bass color?

[jeremyt]

I have read that you can tell the type of cover that a bass is in by its color. Depending upon the water you are fishing I can see this to be a great help. I am kind of a retard I guess to understanding this stuff. Can some one break it down into laymens terms for me. If a bass is dark it in forage of some type? If it is a lighter color then what does that indicate? I appreciate anyhelp and if you feel like calling me an idiot go ahead.

Jeremy

[Other.]

The only diffrance I have heard about bass color comes from what color the water is. If the lake is always naturally muddy the bass will tend to be a bit more brownish and in clearer the large mouth bass will be more green. Not exactly sure if a fishes color will change by what cover they are in as they are not chameleons and do not stay in 1 place for a long enough time to start changing.

P.s. you should know what kind of cover you are fishing in when you are fishing. Not sure how helpful something like this would overall be.

[jeremyt]

Maybe I was misunderstanding what I read. Thanks for clearing it up for me. I guess its the fact that I have read so much and tried so hard to catch some decent bass that I am losing a lot of confidence and looking for something out there. I will stick with it though until the results pay off.

[PondBoss]

The whole changing color thing OTHER is talking about is right, but completely opposite.  The darker/muddier the water the lighter color the fish.  The clearer/cleaner the water the darker the fish will be.  At least in my personal experiences this is and always has been the case.  Not to sure on the science behind it but the lehmans way to understand it is dark water blocks out the sun light there fore lighter color.  It's kinda sun screen for the fish.  Makes sense to me anyways.  As for the changing color in the cover they are in OTHER is also right on the money.  If you are fishing certain cover you should be able to tell what kind it is.  Fish move to often to change color to match their surroundings.  But like I say thats just my best guess.  Good luck and happy fishing ;D

[RoLo]

In order to produce full pigmentation, the fish most receive full sunlight.

On balance, the greater the amount of sunlight (clearer and shallower the water)

the deeper the colors of the fish. Muddy water comes-and-goes, but bass that spend a lot of time

in perennially murky water typically have a pale, washed-out appearance (silvery).

Bass from shallow, gin clear water normally have a darker lateral line and a dark-green back.

Years back I took a home course from the Northwestern School of Taxidermy.

You learn a lot when you've got to paint back the colors (ran a mini business on the side).

Bass from clear shallow water generally needed more "terra verde" on their upper parts,

which is Spanish for "earth green", the color usually used for painting a true "mossback" bass.

The median line of most mossbacks that came from clear/shallow water was almost black.

(Lastly, a top coat of transparent Pearlescence is added for depth).

Roger