09-04-2013, 02:11 AM
Reached out to a buddy who is a guide and has caught more trout than I've seen in my lifetime. He looked at the picture and states that it is 'fish burn'. Says that the fish was previously caught and handled badly with dry hands. Once the protective coating is removed on the trout they are highly susceptible to UV burn and what not. He made clear that if fish are handled with wet hands with isn't an issue. Also states he's seen trout landed that had distinct 4 finger marks on their side from handling burn.
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