Locally caught fish are full of dangerous chemicals called PFAS, study finds

[Phantasmal]

I definitely can relate to this. While I like trout, they are not my favorite fish to eat, but they are my favorite fish to pursue for just the resons you stated. Sadly, here in Oklahoma I have to travel to get to fish for them. Colorado mountain streams are some of my favorite places to go but I have fished Northern California, Georgia, Northern Kentucky and a few other places. We're planning a Minnesota/Badlands trip this summer. I may have to try my luck while I'm up there.

You really need to go fish in Alaska.

 

[leaningright]

You really need to go fish in Alaska.

It’s on the ol’ bucket list.

 

[ThatOwlWoman]

Oh, man that would be something!

His mom was so cool about it too. I would have been terrified he'd get pulled overboard!

 

[ThatOwlWoman]

Yep. I too fish with light test in the lakes. Typically 4 or 6 pound test, and it does take time to play the fish with finesse. In the lakes, the trout have all the room in the world to run, so quite often they take off and peel 50 or 60 feet of line off of the spool

We pay to stock the lake where that brown picture was taken, so they're all my 'pets'. I release 90% of the ones I catch, often over 4 lbs.. I want to catch them when they're 8 or 10 pounds in a year or so.
Same through the ice. I'm using 12 feet of 6 lb test leader on my braided line. It takes a LONG time to get a 10 lb trout through an 8" hole in the ice.

As the years pass, I have more trouble killing them. On the ice, I cut a live well in the ice and keep the trout alive for culling. Most lakes have a limit, and some lakes have smaller limits than others. If I catch something I might eat, I'll keep it in the live well in case I catch a nicer one. After a day of hanging out with a group of trout, we typically just release them all!

And that's not even on the lake where my 'pets' live. I marvel at the different colors you see with these fish.

What a beauty! Ice fishing is huge here, as you probably figured. As soon as the ice is thick enough, the shacks sprout like summer mushrooms.

 

[Althea]

I appreciate all of your fishing information and stories.

Too bad, we ended up unintentionally hi-jacking this thread with fishing lore, but hey! Perhaps we salvaged this thread.

It made my day! I'm already planning my next trip up to the Rockies!

I'm more concerned with Whirling disease than water pollution where I fish. Where I fish, the water comes from pure melted snow and is clear as a bell!

I drink out of the same streams I fish out of, AFTER I POUR IT THROUGH MY CARBON FILTER- OF COURSE!

Thanks!

Well...those of us who spend a lot of time on the water have known about the concerns of pollution for most of our lives. As I mentioned earlier, there isn't a lake or stream in the Northeast that isn't polluted with mercury. Whereas the type of mercury found in the water isn't that bad, biomagnification is a huge problem when it comes to consuming fish.

Likewise, there are stories here re. species that no longer exist, species that SHOULDN'T exist, and issues that threaten native species. We had virus scares around here that led to restrictions on the use of bait that wasn't tested. The viruses were prevalent in the Great Lakes and Finger Lakes, but they spread easily as fishermen dump bait into lakes after transport.

So even though the discussion is much more interesting now that we're all sharing anecdotes, the point was made about the very real threat of pollution. We've all been around long enough to see the damage. Some regions are seeing two headed frogs, and some are seeing male bass laying viable eggs.

Around here, the crayfish are disappearing, which is problematic. It could be from acid rain, it could be from other issues. But our ecosystems are a very delicate balance, and the fools who try to downplay the problems that chemicals cause really don't know what they're talking about.

Anyone who has been following the issues with PCBs in the Hudson River can relate. In the 50's, the answer to getting rid to industrial waste was to simply dump it into the waterways and forget about it.

And here we are.

 

[ThatOwlWoman]

Yes, Asian carp are the worst invasive fish that I can think of. Probably because they're they most prevalent and I have seen them injure people as the people try to drive through a school of them in a bass boat. Then there's the snake head. Nasty critters. Zebra mussels aren't any fun either.

We used to have red horse in our local creeks and they would make a run upstream every year. They no longer exist. I haven't seen one since I was 7 years old. Sad deal. Whether that's due to invasive species competition or loss of suitable habitat, I don't know. I just know I don't like it. A few years back I was fishing and found our local creek full of fresh water jellyfish. Fortunately they didn't survive the winter.

OMG, jellies?!? How did they get there, via someone's tackle or boat? They're always telling people to drain and flush their boats and clean their equipment but I guess some just don't listen. Have never heard of "red horse" -- what are they?

We had a lovely little river (the Cuivre) nearby when my late husband and I moved out to a rural area. We'd catch 'gill, bass, and channels. 10 years went by and it became infested with Asian carp that journeyed up from the Mississippi. What a shame.

