Question for biologists or anyone else.

I would think low water levels changed the forage species  to something more likely to have parasites. I wouldn't know though because I release all bass because I don't think they taste very good and I don't want to anger the hard core bass guys. I have seen a lot of trout with parasite though. Cook them good and they are just more protein. For smoked trout I freeze them first.

Got another limit with 100% of fish loaded with worms. Here are a couple pics. Intestines,  stomach,  pyloric caeca, liver, fat, etc. very wormy. Worms are hooked into various tissues. Like I've said before, haven't seen this many worms ever before at Shasta,  which is the only place I eat bass from. Wish there was something that could be done.  Water in the mid 50's.

I would think low water levels changed the forage species  to something more likely to have parasites. I wouldn't know though because I release all bass because I don't think they taste very good and I don't want to anger the hard core bass guys. I have seen a lot of trout with parasite though. Cook them good and they are just more protein. For smoked trout I freeze them first.

spotted bass are actually not bad eating as far as the bass family goes.in a large lake like Shasta the fish is very mild tasting not like the fish we catch out here in the delta.they taste almost like a blue rockfish. But its been ages since ive been up to shasta.as far as parasites goes I have noticed they are more present in the local fish population fresh and salt.or maybe I just didn't care in the past and didn't notice them before. Anyway no raw caught fish for me.all my friends call me a wuss now cause when they call me over to help prep fish and they ask me to make stripe bass ceviche when im done I scoop some out and in to the frying pan for a quick sautee.I tell them each to his own

I would think low water levels changed the forage species  to something more likely to have parasites. I wouldn't know though because I release all bass because I don't think they taste very good and I don't want to anger the hard core bass guys. I have seen a lot of trout with parasite though. Cook them good and they are just more protein. For smoked trout I freeze them first.

spotted bass are actually not bad eating as far as the bass family goes.in a large lake like Shasta the fish is very mild tasting not like the fish we catch out here in the delta.they taste almost like a blue rockfish. But its been ages since ive been up to shasta.as far as parasites goes I have noticed they are more present in the local fish population fresh and salt.or maybe I just didn't care in the past and didn't notice them before. Anyway no raw caught fish for me.all my friends call me a wuss now cause when they call me over to help prep fish and they ask me to make stripe bass ceviche when im done I scoop some out and in to the frying pan for a quick sautee.I tell them each to his own

Shasta winter spots will rival, if not beat most rockfish imo. I don't eat it raw necessarily but I'll tear up some ceviche, worms in fish don't bug me. I'm just worried about what this infestation might do to the current or next generation(s),  especially of the other black bass species that don't keep up with the population of spots in Shasta.

I would think low water levels changed the forage species  to something more likely to have parasites. I wouldn't know though because I release all bass because I don't think they taste very good and I don't want to anger the hard core bass guys. I have seen a lot of trout with parasite though. Cook them good and they are just more protein. For smoked trout I freeze them first.

spotted bass are actually not bad eating as far as the bass family goes.in a large lake like Shasta the fish is very mild tasting not like the fish we catch out here in the delta.they taste almost like a blue rockfish. But its been ages since ive been up to shasta.as far as parasites goes I have noticed they are more present in the local fish population fresh and salt.or maybe I just didn't care in the past and didn't notice them before. Anyway no raw caught fish for me.all my friends call me a wuss now cause when they call me over to help prep fish and they ask me to make stripe bass ceviche when im done I scoop some out and in to the frying pan for a quick sautee.I tell them each to his own

Shasta winter spots will rival, if not beat most rockfish imo. I don't eat it raw necessarily but I'll tear up some ceviche, worms in fish don't bug me. I'm just worried about what this infestation might do to the current or next generation(s),  especially of the other black bass species that don't keep up with the population of spots in Shasta.

Uh, wormy fish should bug you when you eat it raw (even in ceviche).

I am not worried about the future of Shasta spotted bass.  Have you observed similar parasites in largemouth and smallmouth?

Wow am I not hungry for Shasta bass...

