Bass with red lips

[the reel ess]

Is this because they're eating crawfish? Or is it due to some other factor (water temp)? I see this a lot in early season bass. I caught two today and both had red lips.

[Team9nine]

I'm sure you'll get a lot of theories on this, especially the crawfish eating connection. It definitely seems to be most prevalent in colder water temps from early winter through very early spring. That said, I've spoken to several of the leading fish physiology experts in the country about this, and none of them knew about this condition and could only speculate as to why, the predominant opinion being hormonally related due to season. I've done a few experiments myself to try and tease out an answer, but to date, have largely come up empty.

Edit: Here is a previous comment clarifying the subject a bit. I'm sure Paul will chime in when he sees this thread as he’s got the best take on the subject at the moment:

"We’re still trying to figure this one out. The main person to start the “red lips/teeth” inquiry was Paul Roberts in Colorado. He and I have been in contact trying to figure it out, and we have theories and anecdotal evidence, but nothing exact yet. It definitely seems to be related to cold water, the colder the greater the degree of red, and Paul suspects it might be hormonal. As temps warm, redness fades. Very prominent immediately after ice-out. I contacted one of the best in LMB physiology and spoke with him about it and he had no idea either, suspecting length of fight might come into play (we've tested and shot that theory down). We were hoping we might intrigue him enough to study it, but nothing yet. Fairly safe to say it is not related to spawning or crayfish eating, IMO. I’ve even run some tests by putting bass from warmer water that didn’t show the red much into severely iced down livewell water (at 32-33 deg. F) and held them for a couple hours to see if that would cause the red to return, but it didn’t. This is partly why we believe it might be hormonal in nature."

-T9 

[the reel ess]

3 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

I'm sure you'll get a lot of theories on this, especially the crawfish eating connection. It definitely seems to be most prevalent in colder water temps from early winter through very early spring. That said, I've spoken to several of the leading fish physiology experts in the country about this, and none of them knew about this condition and could only speculate as to why, the predominant opinion being hormonally related due to season. I've done a few experiments myself to try and tease out an answer, but to date, have largely come up empty.

-T9 

I've heard, but only anecdotally, that it's from crushing craws that emerge as the first easy source of protein for winter bass. It's been quite a while since I caught a bass on anything that didn't resemble a craw at least a little. But that's not evidence. 

[Team9nine]

6 minutes ago, the reel ess said:

I've heard, but only anecdotally, that it's from crushing craws that emerge as the first easy source of protein for winter bass. It's been quite a while since I caught a bass on anything that didn't resemble a craw at least a little. But that's not evidence. 

Updated my original reply, so check that out. Hopefully Paul will drop by and fill in more details...to me, at least, craw crushing makes no sense because it's the back "crushers" that do the work and not the "lips." Additionally, you would think that bass that feed on craws all year long or at other times of the year would display this tendency, but it seems limited to cold water periods.

-T9

[Wayne P.]

I was involved with that topic also and sent Paul several photos of red lips a lot brighter red than above.

[PitchinJigz]

40 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

Updated my original reply, so check that out. Hopefully Paul will drop by and fill in more details...to me, at least, craw crushing makes no sense because it's the back "crushers" that do the work and not the "lips." Additionally, you would think that bass that feed on craws all year long or at other times of the year would display this tendency, but it seems limited to cold water periods.

-T9

What I always thought was that it's not because of eating crawfish, but because of feeding on bottom. I've been told when they go to feed on crawfish, their lips crape against rocks, etc which makes their lips raw and red.

[Goose52]

I see it every winter - usually starting when the surface water temp gets into the 40s...

[A-Jay]

38 minutes ago, Goose52 said:

I see it every winter - usually starting when the surface water temp gets into the 40s...

Maybe it's chapped lips ~  

A-Jay

[Big C]

3 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

 Maybe it's chapped lips ~  

A-Jay

X2

He probably bought tinted lip balm on accident.

[the reel ess]

3 hours ago, PitchinJigz said:

What I always thought was that it's not because of eating crawfish, but because of feeding on bottom. I've been told when they go to feed on crawfish, their lips crape against rocks, etc which makes their lips raw and red.

