# Sea lice,schoolies and York river



## Cdog (Mar 18, 2002)

Hit the York for my lunch break and got 17 schoolies. All but one had sea lice on em which brings up my question.

I had always assumed that sub 20" fish were residents and stayed in the bay year round.My thinking behind that was I had never caught a sub 20 in the ocean.Every fish today was between 15-17" and had lice. So do some schoolies go to sea while others stay in the Bay? Any thoughts welcomed.


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

Cdog said:


> Hit the York for my lunch break and got 17 schoolies. All but one had sea lice on em which brings up my question.
> 
> I had always assumed that sub 20" fish were residents and stayed in the bay year round.My thinking behind that was I had never caught a sub 20 in the ocean.Every fish today was between 15-17" and had lice. So do some schoolies go to sea while others stay in the Bay? Any thoughts welcomed.


I always thought that as well. So could it be that these 15-17" fish are actually older than there size would indicate? Remember that record croaker was MUCH bigger than it should be for its age. I wonder if something is stunting the natural growth of them.


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## basstardo (Jun 5, 2006)

Cdog said:


> got 17 schoolies


I hope this is a good indicator of tonight.


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

Here's the deal ... When I catch White Leggers (when the CHP was open) I'd use shad or bluefish carcases and it would be this time of year ... Anyhow the nets would be full of sea lice ... There would litteralyy be hundreds falling out of every trap ... The fish I caught while attending the traps would also be covered with them ... I noticed the bite to be pretty tough when this happens and I'd almost swear that the stripers were feeding on them (sea lice) ... I put 1 on a hook and sure enough caught a small striper ... cant say it wasnt a coincidence because I didnt keep using them and hated to touch them 
Anyhow I hope that helps you out some ..


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## Cdog (Mar 18, 2002)

basstardo said:


> I hope this is a good indicator of tonight.


Different spot but we'll see.




hengstthomas said:


> Here's the deal ... When I catch White Leggers (when the CHP was open) I'd use shad or bluefish carcases and it would be this time of year ... Anyhow the nets would be full of sea lice ... There would litteralyy be hundreds falling out of every trap ... The fish I caught while attending the traps would also be covered with them ... I noticed the bite to be pretty tough when this happens and I'd almost swear that the stripers were feeding on them (sea lice) ... I put 1 on a hook and sure enough caught a small striper ... cant say it wasnt a coincidence because I didnt keep using them and hated to touch them
> Anyhow I hope that helps you out some ..


Interesting info, my other theory was do the sea lice actually come into the Bay? If so then some of the people getting excited because fish have sea lice could be wrong that the fish are coming from the ocean and its actually bay fish that the lice are coming to. Thanks.


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## Lipyourown (May 11, 2005)

I have caught 20"ers in the ocean at AI (lice free).

I think those schoolies you just caught intermingled with the sea run stripers that are thick in the channels of the bay right now and they are full of lice. I don't think the lice comes in the bay on there own, they like it salty.


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

The Ocean isnt that far away ... That is the truth , I did not make that up and can prove it .


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## Dr. Bubba (Nov 9, 1999)

Dog, I don't know if the sea lice can travel on their own. 

And, I have caught sub 20" fish in the ocean, but that was close to the mouth of the bay, they may just be following food.

This probably helps you in no way, of course...


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## Steve O (Nov 3, 2005)

Posted on another site. thought this would end some of the confusion

Chesapeake Bay fishermen are always talking about sea lice as an indicator that striped bass having them have just entered the bay from ocean waters. There seems to be a bit of confusion among some anglers and this picture that a lower bay fishing guide provided along with a link to an article by fisheries biologist Rudy Lukacovic may help clear the waters. Please check Rudy’s article at the following link. www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/recreational/articles/sealice.html

The picture below is a picture of a parasitic isopod called a “fish gill isopod” Linoneca ovalis; which is often found in the gills of juvenile bluefish and sometimes striped bass and other fish living or traveling in the inshore waters of the Atlantic Ocean. They cling tenaciously to the gill filaments of their host with horrible looking hooked legs. They feed on the gill tissue not the blood of the host fish and it is not uncommon for them to leave one fishSea Lice and free swim until they find another fish to cling to. They live in high salinity waters and are an indication that a fish has been in waters at or close to ocean salinity; which typically is about 35 ppt. Gill lice or Ergasalis do not do well in high salinities and live in salinities as low as .5ppt.


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## Steve O (Nov 3, 2005)

double post


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## Cdog (Mar 18, 2002)

Interesting read, but I wasn't looking at their gills.These were actually on the body, mostly near the tail and were white almost clear.Maybe I'm confusing something else with sea lice...


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## Caught Myself (Sep 14, 2004)

Dog, I've also seen them on the striper's skin. Also pulling them into the kayak, it looked like they were spitting sea lice. Could be the ones on the gills and when out of the water they let go.


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## SkunkApe (Dec 9, 2006)

*Louses*

Recently, I've landed quite a few schoolies and a couple of cows around the CBBT & ships. No lice to speak of on their bodies. Must be an upper river thing.....

Skunk


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## eaglesfanguy (May 1, 2003)

These Lice are getting worse and worse.. if anyone catches a fish with these parasites.. do your best to rid the fish of em.. squash these parasitic bastardos... there no good.. 
ive been looking online about them.. there reacking havok on fish farms.. mainly salmon.. kilem killem killlem..


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## basstardo (Jun 5, 2006)

eaglesfanguy said:


> bastardos...