Wow am I not hungry for Shasta bass...

with a name like wormguy i thought we were going to get the answer.

I would think low water levels changed the forage species  to something more likely to have parasites. I wouldn't know though because I release all bass because I don't think they taste very good and I don't want to anger the hard core bass guys. I have seen a lot of trout with parasite though. Cook them good and they are just more protein. For smoked trout I freeze them first.

spotted bass are actually not bad eating as far as the bass family goes.in a large lake like Shasta the fish is very mild tasting not like the fish we catch out here in the delta.they taste almost like a blue rockfish. But its been ages since ive been up to shasta.as far as parasites goes I have noticed they are more present in the local fish population fresh and salt.or maybe I just didn't care in the past and didn't notice them before. Anyway no raw caught fish for me.all my friends call me a wuss now cause when they call me over to help prep fish and they ask me to make stripe bass ceviche when im done I scoop some out and in to the frying pan for a quick sautee.I tell them each to his own

Shasta winter spots will rival, if not beat most rockfish imo. I don't eat it raw necessarily but I'll tear up some ceviche, worms in fish don't bug me. I'm just worried about what this infestation might do to the current or next generation(s),  especially of the other black bass species that don't keep up with the population of spots in Shasta.

Uh, wormy fish should bug you when you eat it raw (even in ceviche).

I am not worried about the future of Shasta spotted bass.  Have you observed similar parasites in largemouth and smallmouth?

No,  I haven't had any of them open, they go back in the lake.

The last few posts talking about freshwater fish ceviche has convinced me to put up a disclaimer for those who are reading this and are interested in eating raw freshwater fish:

Unlike saltwater fish, freshwater fish can contain several different parasites that can grow and thrive within humans if ingested.  Things like liver flukes, tapeworms, and worse.  Some of them, like liver flukes, can lead to cirrhosis of the liver.  Everyone to their own Jesse, but I gotta put this out there to anyone who is even toying with the idea of eating raw freshwater fish: don't do it!!  There is a reason why you never see freshwater fish at sushi bars.

Glad I didn't read this post before dinner  , I will check with a friend who keeps a few fish to see what he has found.

The last few posts talking about freshwater fish ceviche has convinced me to put up a disclaimer for those who are reading this and are interested in eating raw freshwater fish:

Unlike saltwater fish, freshwater fish can contain several different parasites that can grow and thrive within humans if ingested.  Things like liver flukes, tapeworms, and worse.  Some of them, like liver flukes, can lead to cirrhosis of the liver.  Everyone to their own Jesse, but I gotta put this out there to anyone who is even toying with the idea of eating raw freshwater fish: don't do it!!  There is a reason why you never see freshwater fish at sushi bars.

:/  thanks for the heads up

There is a reason why you never see freshwater fish at sushi bars.

Unagi?

There is a reason why you never see freshwater fish at sushi bars.

Unagi?

Unagi is always cooked.

I gave this a rest in hopes that rain and cooler water may change things a bit,  but as yet, the parasite situation hasn't improved. I've been bass fishing Shasta a lot again in the last two weeks and every single fish has parasites. I fished a completely different area, miles apart from the previous area where i noticed Worms as well, same deal. I was asked before if smallies and largemouth have the same issue and yesterday i hooked one of each deep and kept them. The answer is,  yes,  both smallies and largemouth are infected as well. The largemouth being as infested as the worst spot I've seen. So what next? The reservoir bio stated that he hasn't seen an increase,  Does he fish? Does he regularly check on anything? Every fisherman I've talked to has noticed the abnormal increase in worms. These fish are really suffering. All the organs/guts are pale, perforated and bloody in the worst cases, which is about 30-40 percent,  with 100 percent having at least segmented worms and around 50-60 percent having roundworms and 20-30 being emaciated and sharing both parasites. Think DFG might be able to throw us a bone and dump a couple hundred pounds of a dewormer here and there along the arms of the lake?

Even your freezer doesn't get cold enough to kill all parasites to eat freshwater fish raw. No striper ceviche for me.