Lampreys and salmon?

[Guest trickydavies]

I was wondering, having partcicpated in the eels with funny markings thread if lampreys actually do hitch a lift on salmon up the rivers. If so, how do they find each other and where. Are they small and grow large on the fish? I've seen some huge lampreys in Wales in particular on the Cothi and they always coincide with the salmon. I've seen markings on the side of fish that have been caught and though only a child at the time was told by the older fishermen that they were lamprey suck marks.

 

I'm also pretty sure I've seen them stcuk on the side of fish - if memory serves me, one lamprey was as long as the salmon it was attached to. For this reason some fishers used to get the lampreys out of the water and kill them - shame. This is where the myth(?) that they scream like babies came from in my head.

 

Is any of this true - help - I can't sleep.

 

Tricky