Sockeye snot and sealice

[Cuba Libre]

The Fraser sockeye that I intercepted in Johnstone Strait and in area 14 were covered in the thickest body slime I have seen in over 40 years of fishing them. At the same time, they were carrying a VERY heavy sealice load... adults and juvenile.

One of the defense mechanisms that salmon have to external parasites, is to generate more mucus. If any of you are planning on attending a Cowan session-- it might be worth mentioning, even though its ancedotal.

20ft Alumaweld Intruder

 

[Steelhead S2]

I can second that (except the 40 years part). Very slimy and heavily parasitized by lice.

 

[cuttlefish]

X3. Don't know about excess snot but definitely lots o' lice for sockeye.