Red eyed bass?

[Tim Kelly]

On my recent trip to Smith Mountain lake I noticed that some of the largemouth, as well as some of the smallmouth had red eyes. I've noticed smallmouth occasionally having them, but never largemouth before. Have I just not noticed before? Is it a spawning thing? Just one of those things?

[TnRiver46]

Just one of those things 

[gim]

I've also seen a fair amount of their ugly inferior cousin, the rock bass, with red eyes.

[Craig P]

It just means that they’re really angry you caught them!  Lol. Seriously though, some have them, some don’t. I suppose they could be different strains? but I’ve caught them side by side. 

[casts_by_fly]

Same lake, same day (this past Saturday). Some with, some without. 
 

 

[FryDog62]

At least for smallmouth it usually means they are angry or somewhere in the spawning realm...

[Deleted account]

If I'm remembering the 70s correctly, it's the grass that causes that...

[PhishLI]

3 hours ago, gimruis said:

I've also seen a fair amount of their ugly inferior cousin, the rock bass, with red eyes.

That's one stinky fish. Pew.

[gim]

22 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

That's one stinky fish. Pew.

I don't catch many of them.  Really have no interest in it either.  To be honest, I don't even think they should be in the "bass" family.  They're like that distant loser useless cousin who is the outcast of the family.  You only see him every once in a while and it really doesn't bother you if don't have to see him again for years.

[Finessegenics]

Dang, you guys really hate rock bass ? I think they’re a cool bycatch but they do seem particularly slimy and smelly. They’re so aggressive, if they grew to the size of black basses, I think we’d all be fishing for them instead 

[PhishLI]

5 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Really have no interest in it either. 

The first time I encountered them was at Lake Mahopac which is on the way to upstate NY. That day was tough with bluebird skies and fresh post front conditions. What was worse is that we ran into more than one huge school of bass near shallow water that wouldn't bite even if you plinked a wacky worm on their noses. I was happy when something cracked my Keitech, but when the line when dead instantly, my buddy said I got a "pancake fish". The red eye was weird, but the stink was nasty. I renamed it the stink bomb fish. Must've got another 15 before we left, but one decent LM each took the pain away.

[WRB]

Georgia to Alabama has Red Eye Bass species.

Red eye pigment in other Black Bass species is thought to be inherited by LMB, Smallmouth and Spotted Bass. Some think it helps their night vision feeding.

Tom

[Jig Man]

Most of our spots and smallies have red eyes.  I haven’t noticed it much in lmb.

[Fallser]

I don't think I've every seen a largemouth with red eyes around here.  Smallmouth, definitely.  I've caught a lot of rock bass I've never noticed that they have a smell to them.  They're actually pretty tasty, filleted, dredged in cornmeal and flour and fried like any other panfish.  They're all members of the sunfish family.

[Woody B]

There is a species called Red Eye Bass.  I've caught a few over the years.  Their eyes are really red...redder than those in the pictures.  They look pretty much like a spotted bass, and have a toothy patch on their tongue, like a spotted bass.  I caught one at Lake Norman earlier this year.  I'll see if I've still got a picture of it.  

[cyclops2]

New York & lower Canada Rocks have red eyes. Never saw LMB or SMB with red eyes.

[Bird]

Well you tied up my entire morning by creating extensive research. Lol

Went through my entire photo gallery over the last several years and could not find 1 largemouth bass with red eyes.

 

On the other hand, every smallmouth had red eyes.

Honestly never paid attention until this thread.

[Sam]

https://fishtackly.com/why-do-bass-have-red-eyes/

[Lead Head]

Rock bass... what we usually call a goggle eye, or war-mouth down here?

A super aggressive, giant mouthed, sunfish looking, soft plastic destroying, craw trailer arm stealer?

I've never noticed them stinking any more than bass. If you can get into them big enough to filet, they are indeed good to eat.