tape worms in my walleye

[Fish Farmer]

The black and yellow worms are not tape worms... These were 5 inches long...

 

And read the eggs are in the meat

Mike, these eggs you see in the meat, are they black specks? How big are the eggs? Would be good if you had a picture. It might show us something we have never seen. A fisheries Biologist might be interested or could give you the right answers.

[jim]

I can't believe the little girls getting squeemish over a few tape worms--harmless. Like picking mushrooms, if you check them too closely, you won't have any for dinner!!

[mike rousseau]

Ok.... Ok....

 

I'm over it and have eaten walleye 5 times since I posted this...

 

I haven't seen the eggs cause they are microscopic... I read that the actual tape worm is in the intestine but the eggs are in the flesh... So as long as you fully cook you fish... No worries...

 

And if you must see this worm picture... I'll take one next time I see it... I saw one just the other day...

[mike rousseau]

I been filetting on average 20 walleye a day here at the lodge I'm working at. Have only seen one of two

tapeworms in walleye but northerns are another story.

 

I've already seen 3 this season

[chris f.]

i know this is an old post but i brought home 4 walleye from opener saturday on Bay of Quinte and the 2 larger fish had what now appears to definetly be tape worms. the biggest on had the worm coming out its mouth, ass and gills. when i cleaned it, i watched the worm curl up into a hole burrowed into the tissue above the spine. i put the fish in the laundry tub with ice and water and after a few hrs, there was close to 3 feet of tape worm in the tub. i have never seen this before but all my fish are usually caught up north. filleted alot of fish from the cottage and seen the grubs and pimple things, but never tape worms..someone told me its the southern lakes that are warmer and more "fertile"..? i dunno about that but its kinda gross.. either way, the fish was cooked and no sign of anything wierd in the nice flaky flesh.. so well cooked is the way for me unless you can see obvious grossness lol just my 2 cents

[davey buoy]

i know this is an old post but i brought home 4 walleye from opener saturday on Bay of Quinte and the 2 larger fish had what now appears to definetly be tape worms. the biggest on had the worm coming out its mouth, ass and gills. when i cleaned it, i watched the worm curl up into a hole burrowed into the tissue above the spine. i put the fish in the laundry tub with ice and water and after a few hrs, there was close to 3 feet of tape worm in the tub. i have never seen this before but all my fish are usually caught up north. filleted alot of fish from the cottage and seen the grubs and pimple things, but never tape worms..someone told me its the southern lakes that are warmer and more "fertile"..? i dunno about that but its kinda gross.. either way, the fish was cooked and no sign of anything wierd in the nice flaky flesh.. so well cooked is the way for me unless you can see obvious grossness lol just my 2 cents

Good info,defineatly something to look for!

[jimmer]

I have seen this many times in walleye from various locations. I think it's fairly normal and like you said, they are not in the meat. Don't worry about them, I don't and I know I don't suffer from tapeworm symptoms, the gut is rotund. LOL

They werent in the meat...

They were in the guts and they were about 4 inches long...

[StarTzar]

Feed it to the Eagles and have yourself a chicken.

[fishindevil]

Well it's not uncommon but they usually have the small white little grubs and they are harmless and you can just flick them out with your fillet knife but I have cleaned many many walleyes from all over Ontario and never seen a tapeworm that big myself I have seen them up to 1 inches but man that sounds huge !!!! I would look that up if I was you and just make sure what it is ?? Or if affects the meat ....did u take pics of it

[Old Ironmaker]

i know this is an old post but i brought home 4 walleye from opener saturday on Bay of Quinte and the 2 larger fish had what now appears to definetly be tape worms. the biggest on had the worm coming out its mouth, ass and gills. when i cleaned it, i watched the worm curl up into a hole burrowed into the tissue above the spine. i put the fish in the laundry tub with ice and water and after a few hrs, there was close to 3 feet of tape worm in the tub. i have never seen this before but all my fish are usually caught up north. filleted alot of fish from the cottage and seen the grubs and pimple things, but never tape worms..someone told me its the southern lakes that are warmer and more "fertile"..? i dunno about that but its kinda gross.. either way, the fish was cooked and no sign of anything wierd in the nice flaky flesh.. so well cooked is the way for me unless you can see obvious grossness lol just my 2 cents

Oh yummy, 3 foot tapeworm. I may never eat another Walleye again, who am I kidding? If I find parasites in any fish I clean, and I'm sure if you look close enough there will be some in most any fish, I just freeze them and give them to my favorite brother in law!!!!!!!!!

 

3 foot long tapeworm, my lord almighty.

[Sinker]

I've seen these many, many times. Harmless. Just eat the fish, no worries.

