Susky Smallie Spots

[afishinado]

The pics below are from the Eastern Fishing Reports site. The angler that caught the fish and posted the pics is a real expert fishing the lower Susky, and fishes it year-round. 90% of the SMBs he caught had spots or lesions. Something's wrong. I don't believe anyone has ever seen bass with spots like this. Sad.

 

[lv2nymph]

Dang, something wrong for sure. Any idea if they have taken fish to try and find out what those spots are?

 

[streamerguy]

I've seen those black blotches before on fish in the Erie tribs, as well as a few other locations. From what I heard/read they cause no harm to the fish(at least in the Erie watershed, which is arguably the best SMB fishery in the world). They're certainly not on 90% of the fish though.

 

[delta_dog]

I've noticed the same the past 3 years hence the reason I've been trout fishing exclusively the past year.

 

[afishinado]

streamerguy wrote:
I've seen those black blotches before on fish in the Erie tribs, as well as a few other locations. From what I heard/read they cause no harm to the fish(at least in the Erie watershed, which is arguably the best SMB fishery in the world). They're certainly not on 90% of the fish though.

The lower Susky WAS one of the best SMB fisheries in the world. :-(

Many of us have fished the Susquehanna River for many years and have never or rarely seen such spots on fish from the River. The spots themselves may or may not be a symptom of some problem with the River; no one seems to know.

Here is an excerpt from an article which mentions the increase of SMB observed with spots. The article was written by John Arway, the Executive Director of the PBFC.

Last fall, anglers and PFBC staff began finding diseased adult smallmouth bass in the Susquehanna River between York Haven and Safe Harbor dams. These outbreaks were so severe that about 40 percent of the adult smallmouth bass surveyed had extensive lesions and open sores.

Within the last month, increased sightings of black spots on smallmouth bass have been reported throughout the Susquehanna River Basin. Although there is no evidence to suggest that these spots are the result of a pollution event, it has raised public awareness, in part because it is so visibly striking and because of the well-documented ongoing smallmouth bass disease issues.
Endocrine-disrupting compounds are emerging here and nationwide as a primary concern for fish and public health. Wide-scale evidence of endocrine disruption exists in the smallmouth bass population of the Susquehanna River with male smallmouth bass exhibiting signs of producing eggs.

These cases are among the most severe that have been observed by Dr. Vicki Blazer, a U.S. Geological Survey researcher who has studied this condition in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and other North American waters.

Similarly, studies by the USGS have found that adult male bass collected from the Susquehanna River also have exhibited varying concentrations of vitellogenin in their blood. This is a protein that serves as a precursor to egg production in females and should not be readily detectable in male fish. We don’t know why these conditions are occurring in the Susquehanna River, but they are reason for concern.


Link to source: http://www.pennlive.com/editorials/index.ssf/2012/04/susquehanna_river_clearly_need.html

BTW, 90% of the fish caught during this outing had spots or lesions. More and more adult fish seem to have issues.

 

[Fishidiot]

I think the black spots, or "splotchy bass" started showing up in the lower Susky last year?
This condition usually comes about as localized outbreaks, usually in larger fish and during the colder months of the year. Notwithstanding the inevitable speculation and conspiracy theories about MS drilling, point source pollution and similar possible causes.....the exact reason for these spots (which also occur on LMs and panfish) isn't known and they show up in many states. It does seem to me that when I've heard about these outbreaks, it's often in impoundments in the South. Back in the 80s and 90s I remember reports of this condition here in PA.
I noticed a couple of the LMs in the Bass Pro Shops fish tank last week had these spots. For those unaware....it should be pointed out that these spots are not the same as the lesions (although both are prevalent in the lower Susky these days).

I scrutinize carefully most of the bass I catch in the lower Juniata (which also has some problems with bass these days). All the fish I caught last year, including many during the colder months, were healthy and I saw none of the spots or lesions.

 

[Phish_On]

FI- Me to I seen those same spots on a large mouth in the tank at bass pro. Actually a few of them in that tank hat those black spots.

The smallies i have been catching outta some of the tribs to the susky. Are clean and healthy. YOY seem to be thriving in these tribs also.

 

[CPR]

FI- Me to I seen those same spots on a large mouth in the tank at bass pro. Actually a few of them in that tank hat those black spots.
FI- Me to I seen those same spots on a large mouth in the tank at bass pro. Actually a few of them in that tank hat those black spots.

I believe the fish in the Harrisburg Bass Pro shop tank were caught from the Susquehanna river and placed in the BPS tank for a study being conducted by the PFBC.

Are the blotches temporary and will disappear once the fish is living in clean water or has the fish been permanently altered?