Yellow Grubs In Perch, Ok To Eat?

[NHbass'ntrout]

I brought home a medium sized yellow perch today for dinner. I noticed the yellow grubs in it after i had killed it. Is it ok to eat?

[nosdog2]

[MIbassyaker]

Yellow grubs are pretty common in a lot of fish. They're not harmful to humans and cooking kills them. If you want to be absolutely sure, check with your local DNR about local parasites, but here's what my own state's DNR has to say:

 

https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10364_52259_10950-26966--,00.html

https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10364_52259_10950-26964--,00.html

[Mswen]

I see them mostly in bass from small ponds.  They're a parasite that lives part of it's life in the throats of birds like herons and cranes (which is how it's spread, and why it's common is shallow ponds), and another part in the flesh of fish, obviously.  As stated before, they're not harmful to humans, and cooking kills them, but I typically remove any that I can see, and give really bad fillets to my cat or my neighbor's dog.  Sometimes you can spot really bad cases without killing the fish, because you will see worms in the fins.  The first link posted by MIbassyaker has a good picture, along with some great info.

[RoLo]

Chuck the perch, fry the grubs  

[MIbassyaker]

Chuck the perch, fry the grubs  

Maybe a good source of protein if they weren't so small.

[Maxximus Redneckus]

i caught a few bluegill a while back in a farm pond that had tape worms coming out of there anus ,they were healthy looking but i supose they been eating to much cowpies and hog turds.it was a very fertile pond none the less

[Thornback]

OMG, I'm losing my appetite for fish

[Danturner]

I've been there makes it tough to eat the fish when Ya see that

[the reel ess]

I caught a mess from a friend's pond a while back. I cut into two of them and they both these. Once you've seen them you can't un-see them. I tossed them and told the owner. If you do a little Googling, you'll find that adding shellcrackers (redear sunfish) in the pond can cut the life cycle because those eat snails, which are 1/3 of the worms' life cycle.

 

I still fish this pond. I just don't keep any.

[Mswen]

If you do a little Googling, you'll find that adding shellcrackers (redear sunfish) in the pond can cut the life cycle because those eat snails, which are 1/3 of the worms' life cycle.

 

Thanks for the tip on the redears.  I still eat them if they're not too bad.  It's a little unnerving at first, but they're easy enough to spot, and these all get fried.  If our ancestors had thrown away every fish with a worm or two, and every apple with a few spots, we wouldn't exist.  However, if I can see grubs while they're alive, they go right back in the water, which may not help.

 

While we're on the subject, I've seen videos and pics, but haven't personally found long red worms in fish.  The links above discuss it as if it mainly affects yellow perch.  But in Missouri very few lakes have yellow perch, and I've been warned about finding them in crappie.  Does anyone know any more about this?

[the reel ess]

Thanks for the tip on the redears.  I still eat them if they're not too bad.  It's a little unnerving at first, but they're easy enough to spot, and these all get fried.  If our ancestors had thrown away every fish with a worm or two, and every apple with a few spots, we wouldn't exist.  However, if I can see grubs while they're alive, they go right back in the water, which may not help.

 

While we're on the subject, I've seen videos and pics, but haven't personally found long red worms in fish.  The links above discuss it as if it mainly affects yellow perch.  But in Missouri very few lakes have yellow perch, and I've been warned about finding them in crappie.  Does anyone know any more about this?

You're absolutely correct. And I wouldn't disparage anyone for eating them. I considered it, but I had enough in the fridge and freezer. Our bigger lakes have yellow perch. When I was a kid I didn't know what they were when we would catch them on minnows crappie fishing. We just called them "those little green fish". I guess they spend most of their lives in deeper water because it's hot here about 8 months.

 

I can't speak on the red worms. But I can tell you from searching info on the subject, experts say there is no freshwater fish parasite that will harm humans as long as the fish is cooked well. I did see a worm in a local pond last time I kayak fished there (last Sunday). It looked like the aquatic version of an inch worm. It was on my foot when I got out and I felt it. But it wasn't attached, so I just killed it.

[CeeJay]

Ugh, I hate parasites.  From fleas and ticks to heaven only knows what else...

[Bluebasser86]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CC_zAPYkPyc

[*Hank]

Ugh, I hate parasites.  From fleas and ticks to heaven only knows what else...

Same here.  I run into a lot of stuff like that living on a farm.

[everythingthatswims]

I find these a lot in smallmouth, largemouth, most species of chubs, and most members of the sunfish family in rivers (along with "black spot" parasites). Interestingly enough, fallfish do not get any at all, period. 

 

I will cut them out of the filets, and toss back fish that have lots showing in their fins. 

[Mswen]

I will cut them out of the filets, and toss back fish that have lots showing in their fins. 

 

I typically throw back any fish that have any grubs showing in their fins.  I assume that if there are enough that they're living in the fins, I don't want to see how many are in the meat.