Coloration

[Fattygreens]

So what is the difference between the coloration? I have caught many smallmouth of all different sizes some just the solid brownish green and others covered in the bars. Is it a male/female deal?

[00 mod]

 

And my buddy with the darkest smallie I have ever seen

 

 

 

I do not know what the difference is besides, if you put them in the livewell they get their stripes back nicely for pictures!!

 

Jeff

[tytay89]

I dint know if depth plays a roll but Deeper smallys are always light in color, shallower they get the darker...

[B@ssCrzy]

I always figured it was the type of cover they were hiding in when caught since they can adjust the coloration themselves.

[Gavin]

They have the ability to change color to match their surroundings thanks to the chromatophores contained in their skin cells.

[NEjitterbugger]

[mod479]

They have the ability to change color to match their surroundings thanks to the chromatophores contained in the their skin cells.

 

This. Freshwater chameleons. Seen them black as the ace of spades in certain bodies of water, only to stripe back out when in the livewell for a while.

[Jig Man]

I have been told that is hormones.  Actively feeding fish have more color than the ones just hanging out.

[NEjitterbugger]

This. Freshwater chameleons. Seen them black as the ace of spades in certain bodies of water, only to stripe back out when in the livewell for a while.

 

So this occurs with both species large and smallmouth, just more noticeable with smallies?

[mod479]

So this occurs with both species large and smallmouth, just more noticeable with smallies?

 

I'd say more noticable in smallies, but I have seen some big largemouths with very faint black markings along their lateral lines, maybe they can lighten and darken them as smallmouths do? Not sure though.

[Fattygreens]

Thanks for the replies! The question came up the other day when fishing a lake that seemed to have an even mix of each. Im wondering now if some of the dark ones were hiding in holes in the rocks. The biggest fish ended up being one of the brownish green, although typically the biger the fish the better the barring. We even caught a few with dark grey bellies, beautiful fish!

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[Dwight Hottle]

I have found bass coloration differs based on water clarity & depth. Many of the washed out colored fish are tight to the bottom & the colored up fish are suspended. These two fish came out of the exact same spot 15 minutes apart and caught at the same depth on the same bait. I figured the dark one had been on the bottom longer than the light colored one. The dark one was 23" long.

 

[NEjitterbugger]

I have found bass coloration differs based on water clarity & depth. Many of the washed out colored fish are tight to the bottom & the colored up fish are suspended. These two fish came out of the exact same spot 15 minutes apart and caught at the same depth on the same bait. I figured the dark one had been on the bottom longer than the light colored one. The dark one was 23" long.

 

 

 

[00 mod]

 

 

x100!!!

 

 

Jeff

[MarkH024]

Man o man Dwight. Those are some beautiful fish.

[webertime]

Light fish "blondes" were caught off or near some sand.

Dark Fish are rocks and deep

Barred Fish are rocks/wood with weeds (shallower)

 

That's been my experience.

[DelcoSol]

I need a bigger boat for Erie.. Dwight those are amazing 

[Dwight Hottle]

Thanks guys.

[cdaggett]

Its mostly the environment that they spend most time in. Now by environment I mean where they are located in a body of water or even multiple bodies of water across a wide area. Fish that I catch around rip rap or rocks usually are very dark and solid in color with some stripes visible, while other fish I have caught located around light sand and gravel bars have been lighter with more visible stripes. I think it is all about adaptation. I like to think that fish have their preferred locations to call their own, and stay close to them throughout the duration of their lives.