Worms in Speckled Trout

[SS-342]

Monday, 5-5-14, my wife and I limited out on trout by 1:30 near Spring Warrior.

Tuesday we limited out on trout by 12:30 but out a few miles in 6-7 foot water.

The trout in shallower water had more worms that the ones caught in deeper water.

Was this just a fluke or are the trout who stay in deeper water more worm free?

[onefishtwofish]

I don't know, but the warmer the water the more worms I tend to see. But I also only usually have fish fries in the summer, so I usually release them in the cooler months.

I just googled and it said higher salinity, cleaner water produces more worms.

[SS-342]

I just googled and it said higher salinity, cleaner water produces more worms.

That's interesting! I would have thought just the opposite.

[silverking]

I just googled and it said higher salinity, cleaner water produces more worms.

That's interesting! I would have thought just the opposite.

If that's the case, there shouldn't be a trout with worms within 100 miles of the Big Bend coast.

[MudDucker]

A marine biologist once told me that worm load is based on age and location. The older the fish gets, the more likely and the more worms it will have. He also said there are certain areas and types of grass that seem to hold more worms. Made sense to me.

[Pirate]

Interesting to know. Last summer, with all the fresh water ALL summer we caught much lower numbers of trout but much bigger trout overall. I noticed more worms in them. I wondered if the fresh water had caused more worms or the bigger size. This info indicates it would have been the size. Did anyone else have results like us last summer with fewer numbers yet bigger fish with fresh salinity?

[SS-342]

Interesting to know. Last summer, with all the fresh water ALL summer we caught much lower numbers of trout but much bigger trout overall. I noticed more worms in them. I wondered if the fresh water had caused more worms or the bigger size. This info indicates it would have been the size. Did anyone else have results like us last summer with fewer numbers yet bigger fish with fresh salinity?

We didn't particular notice the number of worms but we did catch much larger trout (over all) last year. The ones we caught this week would average a good 17" - 17.5" but we throw back all the fifteen inch ones. A few up to eighteen and some sixteen but mostlyseventeens. Seems last year they ran larger on an average.

[SS-342]

A marine biologist once told me that worm load is based on age and location. The older the fish gets, the more likely and the more worms it will have. He also said there are certain areas and types of grass that seem to hold more worms. Made sense to me.

Interesting! I'm going to keep an eye on this spot and see if it holds up year around. Like I said, it may have been a fluke?

[DEMON]

Here's an article I saw recently:

http://www.cfecf.com/Parasites.htm

According to the article, trout get the worms from the bait they eat.

[Flint River Pirate]

I see them a lot in those shallow water Econfina Amberjack too.

[MudDucker]

I see them a lot in those shallow water Econfina Amberjack too.

Amberjack is a particularly worm infested fish. I don't eat them, but I cut up a 20lb for cut bait on a trip and that sucker was eaten up with worms.

[wishin2bfishin]

Search for "spaghetti worms". From what I read, the cycle begins with the shrimp. Shrimp has the worm eggs, trout eats shrimp, eggs hatch and bore into trout flesh, mature and pass out of the trout and lay eggs on the grass shred the shrimp eats the eggs and cycle repeats.
The biologist said the worms are harmless as long as the fish is cooked well. And hey, they haven't eaten anything but trout, or reds, or AJ, ... Can't be all bad.
Seems to me that they are worse in hot weather, but I still eat the fish. Just don't let your wife or kids see them!