What did this?

[Tigger]

You are trying to frighten us Tigger

 

Had a quick check of my recent photo on another thread.

 

Forceps present, mat present (and it's wet), but no landing net in the picture.

 

Guess I'd better watch my back

 

:lol:

[gozzer]

A couple of culprits come to mind. But for both fish to have the same fresh looking marks, would suggest (to me) that there was more than one attacker. Or the fish stayed around long enough to enable multiple attacks from one.

 

 

I'm dismissing Nicks suggestion of the 'Black River Parrot', (although I've heard they are on the increase in some areas, due to re releases of injured ones). This is because the beak is not long enough, and the perch dorsal fin would prevent it making such a mark.

I'm surprised, (and a little disappointed), at Nick and Dave for not spotting this. Tut,Tut gentlemen.

 

John.

[Phone]

Androo,

 

Exit wound from a parasite most likely. Notice the close proximity on both fish. Not familiar enough with perch anatomy but my first guess is parasite.

 

Phone

(they get them in the grass you know)

[Anderoo]

Androo,

 

Exit wound from a parasite most likely. Notice the close proximity on both fish. Not familiar enough with perch anatomy but my first guess is parasite.

 

Phone

(they get them in the grass you know)

 

It's the same fish, a pic of both flanks.

[Andrew]

The beast of bodmoor ?

[Anderoo]

I guess cormorant is the most likely suspect...

[Phone]

Androo,

 

Seriously, the fact it is the same fish makes it even more likely to have been caused by parasites. Not sure how the weather stacks up where this fish was caught but fall is the time parasites use to restart the cycle of life. With carp that would be a good exit point near the liver. Like I said, don't know perch.

 

If it was a cormorant I think the injury would have been a more slicing wound(?). That distance, one side to the other, would have taken a pretty good size bird don't you think? Only you saw the fish in real time.

 

Phone

[PeterNE1]

A rare, lesser-spotted prat with a gaff?

[Phone]

Androo,

 

Parasite wounds are very easy to distinguish from predator wounds. Do you have eagles?

 

Phone

[bails]

I caught a couple of perch yesterday that had a puncture hole at the top of both flanks - see pics below of one of them (both sides):

 

 

 

What do you reckon is the most likely cause? Heron? Cormorant? Otter? Something else? I know all 3 mentioned are present on the river, I'm just interested in whodunnit. Mainly because if it's the heron, these perch must come up into very shallow water.

 

Ta

 

PS bouncing those little paddle-tail shads along the bottom and feeling the perch nip at them before walloping them down is about the most fun I've had in years!

[/

 

 

I can't see it being a heron. A heron usually lifts the fish right out of the water. I've seen enough of the buggers around my pond!