Sea Lice
 

Is there any scientific evidence that states only newly arrived fish will have lice and holdovers won't? The only study I've seen on it was from Maryland DNR that said these lice can't live in water with high salinity. Although they may be referring to only gill lice?

http://www.tnfish.org/FishDiseasesPa...e_GillLice.pdf

Since no one can point to any scientific evidence I will assume that it is only a myth that only newly arrived fish have lice. Alway thought that was BS.

Red Throat Hummingbirds are back in southern mass. Go put your feeders out.

I do not think the sea lice discriminate! ;-)

I have been looking for an answer lately as well. At some point in the past I either read an article or was told by someone that they are a result of fish being grouped up in tight schools and not because they are fresh fish, but I have not been able to verify that one way or the other recently. Personally I do not feel that it means the fish are fresh as I have landed bass many, many miles up a freshwater river that had so-called sea lice on them.

My understanding is that sea lice are common in the open ocean where fish migrate but they cannot tolerate fresh or brackish water very well which is where most of the holdover striped bass congregate in the winter. Fish coming out from fresh or brakish areas where they held over aren't going to have them while fish coming in from the sea often have them.

This is a good subject and I was thinking about this while fishing the other day. One guy said some fish were caught with sea lice, while I didn't notice any on the fish I caught.

Similar to Toby's comment, I've basically heard the same. That the sea lice may be a result of "grouping" together. I'm curious to know and would assume studies have been done on sea lice.

I don't recall noticing them when the bluefish arrive or in those years when weakfish show up either.

Not sure if I understand the reasons but a veteran caster once told me that a fresh ocean fish is much darker in color...both the stripes and general coloration.

not sure if this observation was limited to a one specific area...or if it applies to all regions. Some fish like halibut and fluke do change their coloration based on environment....I am not sure if this is similar or based on some other influence...like diet.

I thought that if others have noted this it could be used to ID migratory fish.
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fresh bass & sea lice
 

fished the cape on thur. just for a few hours got 6 bass saw another 14 caught all had sea lice . sea lice comes from colder water as the fish come up north they pick them up along the way as they go into areas were the water is warmer or has les saliniy the lice start to die. capt bill aka bait caster.