Red Teeth

[Wayne P.]

Another one

[Gatorbassman]

Was there much diff in water temp in each area? My ponds are pretty much same temp top to bottom now (mid 40s).

Same temp top to bottom. Low 60s

[wickyman]

I believe that the tooth color is related to the fact, that as soon as the water becomes colder, the bass grow their teeth out, so that they can eat the crayfish off the bottom.  I remember someone telling me last year, that, that is how the bass is able to survive winter easier.  Do you ever notice how sharp the teeth are in the winter, in comparison to spring?!

[Paul Roberts]

OK...caught another -just one this time -not happy about that. Anyway, this fish a 16" LM was in 41F water and had just the start of red in the tooth pads. So...it appears water temp is not the whole story.

[zach t]

Like alot of said, I have always thought it was due to agitatation from catching shell fish like crawdads.

I suppose it COULd be a blood thing. After all, the colder the water, the lower the oxygen solubility. So, physiologically, the blood flow must be higher in  the winter.

[Paul Roberts]

OK, I'm done. Latest front has resulted in the third night with below 0 temps. I'm iced up.

The bright side -my ponds thaw by late February. As a former NYer I know it could be worse.

[stupid brim]

Ive never noticed the red teeth I love the red tail though!

[Wayne P.]

Paul, I caught 8 bass today and all of them had red teeth. The water temp was 44 degrees with a heavy stain. This one weighed 6# 3 oz.

[Paul Roberts]

Thanks Wayne. That's a nice fish too.

[angler1]

This is very interesting. I am glad it was brought up, I will continue to research this, as I never noticed it before. Thanks guys 

[Paul Roberts]

Paul, I caught 8 bass today and all of them had red teeth. The water temp was 44 degrees with a heavy stain. This one weighed 6# 3 oz.

The kind of red I'm talking about is brilliant scarlet red. Looks like you had a cloudy day on that pic though. Still it's quite different from your last pic of the uncolored one.

Keep lookin' all. Would be nice to see this over a latitudinal range. Will southern fish get as red as northern fish?

[Wayne P.]

Yep, it was cloudy, but the air temp was about 60. Today we have snow heading my way. Predicted up to 18". Buzzbait time, LOL

[Bigbassdaddy]

Its crawfish guys. Every fish that swims eats em. This was this past Wed. in 40 degree water in KY.

[LoudounFisher]

I fished a local shallow pond on Nov 16. The water was still fairly warm. I caught a few with a red lips and others that weren't red at all. All were caught in a limited area.

[zach t]

Its crawfish guys. Every fish that swims eats em. This was this past Wed. in 40 degree water in KY.

Good GOD! What a fish!

[Paul Roberts]

OK, guess I should bring this back up for whoever is interested.

I caught a dozen bass last week, first day out and within a week of complete ice-out. I wasn't thinking about the red teeth thing, and tend to hit smaller faster warming waters early: Water temps were already in the 48-51F range, and the red was already on it's way out -looking red-orange. When I've seen the bright blood-red it's been real close to ice out in very cold water.

[bassman31783]

Quote:  Its crawfish guys. Every fish that swims eats em. This was this past Wed. in 40 degree water in KY.

If it's because of the crawfish then wouldn't the fishes mouths be red year long. Not trying to discredit your belief that it's crawfish but it's just highly unlikely it's caused, singularly, by a steady diet of crawfish. Maybe it's a combination of both a crawfish & cold water. However, I lean towards the cold water theory, probably becuase it seams to only happen in cold water.

[brushhoggin]

i've been catching em lately with red lips. they may be waitin for Jimmy Housten to catch em.maybe its the same reason flamingos are pink, cause they eat shrimp all day. Then you have other points of view. This one was based on a biologists study i found.

The colors you are witnessing are more to do with its state of activity and hormonal levels. If it is in prime breeding time - it will be good n ready to go blood pumping and full of excitement. It is likely that it's extra blood pumping you are witnessing making the mouth interior change color. The fish is over exerted. During breeding - all sorts of things happen to the fish extra strong colors develop - the tail becomes ragged and bloody, etc. Now; catch a bass in prime breeding form and in high stress from having just struggled with an angler. Note the color of the mouth

interior. Check again in half an hour and you will often see that it is paler.

Just as when we exercise, blood rushes throughout our bodies to supply increased levels of oxygen to the muscles and cells which require them -

so too does the same happen in fish. Where we get flushed looking cheeks from the workout - some fish can get the same effect in the mouth.

        Who knows, could be a combination of the two theorys.

[Paul Roberts]

...Now; catch a bass in prime breeding form and in high stress from having just struggled with an angler. Note the color of the mouth

interior. Check again in half an hour and you will often see that it is paler. ... Who knows, could be a combination of the two theorys.

brushhoggin, you (or your biologist) could be onto something.

What I don't see is this happening in the warm temps (that I can remember) -even hard fighters, and I do see it in really small (cold water) bass -one's that don't fight too much before I yank em in. On some days, really early in the season, all the bass, regardless of size have the brilliant blood red tooth pads.

But...I like the idea of watching them to see if they might lose the color after catching them. Would be worth trying.

Interesting, and testable, idea.

[Wayne P.]

That "breeding theory" certainly can't be applicable in late summer/early fall which is when I posted the latest picture of the red lip syndrome.

I caught over 100 bass last week in warming 50-60 degree water, and none of them had red lips. One of them was clearing a bed in 2' of water.

I'll take the time to get some lip pictures tomorrow with a bottom temp reference since the overnight low temp will be above freezing, that may make a difference.

[Paul Roberts]

That "breeding theory" certainly can't be applicable in late summer/early fall which is when I posted the latest picture of the red lip syndrome.

I caught over 100 bass last week in warming 50-60 degree water, and none of them had red lips. One of them was clearing a bed in 2' of water.

I'll take the time to get some lip pictures tomorrow with a bottom temp reference since the overnight low temp will be above freezing, that may make a difference.

My guess is the red teeth thing is over, except in the far north now. From what I've seen, it's most intense (brilliant scarlet) right around ice-out.

[J Francho]

From this past Sunday...

We still have at least another month of "red mouth."

[Paul Roberts]

Yes, I guess in the bigger waters that could be the case here too.

[J Francho]

These are pond fish, Paul.  As is this one from April 11, last year:

[Paul Roberts]

Mine from last week were about like that. I guess I'm talking about that brilliant scarlet -I've ONLY seen that very close to ice-out. I believe I missed it this year. Will try to remember to keep looking though.