 

[ThatOwlWoman]

Well...those of us who spend a lot of time on the water have known about the concerns of pollution for most of our lives. As I mentioned earlier, there isn't a lake or stream in the Northeast that isn't polluted with mercury. Whereas the type of mercury found in the water isn't that bad, biomagnification is a huge problem when it comes to consuming fish.

Likewise, there are stories here re. species that no longer exist, species that SHOULDN'T exist, and issues that threaten native species. We had virus scares around here that led to restrictions on the use of bait that wasn't tested. The viruses were prevalent in the Great Lakes and Finger Lakes, but they spread easily as fishermen dump bait into lakes after transport.

So even though the discussion is much more interesting now that we're all sharing anecdotes, the point was made about the very real threat of pollution. We've all been around long enough to see the damage. Some regions are seeing two headed frogs, and some are seeing male bass laying viable eggs.

Around here, the crayfish are disappearing, which is problematic. It could be from acid rain, it could be from other issues. But our ecosystems are a very delicate balance, and the fools who try to downplay the problems that chemicals cause really don't know what they're talking about.

Anyone who has been following the issues with PCBs in the Hudson River can relate. In the 50's, the answer to getting rid to industrial waste was to simply dump it into the waterways and forget about it.

And here we are.

I was horribly disappointed one year when we rented a house on the beach at Cat Head Bay on Lake Michigan. Had purchased a MI fishing license, brought my gear, and rigged my kayak for fishing. Read up on the DNR fishing regs and discovered that even though it *looks* clean, Lake Michigan fish are not safe to eat due to PCBs and mercury. At that time the recommendation was no more than a lb. of game fish (bass, pike, etc.) per MONTH.

We are destroying our mother.

 

[Althea]

I definitely can relate to this. While I like trout, they are not my favorite fish to eat, but they are my favorite fish to pursue for just the resons you stated. Sadly, here in Oklahoma I have to travel to get to fish for them. Colorado mountain streams are some of my favorite places to go but I have fished Northern California, Georgia, Northern Kentucky and a few other places. We're planning a Minnesota/Badlands trip this summer. I may have to try my luck while I'm up there.

Without aggressive stocking programs, it's very hard to maintain a good trout fishery. I stopped trout fishing for about 4 years, as I found a lake that stocked hybrid striped bass.

They're delicious, but the attraction is the fact that they fight like sharks. A 6 lb. hybrid striper fights like a 10 lb. trout. Sadly, hybrids are sterile so the population declined over the decades. The state felt that the program was a mistake, citing competition for baitfish with the eagles.

Said eagles have made a remarkable comeback in our area. I wish they'd start up the striper program again.


The eagles have learned that the ice fishermen will feed them, so they sit in the trees and watch. They've gotten to the point where they'll grab a fish off of the ice when I'm only about 20 feet away. I've been feeding them for decades, and still get a thrill when they choose to join me on the ice.

This is a picture of one I fished with one day when I wasn't fully prepared to take a good picture. Terrible pic, but it brings back cool memories.

 

[Althea]

I was horribly disappointed one year when we rented a house on the beach at Cat Head Bay on Lake Michigan. Had purchased a MI fishing license, brought my gear, and rigged my kayak for fishing. Read up on the DNR fishing regs and discovered that even though it *looks* clean, Lake Michigan fish are not safe to eat due to PCBs and mercury. At that time the recommendation was no more than a lb. of game fish (bass, pike, etc.) per MONTH.

We are destroying our mother.

Yep. That region is one of the worst. You can probably cut most of the PCB toxins out of the belly of the fish, but mercury is in the muscle.

It's disgusting. Again...stocked fish aren't in the lake since birth, so they are a little safer. But biomagnifaction makes for high concentrations of mercury in the top of the food chain.

I often ponder the indigenous people who literally lived in Utopia here before Europeans invaded.

 

[Althea]

I was horribly disappointed one year when we rented a house on the beach at Cat Head Bay on Lake Michigan. Had purchased a MI fishing license, brought my gear, and rigged my kayak for fishing. Read up on the DNR fishing regs and discovered that even though it *looks* clean, Lake Michigan fish are not safe to eat due to PCBs and mercury. At that time the recommendation was no more than a lb. of game fish (bass, pike, etc.) per MONTH.

We are destroying our mother.

The trick is to do your research BEFORE you make plans!

 

[Althea]

OMG, jellies?!? How did they get there, via someone's tackle or boat? They're always telling people to drain and flush their boats and clean their equipment but I guess some just don't listen. Have never heard of "red horse" -- what are they?

