Red-eyed large

[Jack Czerwinski]

Accidentally posted this before adding a comment, and I don't know why the picture is rotated. All the same caught today what by all indications looks to me to be a largemouth with red eyes and was wondering if anyone know's what might have caused this. 

[Scott F]

Posts about red eyed bass have come up before. It seems like red eyes are more commonly seen in pre-spawn bass.

[GreenPig]

Let me guess. You caught it around WEED??

[SigPig94]

Looks like a Rock Bass to me.

[Beeno]

2 hours ago, SigPig94 said:

Looks like a Rock Bass to me.

If that’s a rock bass that’s a big rock bass!!!

 I don’t think it’s a rock bass but if it was if it was it would probably the his states record.

[SigPig94]

2 minutes ago, Beeno said:

If that’s a rock bass that’s a big rock bass!!!

Then I stand corrected.....that loos like a BIG Rock Bass to me! ?

[MN Fisher]

28 minutes ago, SigPig94 said:

Then I stand corrected.....that loos like a BIG Rock Bass to me! ?

Rock Bass are part of the sunfish family - closer to bluegills and crappie than to black bass.

 

The pic up top is definitely a largemouth. Various things can cause the red-eye effect, including diet.

[SigPig94]

8 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Rock Bass are part of the sunfish family - closer to bluegills and crappie than to black bass.

 

The pic up top is definitely a largemouth. Various things can cause the red-eye effect, including diet.

Then that’s a Largemouth with Largie/Rock Bass parents....those red eyes and markings scream Rockie.

[MN Fisher]

6 minutes ago, SigPig94 said:

Then that’s a Largemouth with Largie/Rock Bass parents....those red eyes and markings scream Rockie.

LMB markings can be different, and despite attempts in the lab - LMB and Rock Bass cannot hybridize.

 

"Meanmouth Bass: In the mid-1960s, Dr. William Childers and colleagues at the Illinois Natural History Survey began studies of centrarchid (sunfish family) hybrids. In the lab, they produced some oddballs—crosses of largemouth bass with warmouth, green sunfish, and bluegill. Crosses with crappie and rock bass failed."

https://www.in-fisherman.com/editorial/hybrid-black-bass/154884

[SigPig94]

What happens in nature.......stays in nature. ?

[BrandonK105]

Been catching a lot of largemouth with red eyes myself. Bringing one in to the boat last week it was crazy how red they were. When I went to take a picture, I noticed they had turned to the deeper red color like the one in your picture. 

[Fishes in trees]

Just a thought . . . .the eyes could have turned red from irritation caused by all the acid rain we've been getting.

[TnRiver46]

No one will ever know what causes their eyes to be red no matter what anyone says. It just happens sometimes 

[DitchPanda]

That is indeed a largemouth..I have caught several lately with the red eyes at My local pond

 

[Bluebasser86]

Not a rock bass, 100% largemouth with red eyes. I see them here sometimes too.

 

Why does it happen? Nobody has ever really been sure and I don't really know why it matters? Maybe it's like people and fish just have different colored eyes for no real reason other than genetics? Red eyes are just likely a recessive trait in largemouth, hence why we don't see them as often as brown eyes. Just made that up but it sounds good ?