Angler reels in bass with parasitic surprise, Missouri photos show. ‘Lord have mercy’
_fitted.png "A Missouri fisherman had a smallmouth bass on the hook, but ended up reeling in a parasitic fish along with it.")
A Missouri fisherman reeled in a smallmouth bass during a recent river trip, but a toothy, parasitic surprise came out of the water with it.
John Blomberg shared photos of the unusual catch in a March 21 Facebook post, drawing disgust and a degree of fear.
Blomberg said the critter that came out of the Current River measured around 6 inches in length.
Despite its diminutive size, its appearance — like an overgrown leech whose head has been replaced with a tooth-lined suction cup — has been a big concern for some.
“Lord have mercy, that looks like something out of Aliens,” a comment read.
“OMG THOSE ARE IN THE CURRENT?” a commenter asked.
Another simply said, “Good God what a nightmare.”
Despite its unusual appearance, the chestnut lamprey isn’t an alien or even invasive species, according to Missouri wildlife experts; it’s right at home in streams and rivers all across the state.
There are actually six species of lamprey that can be found in Missouri, two of which are parasitic: the chestnut lamprey and the silver lamprey.
Adult chestnuts are bloodsuckers. With bodies between 10 and 12 inches long, they latch onto the sides of fish, including carp, catfish, sunfish, paddlefish and sturgeons, among others.
Generally satisfied after a few days of feeding, the lamprey detaches from the host fish and they go their separate ways, according to state wildlife officials.
Though their presence is well known to wildlife experts, many commenters on Blomberg’s post said they’d never seen or heard of the fish — and had no idea that when they hopped in or floated on Missouri waters, there may have been lampreys nearby.
“Until today, I always loved loved loved to swim in these rivers,” one person commented.
But there’s really no reason to fear the lamprey. They’re interested in fish and aren’t dangerous to humans, experts say.
Some on Blomberg’s post didn’t let the lamprey’s looks leave them repulsed.
“I think these guys are super interesting and cool,” a comment read. “It’s all part of the aquatic food chain.”
This story was originally published March 28, 2022 at 2:33 PM with the headline "Angler reels in bass with parasitic surprise, Missouri photos show. ‘Lord have mercy’."