Snagged and not released

[hightechdecks]

their gill openings are weird like little portholes

 

[NOTTA STEELER]

what the eff do you if that thing bites you? they look like something from a horror film :unsure:

No worries on it latching on to your skin , they are cold blooded and prefer cold blooded meals .
They might prefer Blair being part vampire and all .
We used to catch them on slow days fishing the Credit years ago , they spawn in spring and could be seen easily in the shallows.
Grab them by the tail and hawl them out of the water , way up on the bank so they couldn't wriggle their way back .
Some days we'd take out over 30 .

 

[NOTTA STEELER]

their gill openings are weird like little portholes

Simular to those of sharks , the mouths in general are suction cups and then those teeth are twisted into the flesh .
We would often see salmon jumping for what seemed no reason until you noticed a 3 foot lamprey clinging to the side and as those rasps dig in the pain must be unbearable. They would rub the bottom sideways trying to shake them off . If any of you see a lamprey on a fish or just swimming by grab it with a gloved hand , pliers , forceps , what ever , just get it out of the water and save alot of fish . I'll always remember a day on the Saugeen many years ago , I found what seemed to be a completely healthy hen Chinook laying in some still water , she was breathing and silver , about 32 lbs. What could be wrong with such a specimen as this ?
I turned her upwards as to help her back to the current and was horrified to see her left side . There were four holes in her side , you could see all her internal organs and her large sacs of skein like looking through a window .
No wonder she was living and dead at the same time .

 

[Blair]

Simular to those of sharks , the mouths in general are suction cups and then those teeth are twisted into the flesh .
We would often see salmon jumping for what seemed no reason until you noticed a 3 foot lamprey clinging to the side and as those rasps dig in the pain must be unbearable. They would rub the bottom sideways trying to shake them off . If any of you see a lamprey on a fish or just swimming by grab it with a gloved hand , pliers , forceps , what ever , just get it out of the water and save alot of fish . I'll always remember a day on the Saugeen many years ago , I found what seemed to be a completely healthy hen Chinook laying in some still water , she was breathing and silver , about 32 lbs. What could be wrong with such a specimen as this ?
I turned her upwards as to help her back to the current and was horrified to see her left side . There were four holes in her side , you could see all her internal organs and her large sacs of skein like looking through a window .
No wonder she was living and dead at the same time .

My mother's side of the family ... is the Vampire! lol
Fortunately, I can at least "Shut my Head off" and sleep like a baby when I want too. ( My younger brother as well) the other siblngs seem to have the "Manic Curse".




LAST year at DUffs... I saw a BIG BOW (About 14 pounds) just sitting at the side of a bank (Similiar situation)
I actually "Flossed" the bait right into it's mouth (Hey ... it wasnt moving, and if you can floss into a bows mouth from 60 ft upstream - GOOD ON YAH! lol)

The fact that I could put the bait there with no movement or reaction, made me know there was something FUNKY going on.
2 lamprey were still attached on one side. Never saw that before (2 at a time)

Pulled em off bare hands (Either brave, stupid or experienced?) and threw em in the bushes.



I seem to see more marks and live ones in the EAST TRIBS vs the WEST TRIBS.
Wonder why that is?

or is it just my interpretation....



Time and place for all the PARISITES of the WORLD .... just not on our fish!

 

[salmotrutta]

Judging by what you're saying there Notta, it sounds like they have indeed succeeded in eradicating 90% of the lamprey population through barriers, poisoning and other means.

I know a few cold-blooded people I'd like to stick a lamprey to, maybe I will keep the next one I catch :twisted:

 

[AKnook]

That has to be one of the most hideous things I have ever seen! The only things I deal with attached to our salmon here is sea lice. And I am glad thats all!

 

[Klamp]

On my way back from the cottage we were all rounded up by MNR and forced into a check-point parking lot. One of the teams present was responsible for "Sea Lamprey Control". Was the first time I've ever heard of these guys, but they had trucks, boats and some huge netting systems. From what they told me the sea lamprey numbers are on the rise big-time.

 

[Phisherman]

never seen a lamprey in real life before, i guess thats a good thing

 

[salmotrutta]

One of the teams present was responsible for "Sea Lamprey Control". Was the first time I've ever heard of these guys, but they had trucks, boats and some huge netting systems.

I hear they get all the chicks.

 

[Dugger]

FYI there is a native lamprey to Ontario found in Great Lakes related watersheds called the NORTHERN BROOK LAMPREY which is NOT a parasitic species. Just throwing it out there as the salmon insanity season unfolds. This native only grows to 20 cm so if you do see a small lamprey in some of the cleaner headwaters this fall while chasing salmon, it could be one of these threatened fish. It is related to the horrific Atlantic Lamprey (see Salmo's pic) but does not suck the life out of our gamefish. It is a threatened species under the Fisheries Act.

check the little guy out....

http://www.rom.on.ca/ontario/risk.php?doc_type=fact&id=58

 

[NOTTA STEELER]

From what they told me the sea lamprey numbers are on the rise big-time.

Big time indeed . My buddy recently e-mailed the Ministry , insisting an explanation as to why the Sea Lamprey population is exploding .
It seems 8 out of 10 fish we see and or catch , whether it be Salmon or Trout , have old scars , fresh ones or slide marks ( where a lamprey was suctioned on , but not actually feeding on the fish ).
Sea Lamprey are large , adults are 2 to 3 feet in length , they are nasty fish killing machines .

 

[Blair]

, they are nasty fish killing machines .

They certainly are!

 

[Alfiegee]

Obviously a good call to not release. I see them in Bronte all the time.
I hear some foreign societies like to eat lamprey. " Taste like Chicken." They say

Alfie.