 

S.

[mercman]

Not this Boy. Holy Lordy. I would burn that sucker into dust, and then stamp on it. No way sumfin with a 3 foot tape worm comeing out of its orrifices ,comes anywhere near one of mine

Edited May 7, 2013 by mercman

[Roy]

Are tape worms marked off in inches or centimeters? If you got a really long one you could measure all your subsequent catches on it eh?

[davey buoy]

Not this Boy. Holy Lordy. I would burn that sucker into dust, and then stamp on it. No way sumfin with a 3 foot tape worm comeing out of its orrifices ,comes anywhere near one of mine

What if they had babies?,just sayin .

[mercman]

What if they had babies?,just sayin .

Two movies i never ever shoulda seen. Jaws and the Aliens movies. Just when i thought it was safe to fish....SHEESH !!!

[tb4me]

Good Gawd I don't care what law im breaking but if there is a 3 foot tape worm coming out of a walleye its garbage..Im sure as hell not feeding it to my family. Perhaps the local CO would like it...

[zamboniwaterboy]

Cook it and eat it!

[Dabluz]

For the guys who think that parasites in fish is rare....they are simply just stupid. All fish have some form of parasite. Even the fish in un-fished northern waters. Some worms are tiny and live on the fins and gills, other worms are very large and long. Some worms are in a dormant state and you see them as black spots on the skin. They got there after travelling through the flesh from the intestine on their way to the skin.

 

Worms in the flesh are very rare. Yes, saltwater fish often have worms in the flesh and they are very easy to spot. I fish for cod and halibut and every time I have a fillet in my hands, I put it up to the light and let the light shine through the fillet in order to check if there are any worms in the meat. The fish fillets are always visually checked by passing them over a white translucent counter top with a strong light source under the counter. However, there are many worms and a lot get past the inspection. I check all of my fish fillets by putting them up to the light and I have never come across any worms in the flesh of freshwater fish.

 

No worms can survive the cooking process so there is no danger. Raw fish.....I wouldn't trust any raw fish that I did not catch and clean myself.

 

I have caught a few fish that did not have any noticeable worms in the intestines but these fish were young brook trout caught in streams.

 

Larger, older fish seem to have more parasites. I guess this is normal because they have been exposed for a longer period of time and the parasites have also had the time to increase in size and numbers over time.

 

Tapeworms coming out of the anus of a walleye, or pike, or trout or bass or any other fish is normal. The host (walleye) is dead and the tapeworms can no longer feed so they are just abandoning ship.

[Dabluz]

Good Gawd I don't care what law im breaking but if there is a 3 foot tape worm coming out of a walleye its garbage..Im sure as hell not feeding it to my family. Perhaps the local CO would like it...

 

I hope you quit fishing and take up the sport of golfing. Golf balls don't have worms. You can eat as many as you want.

 

Guys like you should take the time to learn more about fish, their life cycle, their parasites, their management etc.

[Dabluz]

I been filetting on average 20 walleye a day here at the lodge I'm working at. Have only seen one of two tapeworms in walleye but northerns are another story.

 

 

I guess you have been working there for only a few days because if you closely inspect the intestines and stomach content of walleye, almost all walleye have some sort of worm infection.

[Muskieman]

A lake I fish , 100% of Walleye have them , not just one per fish either , the second the fish is dead or starts to die , the worms come out a lot longer than 3', has no effect on the fillets though .

 

Randy

[Burtess]

Damn it why did I have to read this post

 

And why isn't there a vomit smiley????

 

Burt

[Out4Trout]

Awesome.

 

I don't have a problem with those. I don't keep that many fish but when I do run into a tapeworm, I'll fillet the fish and put it in a separate bag marked "TW" and take it to the fourth neighbour down. It works out well...his name is Tom Wessier and he thinks I'm a good neighbour for bringing him a fish from time to time. Ignorance is bliss.

[Rich]

All I heard is you got bait for the next trip inside your fish! BONUS!!

[Old Ironmaker]

If I see a 3 foot worm crawling out of a fishes ass, it may the first time in 35 years I will be clocked running a sub 4.6 second 40. I also wish I never read this post, and no I'm not quitting the sport because I deep 6 a fish with a 3' tapeworm, come on man that comment is absurd. I'll send it to you and you can eat it and the tapeworm, the tapeworm shouldn't be wasted should it?

 

Keep golfing out of it, I have a great recipe for spaghetti and golf balls.

I hope you quit fishing and take up the sport of golfing. Golf balls don't have worms. You can eat as many as you want.

 

Guys like you should take the time to learn more about fish, their life cycle, their parasites, their management etc.