walleye - dermal sarcoma?, Including picture - very unusual?

Today fishing new area (for me) and caught two walleye - 20" and 14.5".

Attached are the pictures.

Has any one seen this before?

Attempting to see if other posts on this site on this subject - but come up blank. Thought there was something a few months ago?

This photo is the other side of same fish.

Don't know why didn't see this when we landed it! However - getting dark (4:45) and dropped right in snow - buddy helping was wearing gloves so didn't feel the bumps.

Only saw myself when unloaded from bucket at home . . .

All sites that I've been able to read suggest edible - if taking off the skin. Was challenge to fillet with the bumps.

I've occasionally picked up the odd walleye with 'one' or so sore but this is exceptional!

Anyhow - my first two fish of the year! After 5 days of fishing skunks in Kashagawigamog (Haliburton)

Its either Dermal Sacroma or Lymphocystis. But most likly Lymphocystis Its pretty hard to tell them apart. Both are a viruses and both are bad for fish and worts will burst into the water infecting other fish with open sores. (hope you didnt put it back).
Neither of them have any affect on humans so your safe, eat up haha.

Thanks Culp for the confirmation and possible other cause.

Agree - they are similar. Some of the reading I've done suggests more probable the dermal sarcoma as is mostly on the body - not the fins.

What I'm interested in is the rate of infection in the fish. These two fish are my first two ever from Quinte and I've never seen it on others areas I've fished - Rice Lake, Wellers Bay, Kashagawigamog etc. And not much write up if largely in the Quinte area?

Yes - took fish home and didn't see the growths until ready to clean. tough cleaning from skin - as the bumps challenged the knife.



http://www.ramp-alberta.org/ramp/community...at/growths.aspx

http://www.tnfish.org/FishDiseasesParasite...ymphocystis.pdf

http://www.fish.state.pa.us/images/pages/q...leye_tumors.htm

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fish_diseases/lymphocystis.html

I fished Quinte for many years before moving to Owen Sound and can say I have never seen that on a fish before.

When ice fishing I was at Hay Bay, Sherman's, Huff's, The power line crossing, Deseronto and a few other places heading to Trenton. Not unusual for my friends and I to catch and release up to 12 or 15 in a morning or evening when the bite was good.

Thanks for the info I'll let my buddies know, not to release any fish with that on them.

I cant say for certain but I think that the virus is found mostly in the great lakes, much less in the land locked lakes. I dont find it all that suprising that may people have not seen it before, its not an out of control issuse. say there are about 1 million walleye coming into the BOQ alone and only 10,000 are caught there is a very good chance within that small number being caught none of those fish will have the virus.

I also have never caught a walleye out of Quinte with such growths, nor have I caught any in the Kawarthas. I have seen similiar growths on pike and bass thou, but not to that extent.

Glad you hooked into some nice eyes Frank..

I am planning on hitting Quinte as well in the coming weeks and will keep you in the loop.

Get them on trigger-x baits.

I've caught Walleye in Sturgeon Lake in the Kawarthas with this same condition.

update on the walleye.

cleaned into fillets the night was caught. cooked for supper later in week.

despite assurances was 'good to eat' we could eat much of it. tasted like regular walleye but the visual somehow turned us off.

when chance will contact MNR to get their guidance on whether to return these to their water or destroy or eat! the visuals do not make these too appealing. the smaller walleye disappeared fast!

may be heading back to quinte Sunday afternoon to get the evening bite. somewhat cautious about all the rain on the ice. not keen to stand around in foot of water (but will if the bite is on!)

what have others done with their fish caught with these two diseases? released, destroyed or eaten? I'm pleased that we tried to eat.

thanks

don't cull any of the fish with this condition! the links you posted clearly state that it seldom kills the fish and it disappears by late spring, if your not gonna eat the fish let it go so it could spawn!

Thanks Jmf,
I was thinking the same thing. But I'm no scientist. So I kept my mouth shut.
Cheers!