We had a lovely little river (the Cuivre) nearby when my late husband and I moved out to a rural area. We'd catch 'gill, bass, and channels. 10 years went by and it became infested with Asian carp that journeyed up from the Mississippi. What a shame.

Carp serve a purpose if you have issues with vegetation, but infestation is a huge problem.

 

[ThatOwlWoman]

Yep. That region is one of the worst. You can probably cut most of the PCB toxins out of the belly of the fish, but mercury is in the muscle.

It's disgusting. Again...stocked fish aren't in the lake since birth, so they are a little safer. But biomagnifaction makes for high concentrations of mercury in the top of the food chain.

I often ponder the indigenous people who literally lived in Utopia here before Europeans invaded.

I do too. At least in most Minnesotan lakes, it's still safe to eat the fish because the lakes are surrounded by reservation lands. Have friends who go out to spear them. The treaties allow them to fish for walleyes when the season is closed to regular anglers. A couple of times they've had pissed-off white guys shoot at them.

 

[Geeko Sportivo]

Yes, Asian carp are the worst invasive fish that I can think of. Probably because they're they most prevalent and I have seen them injure people as the people try to drive through a school of them in a bass boat. Then there's the snake head. Nasty critters. Zebra mussels aren't any fun either.

We used to have red horse in our local creeks and they would make a run upstream every year. They no longer exist. I haven't seen one since I was 7 years old. Sad deal. Whether that's due to invasive species competition or loss of suitable habitat, I don't know. I just know I don't like it. A few years back I was fishing and found our local creek full of fresh water jellyfish. Fortunately they didn't survive the winter.

While tiny Koi or goldfish in a pond might not sound like cause for alarm, they can turn into a big problem if they’re released in the wild. “Koi and goldfish are invasive species. If someone dumps them into our water – it could be catastrophic. They can live up to 25 years, reproduce rapidly, and survive even through a frigid Minnesota winter. They also have a voracious appetite. Koi and goldfish will eat anything, including plants and fish eggs. They dig along stream and lake beds uprooting plants and fighting with native fish for food. As a result, when released into natural water bodies like our local ponds and lakes, they can quickly demolish all the food sources that the rest of the fish depend on. And the really big problem is, once these invasive species are in a water body, they are not easy to remove.

Back when I had a barge, I would take the family out fishing out on Lake Ray Hubbard near where I lived, and my daughter caught a fish, that was so ugly, it scared my little daughter when she pulled it up onto the barge. OK, I helped! It was one of those Bug-eyed gold fish that you used to buy at Woolsworth (DID I JUST DATE MYSELF? ) but weighed 5 lbs and it was a very ugly White Fish with razor sharp teeth- all grown up. It was a terrorizing event for my 8 year old daughter at the time. And then she got mad at me after I killed it by knocking it in the head with a flashlight! But, there was just no way I was throwing that horrible creature back out into the lake!

 

[ThatOwlWoman]

Without aggressive stocking programs, it's very hard to maintain a good trout fishery. I stopped trout fishing for about 4 years, as I found a lake that stocked hybrid striped bass.

They're delicious, but the attraction is the fact that they fight like sharks. A 6 lb. hybrid striper fights like a 10 lb. trout. Sadly, hybrids are sterile so the population declined over the decades. The state felt that the program was a mistake, citing competition for baitfish with the eagles.

Said eagles have made a remarkable comeback in our area. I wish they'd start up the striper program again.


The eagles have learned that the ice fishermen will feed them, so they sit in the trees and watch. They've gotten to the point where they'll grab a fish off of the ice when I'm only about 20 feet away. I've been feeding them for decades, and still get a thrill when they choose to join me on the ice.

This is a picture of one I fished with one day when I wasn't fully prepared to take a good picture. Terrible pic, but it brings back cool memories.

That's an AWESOME shot!!! Look at those talons!!!!

Homer Spit is loaded with the black-and-white freeloaders, just waiting for the fishing boats to come back and dump their offal.

 

[leaningright]

OMG, jellies?!? How did they get there, via someone's tackle or boat? They're always telling people to drain and flush their boats and clean their equipment but I guess some just don't listen. Have never heard of "red horse" -- what are they?

We had a lovely little river (the Cuivre) nearby when my late husband and I moved out to a rural area. We'd catch 'gill, bass, and channels. 10 years went by and it became infested with Asian carp that journeyed up from the Mississippi. What a shame.

River Redhorse are similar to a carp but their mouth is more downward oriented. Their tails are really red, especially is spring when they made their way up the creeks. You could go to a shoal and see the tails breaking the water surface and working away. We ate a few but I don’t miss them because of the eating, I miss them because they aren’t there anymore.