I haven't found any rocky bottom where I fished today. And my pic doesn't show the redness as it really looked. It was brighter red.

[gardnerjigman]

I've always assumed the crawfish thing. Related to the wart bite in cold water. Bait fish chasers usually have sharp teeth and crawfish eaters are red. That's my theory and I'm sticking to it. Lol

[Paul Roberts]

I recently started a thread called "Red Teeth 2" highlighting a Youtube video of a bunch of bass caught through the ice, with scarlet red tooth pads. It was pulled bc it had some promotional content I wasn't aware of. Anyway, here's a thread where we discuss the phenomenon at some length:

 

One things for sure, old myths (such as crayfish munching) die hard. I think that one can safely be put to rest. Something physiological is happening.

There was a discussion about red teeth on the PondBoss site and the assumption by the Mod's there was cold stress and the word "disease" was even used. But I think it's probably a natural response to cold -possibly to ward off cold stress -possibly related to the enlarged hearts John (J Francho) mentions in the original thread.

The red is on all tooth pads (see Goose's pic above) and can even extend to capillaries beneath the skin along the belly, the fin bases, and in particular the pectoral girdle (throat area). This is only evident in the very coldest water -like right at ice out, or as I could see in that video, under the ice. This super-cold water red isn't just 'red', it's... 'scarlet-red'.

 

 

[ww2farmer]

I'm going with.............it's a cold water thing..............I see it every year here in early spring from ice out until the water gets into the 50's, then it vanishes. It seems like it comes back in late fall too.  

[Paul Roberts]

12 minutes ago, ww2farmer said:

I'm going with.............it's a cold water thing.............. 

Me too.

[BaitMonkey1984]

I believe because they are eating crawfish. Thats what I thought and when  its red, I use red crankbaits and do pretty darn well.  

[corn-on-the-rob]

In my opinion, it seems to be too symmetrical to be attributed to a physical interaction with forage/surrounding environment. Obviously blood carries essential nutrients to every capillary/crevice it flows into, and maybe the colder thicker blood almost lingers in these small areas it is forced in to.

 

Just a thought.

[Evan K]

I always thought it was from eating craws as well.

This was reinforced to me because I caught 2 LMB with a craw imitating jig, and both had red crush plates. Whereas in the small pond where I almost never see crawfish and certainly have never caught a fish with one, I never see the red.

Could be just circumstance I guess.

[the reel ess]

I catch fish on craw lures year-round, but the red lips phenomenon ends when water warms. Could be the combination of both are required. It could be that bass finally feel warm enough to chase other forage.

[Paul Roberts]

.

[Scarborough817]

On 1/31/2016 at 9:42 PM, gardnerjigman said:

I've always assumed the crawfish thing. Related to the wart bite in cold water. Bait fish chasers usually have sharp teeth and crawfish eaters are red. That's my theory and I'm sticking to it. Lol

i agree i notice this on most fish in my lake i catch seems to have very red lips even in the middle of summer i don't really believe the whole season thing

[ArizonaFishing]

I caught a bass today with red lips. There are no craws in this body of water. Also water temps are very low right now. Rocky bottom, mid January

[12poundbass]

For me we've come full circle with the thread about new members reviving old threads. I've never seen this thread and found it very interesting and I'm glad it was revived! Thank you! 

[Deleted account]

On 1/30/2016 at 7:08 PM, Big C said:

X2

He probably bought tinted lip balm on accident.

Two male bass are hanging out under a lay down when one notices the other has red lips, and asks "what's up with that?, oh that's lipsticks answers the first one, when did you start wearing lipstick? when my wife found it in the car" answered the first sheepishly.

 

Seriously, I've also noticed this is very common in winter and early spring, haven't found a definitive answer. crunching craws or other eating or nesting injuries don't make sense to me. 

[LionHeart]

Their lips are chapped.  Happens to me too when it gets cold?

[scbassin]

Or maybe the water is starting to warm & moving toward spawning & the females get all dolled up & are wearing red lipstick, just a thought.