Odd dots in my bluegill fillets?? Is it safe to eat?

[Waymod]

I caught a bunch of blugills at a local pond that has Bass and bluegills in it. When Istarted to fillet the bluegill some of them had these odd pinhead size white dots in the fillets. Does anyone know what they are and if they are safe to eat??? Is it just fat tissue or is it some sort of parasite?? thanks Waymod

[hardwateraddict]

sounds like worms. ive seen wormy bluegill in ponds & from shallow bays before more rounded in gill than perch but the same. take your fillet knife tip and pierce the area on a slight angle,the worm will be forced out and be exposed on your knife. hope their not to wormy though could take some time.

[Waymod]

While searching the web I found this...

http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/Documents/21.pdf

They say it's safe to eat, but you might want to remove them so they look more appealing. Waymod

[Mr.Cumstein]

Waymod Good info ,but the thing they didn't talk about is the fact that reddear sunfish (what here we call pumpkin seeds) are hard to release into anything but good water quality. I looked into stocking a farm pond with them and found out that's next to impossible to make work. In MN as are lakes get more polluted there is less Pumpkin seeds. So parasites don't have that natural cycle ,and are getting worse not better.

[Mr.Cumstein]

White dots I thought were worms, black spots are parasites. I also have been told black spots are ok if cook well , white spots are not ok. Just what I've been told.

[Waymod]

I cleaned them, got rid of the worms and ate them, not dead yet so far so good...