I've got Warts

[Tyler Holm]

This thing was covered! Gave me the HeebieBaJeezes just touching it. The photo only shows a few, but man it was covered and bumps are larger than they appear.

[Larry FlatCaster]

Warts or Worms.

Could you see them bumps wigglin. Eeeewwwww

[Flaco651]

Riverhog caught one on the MN last weekend that was like that too.

[fiskyknut]

Poor thing needs a dose of Valtrex!!!

[Ralph Wiggum]

I've caught quite a few like that in Minneapolis.

[Shack]

The 13lber my buddy caught on the Croix the other weekend had those same vertical lines on its side. His fish had many more. Looked like scares from a knife.

All of the channels I have caught on the Miss. North never have them lines on their sides.

[Tyler Holm]

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The 13lber my buddy caught on the Croix the other weekend had those same vertical lines on its side. His fish had many more. Looked like scares from a knife.

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I've caught plenty of channels with those vertical scar lines. Most larger dark channels have them. Sometimes the larger channels are a gray color and those don't seem to have these vertical scar lines as much. But the warts deal was new for me.

[Dan Thiem]

Windex time Fisky! Thanks a lot.

I wonder if the DNR would like to know about them? Did ya catch any others that looked like that?

[Tyler Holm]

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Warts or Worms.

Could you see them bumps wigglin. Eeeewwwww

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Man are you kiddin. I didn't take the time to investigate the bumps. There's a chance I would have lost my cookies if those bumps were wigglin. Whofta

[Tyler Holm]

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Did ya catch any others that looked like that?

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This was the only one. Pool 4.

[Shack]

One would think the lines are a sign of sickness? The one from the Croix had then very close and almost deep up and down sides. Just like someone took a razor to him. I thought it was some one being cruel at one time to fish, because out of the fish I have caught out of MN River and Miss. North (like I said) none of them had this! This fish from the Croix, did put up a very good healthy fight.

The warts are defiantly a sign of sickness. Coming or going, I think it would not be good for fish!

Did the fish put up a pretty good fight when you caught it?

[hanson]

I may be a bit confused on these "lines" you guys are talking about, but...

Here's the kitty dad caught in the Incredible.

Notice the patterning of color across its sides, especially its back. My hypothesis is these fish get roughed up swimming into, around, and hanging out inside snags all day. I think this is what causes those markings.

[Black_Bay]

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I may be a bit confused on these "lines" you guys are talking about, but...

Here's the kitty dad caught in the Incredible.

Notice the patterning of color across its sides, especially its back. My hypothesis is these fish get roughed up swimming into, around, and hanging out inside snags all day. I think this is what causes those markings.

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Also those bad boys love to roll on the line. Mono and especially the finer superlines will "cut" into the fish pretty good sometimes. They don't have scales to protect them remember.

[hanson]

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They don't have scales to protect them remember.

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Very good point!

[Shack]

I did think it could be possibley it was caught in line at one point in time!

But! Black Bay you answered my question! Possibley?

All of the channels I catch on Mississippi North are caught from shore. Now the one that was caught on the Croix was caught in deep water from a boat. The fight was long with many runs. I figure when fish is running from boat the line marks show up from line being pressed against or wraped around fish.

Now from shore, it could be a total differnt story when bring fish in. Plus, fish up here are caught very far and few between. On the croix, the fish I saw could of been caught earlier that day.

Good point, thanks!

I wished I would of got a picture of that fish. It is far and few between I catch a channel from a boat as of late

[Shack]

Hanson does bring up a good point about about fish being in snaggs and sticks cutting into fish!

But the uniform of cuts, does not concur with a randon rub here and there. It is almost like they were spaced out perfectly!

[fiskyknut]

Me thinks these examples in the 2 pics could be marks/scratches from a landing net perhaps??? I'm not meaning Tylers case of the bumpies! May also explain those 'spaced out perfectly' marks on fishes body mentioned above.

[Larry FlatCaster]

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Me thinks these examples in the 2 pics could be marks/scratches from a landing net perhaps??? I'm not meaning Tylers case of the bumpies! May also explain those 'spaced out perfectly' marks on fishes body mentioned above.

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Nets will do a number on the bigger fish. Especially if you are using a net with fine mesh. (Light material)

as well as line wrapping during a fight.

As far as a fish getting cut up in snaggs, pretty unlikely. the force required underwater to do that...... It would be like us in outer space with no gravity.

[rushing]

I dunno fish wedge themselves into snags pretty far. Check out the cats in the tank down at Cabelas. They are all wedged up in the wood. I think it instinctual so they don't have to fight the current when they are resting. I can definitely see them getting scraped but not cut though.

[dps]

The lines thing, and the warts thing I have seen a lot.. all over the place. I have caught cats in the mississippi river from p1-p4 with warts, and also from the floodwood, savanah, and st louis river with warts... r just about evrywhere that I have frequented fishing for channel cats.

Some places its very common. It seems to be most common in the colder water months of the year. Its ultra common in downtown minneapolis where we catch cats in March.. but rarely do you see fish with warts in the same area in the summer(july/august). Other injuries are very common also in the cold water.. big sores, etc. I dont tink all of the sicker looking fish, or injured fish die. I sometimes wonder if its from the lack of feeding in the cold water, and maybe their immune system doesnt work as well. They either die or heal up by summer, I see a lot of fish with obvious signs of healed scars or deformities. The warts are included. They do show up once in a hile in summer, but lots in the cold season.