There were red bumps and sores on several of the bass we caught at Columbus Lake in May.
Tom Holman of the MDWFP said the sores are nothing to worry about.
“These are common occurrences,” said Holman, a fisheries biologist in the Jackson headquarters. “Just something that happens this time of year.
“We see similar things with bream this time of year.”
He said there are a couple of factors to the development of the sores.
“As the water warms, the population of disease organisms increases,” Holman said. “Fish, bream in particular, spawn in large numbers and spawning is pretty stressful — building nests and guarding eggs.”
Some fish might die, but there is no major concern to the fishery, he said.
“You get one sick fish and it can spread pretty fast through the population,” Holman said. “Those that are really weak probably won’t make it; the rest will.
“It’s kind of like getting into a crowded elevator — somebody sneezes and within a few days everyone has a cold.”
Lowry said a few hours in the live well with a live-well additive seemed to rapidly improve the condition.
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