<p><img alt="" src="http://www.roughfish.com/sites/default/files/photo%285%29.JPG" style="width: 334px; height: 445px;" /><br />
<br />
I caught this redbreast sunfish yesterday evening and found it extremely peculiar that the skin and scales around its tail was missing. The fish appeared in good health otherwise and took off with gusto when released. Have any of you seen something like this before? I assumed it was almost eaten by a member of the pike family... but the fact its tail was still intact is really weird!<br />
<br />
</p>
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees" -Emiliano Zapata
Ah geez, should I have kept it? I'd hate to have helped spread a bad disease around the creek...
Chain Pickerel: All the bad assery of a Northern Pike wrapped up in a smaller, prettier package.
Just a thought....but just a male, shortly after fanning out their spawning bed. They use their tail to do this, and sometimes can get carried away. It rubs against the pebbly bottom and wears away the scales.
Any fish species is worth catching.
Just what I was thinking, wisfisher.
Max Habben