Black spots in fillets??

[MNpurple]

Usually it is in panfish but every now and then I catch a bass that has these blacks spots in its fillets. What are these black spots in the meat and are they safe to eat. Like i said, usually just panfish but every now and then if I keep a bass, it has those spots also. Any help

[TonkaBass]

The "black spots" you are referring to are called Neascus. They are okay to eat, think of them as freckles. Bass however are not okay to eat, some people have been known to get very ill from eating these fish, all should be released! Yellow grub, also called Clinostomum, is also fournd in panfish, but again, is okay to eat.

[MNpurple]

I know, I dont keep bass as a rule, but if they are hooked deep and bleeding, I would rather put them in the livewell than feed the seagulls.

[EatSleepFish]

If the bass i catch are hooked deep I just cut the hook, The hook will rust away pretty fast from the bass's stomach acid, doing no harm to the fish, 10 cent hooks arent worth killing a bass over

-If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there would be a shortage of fishing poles

[riverrat56]

Im really starting to believe that keeping deeply hooked fish or trying to saftly get the hook out is a better option. New hooks won't rust out that fast, and I really don't believe a fish is going to make it much more than a week with out eating, or that they can eat with a 4/0 hook in there gullet. At least I know when I keep the fish, that they won't go to waste. Not trying to say that in some cases leaving the hook in isn't a better option, but if I feel the fish doesn't stand a good chance of living, I will keep it (If legal) to assure it gets used.

An where are you getting 10 cent hooks? Clue me in

[Pig_sticka]

Maybe they should come out with bait hooks with just such purposes

Maybe there is a way to produce a hook that will dissolve faster than other hooks. I suppose then they wont last as long in your tackle box, but hey who in here doesn't go through any live bait hooks in a fishing outing. From the hooks that get snagged, to the hooks cut off in fish. To the hooks just forgotten about on the bottom of the boat or on the shoreline.

Well atleast it is an idea.

Black spots are just fine to eat though, for my prefference I just make sure they are cooked properly. If they did anything to the person eating them I think almost every person in Minnesota would be sick.