Last night on Guntersville lake, I caught a 4.7 lb bass and it had an eel looking thing on its side. It came off in the boat and i looked in its mouth, which was more on the bottom of its head, more like a suction cup, with little teeth looking things in it. What is this??  My friend said he thinks its what they call a freshwater eel, but i dont think so. I didnt know we had anything that sucks onto fish like that here, other than leeches. Oh, and it had several little gill slits behind its head on each side and tiny little eyes, it was about 10 inches long.

I don't know but you gave me chills!  I wish you got a pic....next time I go evening/night fishing I'm keeping my toes in the boat!

I don't know off hand, I never imagined eels would feed in that way, and I would think it more likely that it's just some organism that feeds that way, like those things that follow sharks...

Of course I don't know a thing and I'm guessing pretty hard!  Thanks for scaring the crap out of me!

you know, i almost took one with my phone, i did get one of the fish but with the flashlight it didnt take good so i didnt even try the eel thing. i started to keep it in the livewell and bring it home but i was afraid it would swim in my hoses and get hung up.

Lamprey.  Common up here in Virginy.

Micro...I don't know you personally, but if we ever meet face to face I'll have to punch you in the mouth.      

Seriously..I might have nightmares for the rest of my life... I'd lol but I'm too scared.

That's not me.

I guess that's what it was. it was grey and much much smaller. Looks alot like it, would like to see its head and mouth a little closer, i'm about to look them up on here. thanks for the reply.

Sounds like a lamprey.  They mostly live around coastal areas but have migrated inland into fresh water with much success.  They invaded most if not all of the great lakes in the 50s and 60s.

"Survey of Fishes of Alabama

Lamprey

The Lamprey has a long, slender body with a round mouth ringed with teeth. They use their sucking mouth and teeth to grasp hold of the prey. They will then use their rough tongue to rasp a hole through the side of the prey and suck out the blood and soft tissue. When the lamprey is through feeding, it will release the prey and swim away. They prey will usually swim away and die due to lack of blood or from infection.

The lamprey lays their eggs in the clear swallow stream. After the eggs hatch the juveniles are washed downstream to large pools and settle to the bottom. They borrow into the sand and feed on microscopic organisms found there. They will remain in the sand for one to seven years, then change into an adult. The adult form of the parasitic lamprey washes down river where they feed on fish. They feed for a year or two, then migrate back up river to lay eggs. The nonparacitic form will not feed as adults and will lay their eggs and die.

Six species inhabit the rivers of Alabama. The Ohio lamprey and the Chestnut lamprey are parasitic and are found in the Tennessee River drainage. The Chestnut can also be found in other areas. The other four species, two of which can be found throughout Alabama, are not parasitic.

The parasitic forms are generally between 6 to 14 inches and that nonparasitic forms are between 4 to 8 inches.

Alabama species

Ohio lamprey                         Ichthyomyzon bdellum

Chestnut lamprey                   Ichthyomyzon castancus

Southern Brook lamprey       Ichthyomyzon gagei

Mountain Brook lamprey       Ichthyomyzon greeleyi

Least Brook lamprey             Ichthyomyzon aepyptera

American Brook lamprey       Ichthyomyzon appendix"