What is this?

[Choporoz]

This little guy hit a blade bait today.  I'm thinking white bass, but I can't find any mention of them in this lake in anything I've read.  Any ideas?

[Team9nine]

My first thought: A very pale bass due to the cold water or water clarity...definitely not a white bass

[MN Fisher]

  On 12/31/2021 at 2:33 AM, Team9nine said:

My first thought: A very pale bass due to the cold water or water clarity...definitely not a white bass

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I dunno, Brian. Based on fin structure, looks more like a member of the Shiner family to me.

 

This is a pale Golden Shiner - looks pretty close.

http://fishesofboneyardcreek.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/5/6/13567119/6565050.jpeg

[Finessegenics]

  On 12/31/2021 at 2:33 AM, Team9nine said:

My first thought: A very pale bass due to the cold water or water clarity...definitely not a white bass

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My thought too. The mouth doesnt look like a typical shiner's mouth

[Bluebasser86]

It's a pale largemouth

[Team9nine]

  On 12/31/2021 at 2:54 AM, MN Fisher said:

I dunno, Brian. Based on fin structure, looks more like a member of the Shiner family to me.

 

This is a pale Golden Shiner - looks pretty close.

http://fishesofboneyardcreek.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/5/6/13567119/6565050.jpeg

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  On 12/31/2021 at 3:14 AM, Finessegenics said:

 

My thought too. The mouth doesnt look like a typical shiner's mouth

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The mouth rules out a lot of/most minnow species to me from the pic. Looks too big and not anywhere underneath the snout from the looks of it. Still going LMB for now.

[OldManLure]

  On 12/31/2021 at 2:54 AM, MN Fisher said:

I dunno, Brian. Based on fin structure, looks more like a member of the Shiner family to me.

 

This is a pale Golden Shiner - looks pretty close.

http://fishesofboneyardcreek.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/5/6/13567119/6565050.jpeg

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I agree.  The rear dorsal and anal fins look too straight.  

[mrpao]

Just a small dinky largemouth.

[TnRiver46]

That is the oh so rare micropterus salmoides

[Bluebasser86]

  On 12/31/2021 at 2:54 AM, MN Fisher said:

I dunno, Brian. Based on fin structure, looks more like a member of the Shiner family to me.

 

This is a pale Golden Shiner - looks pretty close.

http://fishesofboneyardcreek.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/5/6/13567119/6565050.jpeg

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A golden shiner would have to 5 pounds to have a mouth that size ?

[GreenPig]

Largemouth 

[Choporoz]

Surface temps are still a (crazy) 53 here in north central NC.  He's probably just needing a little sun.  Melatonin challenged, I guess.  

  

[bulldog1935]

When we handle fish, we normally see their aggression colors. 

They turn their aggression colors on and off, and use their camouflage to blend in and improve their catch (eat) rate.  

Our limestone creeks have white dolomite strata, and maybe a flagstone bottom (great for bottom-bouncing). 

 

One December day, I brought up a lunker endemic bass that was marble white, with a pale gray ghost of his spot pattern and blue sheen all over - he was just too cold to get mad - of course I left my camera at home that day. 

 

think this guy isn't mad - when you hook up a long-ear, they flare their gills and shake their bodies to frighten you - always think they're the baddest boys on the block.  Still in the water, they change this color on and off like a strobe-light. 

    I hope this thing is on

[TnRiver46]

  On 12/31/2021 at 11:05 AM, Choporoz said:

Surface temps are still a (crazy) 53 here in north central NC.  He's probably just needing a little sun.  Melatonin challenged, I guess.  

  

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You got it!! I can remember many years where water temps never dropped below 50 and I think Central NC is warmer than we are 

[Fallser]

I thought it might be an albino largemouth, but they literally are white.  What else caught my attention was the eye color.  It's a lot lighter than any bass I've caught.  I went looking for largemouth bass eye color.  It's amazing what you can find on the internet.  This is from a western bass board, dated 2009.  I think it might answer the question.

"Have a question about bass eye color.

Yesterday at Anderson,
at the South end of the lake caught a few 12" bass all with orange eyes. In the North end of the lake caught a few same sized bass but these had golden eyes. The water temp in the South was 62 in the North 58. Otherwise their coloring was exactly the same, silver whitish sides very little green pattern."

[Bird]

Fisherman cause this phenomenon. 

Yep, they apply sunscreen then wash their hands in the water so when the Bass swim through it, it attaches to their slime coat......I'm guessing SPF 50.

[J._Bricker]

  On 12/31/2021 at 2:30 AM, Choporoz said:

This little guy hit a blade bait today.  I'm thinking white bass, but I can't find any mention of them in this lake in anything I've read.  Any ideas?

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I’m gonna say it’s a very COLD bass with a hand warmer ?

[soflabasser]

The fish you are holding in your hand is a largemouth bass.

[Bankbeater]

A cold largemouth.

[Deleted account]

LMB. Ya'll are scaring me.

[allpurposedw]

I'm guessing small White Perch.  What type of blade bait did it hit?

[Jig Man]

  On 12/31/2021 at 3:21 AM, Bluebasser86 said:

It's a pale largemouth

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