Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Sick bass - Cedar Creek Lake, Texas

Here is what the TP&W said...

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Mr. Kohutek,

I received your email in regards to some ill looking Largemouth Bass that were recently caught in a tournament on Cedar Creek Reservoir. After looking at the pictures you submitted, I would likely concluded that most of the fish were exhibiting signs of columnaris, a bacterial infection. While it is unsightly, it should not present any health threats to humans, and typically not to the fish population either. It is very common in aquarium species, but is also found in freshwater reservoirs throughout most of the country. We have had similar questions from a few of our other reservoirs in the last two weeks. Columnaris is very common in fish this time of year, as the water is warming up, plus a lot of the fish are still recouping from the spawn, making them slightly more susceptible to infections. Typically, these fish will heal and appear normal and healthy again soon. A phrase we use a lot, but is very accurate would be �Typically, a truly sick fish will not feed, therefor not be caught by anglers�. In short, I would not be too concerned about columnaris affecting the fish population in Cedar Creek Reservoir as a whole, or to present any issues to the anglers. I have attached a quick fact sheet on columnaris that may prove helpful. Let me know if you have any more questions.