Barbel wounds

[Mike Lowrence]

Any ideas to what may have caused these injurys and how long ago?
Both fish are doubles and I caught them in the same swim on thursday night.
I have caught alot of barbel from this stretch of the trent and never seen these types of wounds on fish before now.
There was no marks on the other side of each fish.

Thanks, Mike

 

[Dave Burr]

The top one has been, imho, sliced by braid - its pectoral seems to be missing as well a classic braid injury.

The bottom one looks to have been bitten by either a large pike or an otter but without having a closer look at the fish I wouldn't like to say which.

 

[Wayne Glossop]

The top one has been, imho, sliced by braid - its pectoral seems to be missing as well a classic braid injury.

The bottom one looks to have been bitten by either a large pike or an otter but without having a closer look at the fish I wouldn't like to say which.

To me the top one looks like a cormorant stab mate, but as you say the pectoral fin is missing which makes it highly likely to be braid unless it's been very unlucky and been a victim of both??the bottom almost certainly a pike IMO.
Regards

 

[Mike Lowrence]

The top one has been, imho, sliced by braid - its pectoral seems to be missing as well a classic braid injury.

The bottom one looks to have been bitten by either a large pike or an otter but without having a closer look at the fish I wouldn't like to say which.

The pectoral fin is present just at a bad angle, but there looks to be damage to the anal fin.

 

[David Hall]

top one in braid, maybe the fish rolled on top of the line.
bottom, pike, greedy sods have belly's bigger than their gobs.

 

[Ray Walton]

In my opinion, it doesn't look like braid or mono damage at all. The skin under the scales is like leather and is hard to penetrate unless you have a filleting knife or razor blade.
If you look closer in the full length picture at the wound slice, you will see other old damage continuing to the gill cover where you will see dis-orientated re-generated scales which have now covered the original damage. Again, the pectoral fin has also gone and what you see are the healed remains of it. The whole damage pattern indicates a possible larger culprit. Again, not quite sure what has done this, but a boat propeller, boat mounted reciprocal weed cutter blade would be nearer the mark or even a pike or otter at an earlier stage in the barbel’s life. I have seen the odd barbel with damage like this before, even before braid was ever used on rivers or lakes.

 

[Ian Crook]

Top - Hydro power turbine on the top one?? Is there a hydropower site nearby?? Or a boat prop, I agree with it looks mechanical, anal fin and tail fin also cut, could it have been thrashing around in a gil net?? I don't know..........

Bottom one definitely look like a pike grab to me........although a lack of damage on the other side would go against that theory, could just be infected spawning damage too??

Did you douse them both with Klinik Mike?

 

[Mike Lowrence]

Did you douse them both with Klinik Mike?

With friars balsam Ian.

With the lack of damage to the other side of each fish I sort of ruled out a pike grab (bottom pic)
I have noticed 3 faint scratches between the two larger wounds (bottom pic)

Dave and Ray you are correct, a closer look at the first fish does show a cut pectoral fin.

 

[Ray Walton]

The first pic with the slice etc. is an older wound that has healed at the top but not completely near the lateral line end of the slice. If it were line, i.e. braid or mono, it would probably continue down and around the belly if it was wrapped tight and it would mark/haemorrhage the fish. I have seen this on a chub with mono embedded through the scales very tight and it had been there for some time causing initial damage and infection. I cut the line, treated the chub with Friars Balsam and released. This fish will heal but will be scarred.
As Ian and Mike mention, the tail lower third and anal fin look like they have a pretty even straight cut right along, but if you look closer, it is the black 'net' that is deceptively covering both fins. Would be interesting if anyone else could ID the barbel at an earlier time.
I think the bottom pic damage and scratches could indicate that the barbel had a lucky escape from an otter attack and grab and claw swipe.

 

[Ian Crook]

As Ian and Mike mention, the tail lower third and anal fin look like they have a pretty even straight cut right along, but if you look closer, it is the black 'net' that is deceptively covering both fins.

You are right Ray, I am blind as a bat

 

[Andrew Boyne]

The first pic with the slice etc. is an older wound that has healed at the top but not completely near the lateral line end of the slice. If it were line, i.e. braid or mono, it would probably continue down and around the belly if it was wrapped tight and it would mark/haemorrhage the fish.

Unless the angler was using a coated hooklink and rig tube above the lead which is often used on the Trent. Sorry Ray, but for me that is a classic wound caused by braided mainline. A wound from a boats prop would be fair old mess compared to that.