 

[Geeko Sportivo]

Well...those of us who spend a lot of time on the water have known about the concerns of pollution for most of our lives. As I mentioned earlier, there isn't a lake or stream in the Northeast that isn't polluted with mercury. Whereas the type of mercury found in the water isn't that bad, biomagnification is a huge problem when it comes to consuming fish.

Likewise, there are stories here re. species that no longer exist, species that SHOULDN'T exist, and issues that threaten native species. We had virus scares around here that led to restrictions on the use of bait that wasn't tested. The viruses were prevalent in the Great Lakes and Finger Lakes, but they spread easily as fishermen dump bait into lakes after transport.

So even though the discussion is much more interesting now that we're all sharing anecdotes, the point was made about the very real threat of pollution. We've all been around long enough to see the damage. Some regions are seeing two headed frogs, and some are seeing male bass laying viable eggs.

Around here, the crayfish are disappearing, which is problematic. It could be from acid rain, it could be from other issues. But our ecosystems are a very delicate balance, and the fools who try to downplay the problems that chemicals cause really don't know what they're talking about.

Anyone who has been following the issues with PCBs in the Hudson River can relate. In the 50's, the answer to getting rid to industrial waste was to simply dump it into the waterways and forget about it.

And here we are.

Yes, I would never play down the seriousness of water and air pollution.

And it is getting worse since the Environmental Protection Agency has been stripped and mostly de-regulated by REPUBLICANS!

I just don't get the Republican Led overall recklessness in exchange for a dollar- to people that aren't even in on the Polluters for dollars fleecing of America benifactors- but more for just TRYING TO OWN the Democrats campaign they have been on most of my Adult life!

If there is no problem- the Republicans will create one, just to have something to campaign against! And lets face it, the EPA is on the Republicans hit list!

As I said, I have had several Boats, and water crafts, but I gave them up, because of the way they exhaust just creates a huge oil slick trail on the water that you can clearly see in the late evening or early morning sun for miles behind every boat in the water! If your boat used 5 or 10 gallons of fuel in one day, You may as well just pour the gas in the water, because that is where it all ends up anyway. I have more fun in my Kayak these days anyway.

Not sure what all the answers are, I just don't want to contribute to the pollution anymore.

 

[Althea]

Yes, I would never play down the seriousness of water and air pollution.

And it is getting worse since the Environmental Protection Agency has been stripped and mostly de-regulated by REPUBLICANS!

I just don't get the Republican Led overall recklessness in exchange for a dollar- to people that aren't even in on the Polluters for dollars fleecing of America benifactors- but more for just TRYING TO OWN the Democrats campaign they have been on most of my Adult life!

If there is no problem- the Republicans will create one, just to have something to campaign against!

As I said, I have had several Boats, and water crafts, but I gave them up, because of the way they exhaust just creates a huge oil slick trail on the water that you can clearly see in the late evening or early morning sun for miles behind every boat in the water!

Not sure what all the answers are, I just don't want to contribute to the pollution anymore.

The money involved from the coal industry is enormous. Same for Big Oil. It takes a billion dollars to run for POTUS, hundreds of millions to run for Congress.

Many of these people don't hunt or fish, but even if they did they don't really care about what happens past the next few years as long as they get elected.


It's virtually impossible to lead a perfect life with respect to the environment, but we start with the small acts that we do have control over.

 

[Althea]

River Redhorse are similar to a carp but their mouth is more downward oriented. Their tails are really red, especially is spring when they made their way up the creeks. You could go to a shoal and see the tails breaking the water surface and working away. We ate a few but I don’t miss them because of the eating, I miss them because they aren’t there anymore.

Hmmm...we have shad that run up the rivers in the spring that resemble those.

 

[Althea]

That's an AWESOME shot!!! Look at those talons!!!!

Homer Spit is loaded with the black-and-white freeloaders, just waiting for the fishing boats to come back and dump their offal.

LOL. I've seen videos of eagles sitting on deck railings in Alaska, just waiting for a handout. We have good numbers of eagles here, but not like that!

I edited this video to 1/4 speed, or you would never see the eagle! He reappears at the end of the video in the distance.

 

[ThatOwlWoman]

River Redhorse are similar to a carp but their mouth is more downward oriented. Their tails are really red, especially is spring when they made their way up the creeks. You could go to a shoal and see the tails breaking the water surface and working away. We ate a few but I don’t miss them because of the eating, I miss them because they aren’t there anymore.

We always called those sucker fish! Didn't know that they had another name. Or that they could get that large, too. The Wikipedia entry on them says that they require clear, running water and are an indicator species for stream health.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_redhorse