Pool 2 lamprey

  • gary_r
    MN
    Posts: 29
    October 29, 2011 at 11:10 pm #1333226

    I thought the group would like to see what I caught trolling for walleyes today just below the Wakota Bridge. Nasty SOB’s!

    blue-fleck
    Dresbach, MN
    Posts: 7872
    October 29, 2011 at 11:16 pm #1005110

    That’s the first time I’ve ever seen one caught that was NOT attached to another fish.

    Steve Root
    South St. Paul, MN
    Posts: 5623
    October 30, 2011 at 12:06 am #1005115

    Lamprey Info

    This is from the DNR website. They claim that Sea Lamprey are only found in Superior. Looking at the pictures, I don’t know what to think. The critter you caught looks like the Sea Lamprey to me. Did you call the DNR?

    gary_r
    MN
    Posts: 29
    October 30, 2011 at 12:17 am #1005117

    Since I grewup on Lake Superior, that’s a sea lamprey. So I’ll call the DNR on Monday Ski. I have it in the freezer for now.

    gary_r
    MN
    Posts: 29
    October 30, 2011 at 12:23 am #1005119

    Me too Blue Fleck. It obviously was hitting on that lure to be hooked in the mouth like that.

    tom_gursky
    Michigan's Upper Peninsula(Iron Mountain)
    Posts: 4751
    October 30, 2011 at 12:25 am #1005120

    The DNR is silly…We’ve caught several over the years on Pool 4, usually on blades or cranks… I’d be astonished if they didn’t know they were there… Nasty critters

    wes_bergemann
    Crystal, MN
    Posts: 458
    October 30, 2011 at 12:38 am #1005121

    We caught one of those during the LPO on pool 4 using a slow death rig. Mean SOB’s they are.

    outdoors4life
    Stillwater, MN
    Posts: 1500
    October 30, 2011 at 2:15 am #1005140

    There are lampreys that are native. Chestnut Lamprey is one of them. Also just because it is hooked in the mouth does not mean it took your bait. Same as fish they get snagged.

    tom_gursky
    Michigan's Upper Peninsula(Iron Mountain)
    Posts: 4751
    October 30, 2011 at 11:15 am #1005161

    Good point…but Chestnut lampreys only grow to about 200-250 mm (8-10 in) long and weigh 30-40 g (1.1-1.4 oz).

    That looks like a sea lamprey…they will attack any size fish and will sometimes mistake a lure for food.

    I used to take our science class to the lamprey weirs near Lake Superior and then do reports on them. Lamprey are starting to make a comeback in some Great Lakes.

    The other Lamprey species in the MI/WI area are non parasitic.

    James Holst
    Keymaster
    SE Minnesota
    Posts: 18926
    October 30, 2011 at 3:17 pm #1005211

    Quote:

    There are lampreys that are native. Chestnut Lamprey is one of them. Also just because it is hooked in the mouth does not mean it took your bait. Same as fish they get snagged.

    The other I know of is the Silver. Not sure if I’ve ever caught a Lamprey or not due to the fact that their heads keep falling off over the side of the boat every time I catch one.

    JasonP
    Twin Cities
    Posts: 1368
    October 30, 2011 at 3:33 pm #1005214

    Besides the seasnake…how was the fishing? I was out late yesteday and got blanked.

    Hope you did better than us Gary! I did catch my PB whitey…at 18″ and a full belly.

    d-train
    Posts: 125
    October 30, 2011 at 3:52 pm #1005216

    Quote:

    Besides the seasnake…how was the fishing? I was out late yesteday and got blanked.

    Hope you did better than us Gary! I did catch my PB whitey…at 18″ and a full belly.

    Hey J, I was out from about 3-6:30 and got blanked too. Misery loves company

    Big E
    Saint Paul, MN area
    Posts: 159
    October 30, 2011 at 8:56 pm #1005239

    Quote:

    Besides the seasnake…how was the fishing? I was out late yesteday and got blanked.

    Hope you did better than us Gary! I did catch my PB whitey…at 18″ and a full belly.

    The kids and I were out for the last couple hours yesterday. Nothing stellar but did put a few fish in the boat. The biggest was probably 26″. Cranks seemed a bit better than plastics.

    gary_r
    MN
    Posts: 29
    October 30, 2011 at 9:21 pm #1005243

    It was the same for me yesterday Jason. I got one whitey and the lamprey. I’m wondering what the state record is for lamprey! JK

    Steve Root
    South St. Paul, MN
    Posts: 5623
    October 30, 2011 at 9:59 pm #1005253

    I had a decent day yesterday but it was very spotty. I popped two right off the bat, a 22 and a fat 24. Then 3 and a half hours later I found a couple more on another wingdam. Two hours after that one more on another wingdam 2 miles away. Later I caught a White Bass and then snagged a Carp in the wrong end. Carp pull really good when you hook the wrong end. Same thing with presentations. One on a Chartreuse crankbait, a couple on plastics, a couple on hair jigs. No rhyme or reason to any of this.

    It hasn’t been fast and furious for me but still great fun. I had a little trouble when I first got on the water as my reel was acting up. Then I realized it was FROZEN. Oh yea, I remember now

    Rootski

    Brian Klawitter
    Keymaster
    Minnesota/Wisconsin Mississippi River
    Posts: 59992
    October 30, 2011 at 10:06 pm #1005256

    Minnesota’s five native lamprey species have been here for thousands of years.

    • Sea lamprey adults are larger because they
    are adapted to feeding off of large ocean
    fish, whereas smaller native lamprey are
    adapted to smaller freshwater fish.

    Sea lamprey adult = 12 to 24 inches
    Silver lamprey = 9 to 14 inches
    Chestnut lamprey = 8 to 10 inches

    • Sea lamprey are found only in Lake Superior
    and it’s tributaries, whereas native
    lamprey species are found in water bodies
    throughout Minnesota.

    The Chestnut Lamprey is found in the large
    streams and small rivers of the Red, St. Croix, and
    lower Mississippi river systems.
    Ichthyomyzon castaneus
    •Parasitic
    •8 to 10 inches
    •Dark olive/gray above, yellowish below
    •Teeth adjacent to mouth mostly bicuspid (two points)

    The Silver Lamprey may be found in most of the
    major rivers of Minnesota and their tributaries.
    These include the Mississippi, Minnesota, St.
    Croix, Red and Rainy rivers. They have also been
    found in the Lake of the Woods area.
    Ichthyomyzon unicuspis
    -Parasitic-9 to 14 inches
    -Gray with silver coloring on bottom
    -Sucking disk larger than head
    -Teeth adjacent to mouth mostly unicuspid (one point)

    Since we catch sturgeon with Chestnut’s on them frequently, I would bet a quarter that’s what you have there as Aaron suggested above.

    However, since it’s in your freezer, a positive ID would make sense.

    Rivers. Never know what you’re going to catch!

    gary_r
    MN
    Posts: 29
    October 31, 2011 at 1:52 am #1005322

    Thanks for the great info Brian and you’re right about never knowing what you could catch in the river. That’s one thing I love about it.

    Dean T
    White Bear Lake, MN
    Posts: 20
    November 2, 2011 at 2:43 pm #1006001

    That is one nasty creature. Gary I was glad to meet you at the ramp Monday. Hope you got warmed up. Jigged minnows, dragged cranks and threw plastics. One white bass was all I could drag in. Still better than a good day at work. Hope to see you again soon!

    Dean

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