here.

[@JohnnysCafe_]

The overall yearly temperature has been increasing steadily for years now so thats bad for the fish i guess

[@chubbrock659]

Is there any way to get rid of those cope pods or do they just take over eventually? I’ve never seen them in Utah, hopefully they don’t show up.

[@spiltmilt]

They tend to vanish as colder temps set in.

[@rgrrgrsxndngr1904]

Do you know the differences between the Old Town Salty and the Old Town Bigwater?

[@tredouberly4286]

I do most of my fishing in the Willamette Valley and Oregon Cascade high lakes (as well as the Oregon central coast). I have not encountered this. Is it more common in your area of Washington or have I just been lucky so far? Have you encountered them while fishing in Oregon? As always, this is a very informative video. Thank you for your efforts to educate your fellow Anglers.

[@spiltmilt]

Yes I have encountered in Oregon but not as frequently.

[@adamsnyder9347]

Any of the holdover trout I’ve caught in the re-regulation reservoirs like Dexter have had large populations of copepods. Hills Creek Reservoir was pretty bad as well.

[@danm1319]

Poor fish..

[@spiltmilt]

Yup pretty sad

[@ActiveLeisureUSA]

Yeah I live on the lake I catch the trout and It actually increased from couple years ago. I just throw them out, to nasty

[@david88va]

Wouldn't it be better not to release infected fish back in the water?

[@spiltmilt]

I have no desire to keep these fish. Its not on me to fix this problem its on the fish and wildlife agencies that keep over stocking the incorrect fish.

[@reapergrim76]

First! Interesting stuff!

[@lizardchosimbastedanko5195]

I thought they were crustaceans

[@spiltmilt]

Copepods are in the crustacean subphylum

[@davedolinsek2685]

Sorry for what I’m about to do. There is one of your fellow you tubers up here in Canada ( BC ) which just posted a video I think yourself and all your viewers should see about the Sockeye run happening on the Fraser river. His name is Rob and his channel is Fishing wit Rob. Please have a look.

[@shawnbowen6833]

Its Rod not Rob.

[@rgrrgrsxndngr1904]

Do you know the differences between the Old Town Salty and the Old Town Bigwater?

[@spiltmilt]

A lot of differences between those kayaks. The Salty is lighter, more stable, less expensive. The Bigwater is heavier, has a higher weight capacity, more storage, and with a higher chair has a higher center of gravity (thus is more tippy). It's also a lot more expensive