Do bass change color due to water clarity?

[Guest ouachitabassangler]

According to my old Ichthyology textbook the term "Black Bass" came from the temporary coal black color of smallmouth fry, those fish included in "Black Bass", but actually neither largemouth nor smallmouth are bass, but members of the sunfish family. Stripers are true bass. I can't say I've seen black colors on a largemouth, but do see gree, brown and bronze, or the ashy pale beige we're talking about.

Jim

[Rattletrap]

The bass turns so dark green that it looks black.

[FlyRod]

Not only do they change colors, they sometimes grow eyebrows!

http://home.comcast.net/~diamondcjdesign/portfolio/beuregard-bass-colored.gif

Honest!

FR

[Rattletrap]

LOL!!!  ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

HH- It seems no matter what size the fish is,if we catch it in that back cove (2-4ft and mud bottom) it will have a black back.  Must be their type of camo for skinny water.

Fishin' is so much like golf.  You'll never get every variable perfect, there for we continue our pursuit for knowledge till they bury us!

[RoLo]

It seems no matter what size the fish is, if we catch it in that back cove (2-4ft and mud bottom)

it will have a black back.

Think About That For A Moment:

Whenever the viewer is above the fish (predator or prey), he sees only the upperside of the fish.

To camouflage her creatures, Mother Nature colors the back of "all" creatures darker than their belly.

In this manner the back of the fish tends to blend into the darker bottom background.

Whenever the viewer is below the fish, he sees only the underside of the fish. Accordingly,

the bellies of "all" creatures are lighter than their backs so they disappear into the brighter sky above.

Now Think About This:

Pretend that you are Mother Nature looking down on **** sapiens, your most intellectual being.

You notice that Man has chosen the same color pattern for his fishing lures that you have chosen

to downgrade visibility (dark on top / light on bottom).

Now Here Is The Question: Between Man and the Porpoise, is Man still on top? :-/

Roger