Makerell has cometh (with Anisakis)

I stopped fishing for almost 3 years now but I can remember exactly when I stopped. Most likely as the fishing wind down the drone activities pick up ie. buying, flying and building. I have also been making some shallow underwater recordings and that must have led me back to the water and thoughts of makerells and fishing for them.

So I went to my hotspot in Hundvag near where we used to live. A couple of weeks prior to that the natural buying instinct in me had ordered a bunch of new shiny jigging lures, a 15ft surf rod, a Daiwa saltwater fishing reel and a rod tripod which incidentally I have been looking to buy for quite sometime. Though none of these purchase had anything to do with fishing for makerell specifically it prompted some shopping.

Managed to cast and sink my lures on three occasions within three weeks. The first outing was too windy and cold so only managed a couple of casts before ending the session. The week after was more serious, I landed 3 large makerells which looked good for eating initially but later proven not to be so.

Apparently all three large makerells was infected with Anisakiasis, a condition caused by Anisakis worm. Very interesting life cycle for a tiny 2 cm translucent worm that I never saw with my own eyes before. Your hear about it now and again in fishing circles. Typically I avoid venturing into the inner cavity of the belly of the fish, this time I decided to be a bit adventurous after noticing some swimming things in the sink. Oh boy ... did I get educated fast on Anisakis.

Although it did not impact the meat (I didn't see any worms wriggling about in the flesh), the thought of having Anisakis eggs and larvae inside me put me off the idea completely from the original intention of grilling the makerell for lunch. All three caught were quickly frozen for bait for some other fishing occasion.

The third occasion over the same weekend I went with my daughter and we landed 4-5 makerells of slightly smaller size, they were promptly released back into the ocean.  The thought of having to gut them and watch the wriggling Anisakis in their stomach cavity deterred me from bagging them afternoon snacks.

It's good the be out fishing again after such a long break ... but the Anisakis though ... Eww!