sea lice on stripers
 

Went our to Block Island the past two days. Beautiful weather. The fishing was fair. Caught 4 stripers, each between 21 and 24 pounds. Been boat fishing and noticed that the fish had sea lice all over them. Just wondering if anyone knows just what causes this. I heard that they have been caused by the bass lying in the mud and also that it's from holdovers in the brackish water of the rivers...hudson....etc...any help? They wash off and don't really bother me...just curious :confused:

fresh from the outside[ocean] fish that hang inshore[warm water] generlly don't have the lice.

From what I've read, the migratory fish that have been swimming for a while have them, as they don't have time to stop and knock them off. The holdovers don't have lice.