Each year about this time we get multiple phone calls and emails from anglers reporting red spots, sores, etc. on fish they have caught. Most people want to know if the fish is still "safe to eat".
The short answer is "yes"; just be sure to cook it first! These sores are the result of an infection from any one of a variety of different bacteria which are always present in the environment.
The bacteria generally do not harm fish unless a fish's protective slime coating is removed from an area. T
his occurence is much more common during spawning season when fish are actively rubbing up against the lake bottom or other fish, etc.
The infections are sometimes even visible in the shape of a human hand print or around the mouth where the fish has been caught and released in the recent past!
Typically the infected fish will get over the ailment and fully recover.
Although unsightly, the infection is usually only skin deep and doesn't impact the meat below. Or if it does, the infected area can simply be cut away and discarded during the cleaning process if it causes the angler to be squeamish.
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By: Inland Fisheries Denison District - Texas Parks and Wildlife