Heeeyyyy, don't squash me mang!


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

Lipyourown said:


> I have caught 20"ers in the ocean at AI (lice free).
> 
> I think those schoolies you just caught intermingled with the sea run stripers that are thick in the channels of the bay right now and they are full of lice. I don't think the lice comes in the bay on there own, they like it salty.


SO .. yes sea lice can change host .
Some Sea lice dont like it salty .
Sea lice can free swim .
All those sea lice attacking my crab bait (bluefish) didnt take a taxi (ride from a striper) ride to the pier (bay) .
Sea lice = Isopod (copods) 

In this report I caught a striper with an Isopod on its in TAIL in August (very warm water and not associated with the cold migrating fish in the fall)
Here's the link with a (not so clear) pic of sea lice on its tail ...
http://www.pierandsurf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43475
I really didnt make that up and it happens every year ..


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

Steve O said:


> Posted on another site. thought this would end some of the confusion
> 
> Chesapeake Bay fishermen are always talking about sea lice as an indicator that striped bass having them have just entered the bay from ocean waters. There seems to be a bit of confusion among some anglers and this picture that a lower bay fishing guide provided along with a link to an article by fisheries biologist Rudy Lukacovic may help clear the waters. Please check Rudy’s article at the following link. www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/recreational/articles/sealice.html
> 
> The picture below is a picture of a parasitic isopod called a “fish gill isopod” Linoneca ovalis; which is often found in the gills of juvenile bluefish and sometimes striped bass and other fish living or traveling in the inshore waters of the Atlantic Ocean. They cling tenaciously to the gill filaments of their host with horrible looking hooked legs. They feed on the gill tissue not the blood of the host fish and it is not uncommon for them to leave one fishSea Lice and free swim until they find another fish to cling to. They live in high salinity waters and are an indication that a fish has been in waters at or close to ocean salinity; which typically is about 35 ppt. Gill lice or Ergasalis do not do well in high salinities and live in salinities as low as .5ppt.


Thanks Steve


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## Lipyourown (May 11, 2005)

hengs, I was responding to the original poster but I think we are talking about different animals anyway.

The sea lice I am familiar with are seen almost 100 miles away from the ocean...and they don't scavenge on dead bait like the ones that bother me at AI in the winter- Isopods.

The ones I see are always in cold water, on big ocean run stripers and you never see more than a dozen on one fish. They are also longer and thinner than the one in your picture.

I take everything I hear out of the DNR with a grain of salt.


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

Lipyourown said:


> hengs, I was responding to the original poster but I think we are talking about different animals anyway.
> 
> The sea lice I am familiar with are seen almost 100 miles away from the ocean...and they don't scavenge on dead bait like the ones that bother me at AI in the winter- Isopods.
> 
> ...


If you get a chance please take a picture of one .. I'd like to see it .
The one on the Striper in my post I believe is the one in question and what is referred to as sea lice . 
A freind (Drew S) and I , on Dec 26th 2007 were at IRI fishing when I spotted something in the water .. Moved pretty fast but after awhile one came close enough for me to grab and it turned out to be sea lice free swimming in the wash like sandfleas ..


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## sand flea (Oct 24, 1999)

Most of the fish in the bay are three years old or younger, but many of those smaller fish that are even older than that are males. Not every male becomes an oceangoing fish at the end of its third year.

Also, you're still pretty close to the ocean if you're fishing in Tidewater. I wouldn't be surprised if during drought years the nasty little things make their way several miles up into the bay.


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## Lipyourown (May 11, 2005)

On a pretty consistent basis we see these on bigger rockfish all the way to Cheasapeake Beach. Mostly in the Nov-Dec time frame but also, on occasion during the spring run of spawners. 

I was thinking that we were all talking about the same animal and we all saw these things at different stages in their lives, but since I see them in Spring and Fall just like this picture, I think we are talking about different animals. Just like when I'm down South and say "I caught a rockfish" sometimes they think I'm talking about a bottom feeder I caught near a wreck from a boat. 

FYI, this is not my picture and this is about as big as I have seen them unless that is mini me holding it:


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

Lipyourown said:


> On a pretty consistent basis we see these on bigger rockfish all the way to Cheasapeake Beach. Mostly in the Nov-Dec time frame but also, on occasion during the spring run of spawners.
> 
> I was thinking that we were all talking about the same animal and we all saw these things at different stages in their lives, but since I see them in Spring and Fall just like this picture, I think we are talking about different animals. Just like when I'm down South and say "I caught a rockfish" sometimes they think I'm talking about a bottom feeder I caught near a wreck from a boat.
> 
> FYI, this is not my picture and this is about as big as I have seen them unless that is mini me holding it:


Might be just me but I see a red X ..


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## Cdog (Mar 18, 2002)

hengstthomas said:


> Might be just me but I see a red X ..


You must use IE, I use Mozilla and dont see squat...


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## Lipyourown (May 11, 2005)




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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

Lipyourown said:


>


Although thats pretty small I think they are the same thing ..










Ok now for a bonus ... I saw a thread about winter flounder and a guy said he has been getting a few at IRI .. After some research I found that one of the main things on the menu for WF is those "sealice" . WF have been pulled from the De and Chesapeak bays with stomaches full of them .
I personally have found them on Bluesfish,Stripers and in some shads mouth .. Also in Stripers bellies and Summer Flounder bellies (no doubt in my mind that other fish eat them too)

That date on that pic is correct


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