Unique, interesting and rare bass

[Fish n Stuff]

Just wondering if anyone has caught or seen any other rare and interesting kinds of bass. We caught an orange largemouth recently in Ohio, caught and released in a pond.  I know on rare occasion people find albino bass or ones with dark spots and deformities, so have any of you found any or know anyone who has? Interested to know what all is hiding out there. 

[Looch]

weird black spots on smallmouth last 10 years. I didn't catch one this year so doubt I have a photo on this cpu. Google "Susquehanna smallmouth black spots" and you'll see what it is. They pop up everywhere in PA but Susquehanna River seems to have the most. 

 

 

 

[Fish n Stuff]

I actually saw someone post a pic of a bass covered in black spots on the Ohio fishing reports page on fb recently  it was super cool. It looked like the bass was trying to be a cow

[Looch]

yeah Ohio, Ny, Maryland have had cases of it. I live very close to Ohio. In a couple sections of the Susquehanna and Juniata it has been almost common to catch them some years. PA Fish & Game still hasnt figured it out last time I checked(last time I caught one), heard theories but nobody has nailed it down. Whatever it is, doesn't seem to hurt them any. 

[IndianaFinesse]

I catch bass with black sploches all the time, about 25% of my catch has them.  It's a condition call hyperpigmented melanosis, which does not affect the bass's health in any way.

[Fish n Stuff]

They seem pretty uncommon around here. I knew someone that caught one with a small black spot, but a lot of big spots are fairly rare in this area. Still pretty cool. It makes the fish more memorable I think

[moguy1973]

It's not a bass but my wife caught this strangely colored green sunfish last summer.  We think it has something to do with the weed treatments that the pond has undergone.

 

[Fish n Stuff]

Stripes! That’s awesome :3

[Bluebasser86]

I've seen pictures of orangish colored largemouth but have only caught one with an orange tint to it's tail. I doubt I have a picture anywhere but it was nothing as noticeable as that fish. 

[SuperCorona]

6 hours ago, moguy1973 said:

It's not a bass but my wife caught this strangely colored green sunfish last summer.  We think it has something to do with the weed treatments that the pond has undergone.

 

That's crazy looking!  Uhhh, how close to Times Beach are you?

[moguy1973]

2 hours ago, SuperCorona said:

That's crazy looking!  Uhhh, how close to Times Beach are you?

This pond is in Columbia, MO.  We have caught several more since then that have similar markings.

[Way north bass guy]

Funny how this topic just appeared, I just caught a "blue" smallmouth last weekend. Never seen one like this before, seemed to not have any red or brown toned pigment at all. Wasn't a big guy but pretty cool to see anyway. 

[Fish n Stuff]

16 hours ago, SuperCorona said:

That's crazy looking!  Uhhh, how close to Times Beach are you?

That sunfish is emo af though xD awesome

1 hour ago, Way north bass guy said:

Funny how this topic just appeared, I just caught a "blue" smallmouth last weekend. Never seen one like this before, seemed to not have any red or brown toned pigment at all. Wasn't a big guy but pretty cool to see anyway. 

That’s an awesome coincidence xD I’ve not seen a smallmouth that was anything but brownish

[LxVE Bassin]

I caught this smallie while fishing the White River in Indianapolis. He had black spots on his upper and lover lip.

[S Hovanec]

My friend had a smallmouth in his aquarium.  He fed it goldfish.  After a couple months, it started to turn orange.  When it died, it was almost as orange as that largemouth pictured above.

[Fish n Stuff]

On 10/27/2017 at 2:35 PM, S Hovanec said:

My friend had a smallmouth in his aquarium.  He fed it goldfish.  After a couple months, it started to turn orange.  When it died, it was almost as orange as that largemouth pictured above.

Hmm hadn’t thought about the diet having an effect on it. That would be interesting! I don’t think there are any goldfish or carp in there. They stocked it with largemouth and bluegill when they made it some 10 years ago or more, maybe catfish

[Sifuedition]

On 10/28/2017 at 6:03 PM, Candi Carnifex said:

Hmm hadn’t thought about the diet having an effect on it. That would be interesting! I don’t think there are any goldfish or carp in there. They stocked it with largemouth and bluegill when they made it some 10 years ago or more, maybe catfish

I wonder if crawfish with more red could lead to orange in the fish that eats a lot of it? Flamingos get their pink from the shrimp they eat.

