Albino bass ?

[justfishin]

Ok, my curiousity has gotten the best of me after seeing those cool pic's of the albino Fallow Deer. Has anyone ever seen or heard of a albino bass? I mean, in that great genetic pool of bass there has to be at least one. ( This ought to be good,lol. )

[Panamoka_Bassin]

I don't know about Albinos, but there is a "hybrid" type of bass known as White Bass.  They actually look more like a shad than a traditional black bass.  The only place I know of to find them is in more western states, specifically California, but I'm sure they can be found elsewhere.

[Redlinerobert]

White bass are actually a striper hybrid if I remember correctly.  An albino largemouth?  That would definitely be something to see.  I for one have never even heard of one.  

[Redlinerobert]

Bingo.

[justfishin]

                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Hello Redline,

I think I remember watching a show once about this hybrid. Isn't it a cross between a striper and  a white bass called a Wiper?, or did I drink too much Alice White that day?,lol. I am like you though. I have never even heard of a true Albino largemouth or smallmouth bass. The law of averages in the genetic pool of bass certainly had to have produced at least one. Interesting.

                                                                                                                  Jim

[Panamoka_Bassin]

Okay, so I've done some thinking about this for a little while, and here goes...

The law of averages would suggest that there HAS to be at least one albino bass. That much we seem to agree on. Now, add the laws of natural selection. Normally, bass are colored a certain way to be less visible, i.e. camouflaged (sp?). If a baby bass, or even a young bass, comes out as an albino, it will be VERY visible to predators and therefore an easier meal. Bearing that in mind, the chances of an albino bass growing to a decent size must be extremely low. I have no scientific proof for this, I am just using my (ahem) intelect and forming a hypothesis.

I have done a few searches for Albino bass, but I haven't been able to find anything.  There's plenty on albino trout and catfish, but no mention of albino largemouths...

[justfishin]

I think I have exhausted my avenues as well. I used google, Ask.com and came up empty. I did see many cases of Albinism in mammal and bird species. I also read about many amphibians with Albinism, gators, snakes, turtles, etc. The only fish I came up with were trout,catfish ( which seemed the most common ) a flounder, musky and a few Asian species. Who would have thought this was the case? This leads me to believe that smallmouth and largemouth bass have a strong genetic history. Thats a good thing.

[fishingrulz]

You can have an albino anything. Albino is just loss of pigment. But I mean a Largie without camoflauge is preety much screwed considering how many predators it has. The chances of it even hatching aren't that great. Fluke and Flouder get by probably the easiest since they hide in the sand. Obviously their cameo now is so good that you would never see them at a glace. You have  to study the floor to see them. An off white or white fluke would have a hard time with it but not as hard as a largemouth.

[roadwarrior]

Clarification:

White bass: Morone chrysops

Striper: Morone saxatilis

Hybrid striped bass: Created from eggs produced by a female white bass fertilized by sperm from a male striper. These fish are created in fisheries, but do not occur naturally. The hybrid is sterile.

[Raul]

Fishingrulz nailed it, you can have an albino in almost everything ( the only known animal where albisnism has never been reported are cockroaches ).

The only "albino" bass I 've ever seen ( a pic ) was reported about two years ago but is was not a true albino ( fair skin, red eyes, not the iris, the eye ).

[Fatman1267MM]

I'm guessing, but aren't trout and more commonly hatchery grown?  That would explain the large numberof pictures available.  They would have a better chance of getting to a size that is survivable in the wild.  Bass aren't as comonly grown in the hatchery and would therefore not have as high of a rate of survival when born in the wild.  Just some reasoning in my own mind.

[timmyswetarded]

here in kansas we have a lot of white bass some striper too and hybrids...so if by west you mean west of maine then yes

[fishingrulz]

You can also have a Leucitic animals. Leucism is the loss of all pigment where albinism is not. Also leucitic's can have normal colored eyes. I have caught a Leucitic Catfish. Fish Chris has as well.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Baillsundfuggel.JPG

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Leucistic_Texas_Rat_Snake.jpg

Notice the normal coloration of the eyes on the Texas Rat Snake...

[Troutfisher]

Here is an albino catfish.

http://media.basspro.com/images/imagegallery/ig_2006-7-13_6-34-22_b.jpg

I have heard of an "orange bass" in an issue of Bassmaster.  However, I haven't heard of an albino one.

[Raul]

I'm guessing, but aren't trout and more commonly hatchery grown? That would explain the large numberof pictures available. They would have a better chance of getting to a size that is survivable in the wild. Bass aren't as comonly grown in the hatchery and would therefore not have as high of a rate of survival when born in the wild. Just some reasoning in my own mind.

Yup, albinism happens naturally but the chances of an albino surviving in the wild are slim, in hatchery raised fish albinism is also a desirable trait reason why it 's perpetuated, in some species of fish it 's more common than in others, in trout is common in bass it 's not.

[Pond Hopper]

I have also caught an albino catfish and have seen others caught that were larger.  Mine was only about 12 inches and I gave it to the guy who ran the baitshop for his aquarium.  He said in 20 years of running the baitshop it was the 3rd one he had seen.  I will have to find a picture and post it.  

[fishingrulz]

Here is an albino catfish.

http://media.basspro.com/images/imagegallery/ig_2006-7-13_6-34-22_b.jpg

I have heard of an "orange bass" in an issue of Bassmaster. However, I haven't heard of an albino one.

Thats another difference between Albinism and Leucism. Albino animals can be all white or different shades. It depends on white type of pigment the Albinism is effecting. It can make an animal white, or it can also have an orange or yellow tint, Where as Lecitics are all white no matter what with normal eyes. There are different types of Albinism depending on what pigment is effected.

[Ky_Lake_Dude]

No never heard of albinos but I know for a fact that someone caught an orange bass in Canada.

[Bud]

If you every get a chance to visit Mammoth cave in Ky you can see all the albino fish you want.  Their is a river in the cave and it is full of albino fish.

[justfishin]

Unnnhhh hhuuummmphh, I still have not seen or heard of a Albino Largemouth or Smallmouth Bass. And by the way, did you say " orange bass "? I cannot find a Albino bass and you found a ORANGE BASS? , LOL. Oh, you are good. Just pulling your chain a little,lol.

[Bankbeater]

Thinking out loud here, but an young albino LM may not last long in the wild.  I'm thinking that it would stand out and be to visible to other predators.

BTW, there is an albino catfish in the tank at the St. Charles BPS.  

[justfishin]

Unh,huh, I hear ya but, I JUST WANT TO SEE A ALBINO BASS, is that too much to ask?, LOL