My husband and I were out fishing and he caught a large mouth bass.When he brought it up it was covered in an orange slimy substance.The bottom fin was orange from it..We have never seen that before and I wondered if any of you have? We caught many other fish today out of the same lake and not one of them had this.

Did the fish fight :-?

It could be a blood parasite, and the orange was a very bad bowel movement (which means he's sick), may explain the heavy stained orange bottom fin.

On the other hand we too could have that happen, eat Cashews, orange ruffy(lots) and or butterfish and you may experiance some orangy fluid floating on top of the water in the super bowel

Contact your state's game and fish department and ask to speak with a fish biologist.

The biologist can tell you what it is and if it is harmful.

The biologist may also want to know what occurred in case this is a problem in your body of water or in other bodies of water and it would be another piece of the puzzel should there be a problem.

I have caught fish with sores on them but never what you described.

General advice for all.

Calling Fish and wildlife is absoluely the best course of action,

but I can understand some people not wanting the hassle.

Just please do not return an obviously sick fish to the water.

Where do I find the fish and wildlife number for MI ?? Do I call the DNR?

Welcome aboard!

Call the DNR:  http://www.michigan.gov/dnr

For anyone else dealing with these types of issues, it is advised that you not return the afflicted fish back to the water.  With this said, if you plan on calling DNR, plan also on saving that fish, they will surely ask you if you have it as they will want to autopsy it.

I have brought 2 fish to the URI marine biologist and they have been very grateful.  I also make sure my local contact at DNR knows that I dropped off a diseased fish with URI as the state lab and the college lab work together.

Kristie,  the MI DNR will without a doubt want to know your story.

What lake in Michigan was this?

B

I will contact the DNR and let you all know what they say...It was in Williams Lake in Waterford MI.