[Frogman]

I bet he has a hard time hiding from prey!  

[Tim Kelly]

I have seen pictures of european perch with an orange hue to them, like your bass. Seems it can be a rare mutation. I caught a yellow perch in Oneida that looked like it had been dipped in emerald green dipping dye and caught a pike years ago that was basically yellow with black spots, sort of like a negative of a normal pike markings.

[Chance_Taker4]

On ‎10‎/‎27‎/‎2017 at 2:35 PM, S Hovanec said:

My friend had a smallmouth in his aquarium.  He fed it goldfish.  After a couple months, it started to turn orange.  When it died, it was almost as orange as that largemouth pictured above.

I live in Ohio as well right on the Maumee River. About 5 years ago a guy caught a 25lbs Catfish that was bright orange. It made its way through the newspapers and local media outlets. ODNR said it was from eating goldfish. Goldfish is the main bait for that river to use for cats, bass or walleye. Between eating them and the few that were missed hooked and got off without a bite it changed the colors of these fish. They also showed a guy would dumped 10-15 in the river to swim freely then toss one out on a hook. So I agree that there may be someone using goldfish as bait or released some into the water.

[TnRiver46]

35 minutes ago, Chance_Taker4 said:

I live in Ohio as well right on the Maumee River. About 5 years ago a guy caught a 25lbs Catfish that was bright orange. It made its way through the newspapers and local media outlets. ODNR said it was from eating goldfish. Goldfish is the main bait for that river to use for cats, bass or walleye. Between eating them and the few that were missed hooked and got off without a bite it changed the colors of these fish. They also showed a guy would dumped 10-15 in the river to swim freely then toss one out on a hook. So I agree that there may be someone using goldfish as bait or released some into the water.

My girlfriend is from there, I've heard some wild stories about the muddy maumee

[Chance_Taker4]

1 minute ago, TnRiver46 said:

My girlfriend is from there, I've heard some wild stories about the muddy maumee

very underrated fishery. Once the walleye run is over nobody is on the river. But it does produce quality smallmouth. But the northern section is so muddy it is like fishing in chocolate milk. I have a lot of family down by you as well. They are in the Sweetwater are so a little farther south but my family came to Ohio from the Townsend/Wears Valley area. What a small world.

[TnRiver46]

1 hour ago, Chance_Taker4 said:

very underrated fishery. Once the walleye run is over nobody is on the river. But it does produce quality smallmouth. But the northern section is so muddy it is like fishing in chocolate milk. I have a lot of family down by you as well. They are in the Sweetwater are so a little farther south but my family came to Ohio from the Townsend/Wears Valley area. What a small world.

No kidding, not many people on earth are from wears valley or Townsend. I'm originally from maryville, my girlfriend is from new Bavaria/hamler Henry county corn field area somewhere hahahah. I saw the river at independence dam once, definitely looked muddy. Her brothers say it's only for catfish and crashing pontoon boats where they are from 

[J Francho]

Gold fish don’t make a fish turn orange. It a genetic mutation. Look up xanthanism. 

[Chance_Taker4]

15 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

No kidding, not many people on earth are from wears valley or Townsend. I'm originally from maryville, my girlfriend is from new Bavaria/hamler Henry county corn field area somewhere hahahah. I saw the river at independence dam once, definitely looked muddy. Her brothers say it's only for catfish and crashing pontoon boats where they are from 

My wife and I are planning to either move permanently or own a vacation rental property in TN and Maryville was one of the places we have looked. I to live in Henry County in Liberty Center (Colton to be more specific but there are only 50 people in Colton). When it comes to the Maumee it is split into 5 sections. From Lake Erie to Perrysburg is a great largemouth and smallmouth fishery if you have a boat, Perrysburg to the Maumee Rapids is great for smallmouth and walleye but steelhead show up more and more, Maumee Rapids to the Grand Rapids d**n is the recreational area for Jet Skies and Pontoons, Between Grand Rapids Dam and Independence Dam is the Henry county area where there is great Largemouth fishing my PB came from this section, The last section from Independence Dam till in drains into the St. Mary's River in Indiana I know nothing about except there are endangered animals and they frown upon you fishing that section.