Pond Boss Forums FISH & FISHING Sunfish-Including Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass LMB Markings

Below is a picture of a LMB I caught in my pond. I am concerned about the lack of markings on it's side. I really like bass with the dark markings but mine don't have any. Is this genetics or a function of water color/clarity? This LMB is what they call a Tiger Bass so I don't know if they just don't have the markings of other LMB or what.

BTW, when I say markings I am referring to the dark spots or patches that other LMB have.

I know a lot more about saltwater fish and I know that a redfish caught in brackish water is darker than a redfish which lives in clear water. I suspect that LMB may be affected the same???

Color and lack of markings are due to cloudy turbid water. LMB in turbid water usually have a similar color pattern. Generally the clearer the water the darker the fish coloration and markings. Main exception occurs most often in brown stained water where color of fish is dark. Put the fish in clear water and more 'normal' color pattern will result.

Thanks for the feedback. Would you agree that there does appear to be a lack of markings on this fish which indicates that I do have a water clarity problem?

Or it indicates that the fish is an abnormality. A secchi disk reading is a better way to determine water clarity problems.

You might have to catch a few more bass in different age groups and see if their markings are similar. There is a very dark, dirty (darker than brown) urban pond that I fish sometimes in Bakersfield and all the bass I have pulled out of there look pretty similar to picture you have provided.

Do you know the reason for this? I would have guessed the opposite to be true, but I'm just an idiot with internet access.

Several good informative responses here, but let me add an observation I've made on a LMB I have in an aquarium in the house.

I caught the guy out of one of our ponds last summer and have had him in a tank for about a year now. He has grown about 5 inches in that time and seems to be healthy. I maintain the water pretty actively and it is always nice and clear and he gets light for about 10 hours per day.

What I have seen is that his coloration - including his black stripe - changes multiple times throughout the day pretty much daily. Depending on mood, feeding status, time of day, and, I'm sure, other factors that I am unaware of, his colors change along with his physical posture. By posture, I mean that there are times both sets of his "back fins" are standing up versus times that only the long dorsal fin is up. Same with the little fins below his pectoral fins. His stripe and the spots above his lateral line also come and go throughout the day. At some times, he has incredibly vivid color, and at others, he looks just like the guy you in your pic.

All that is to say I really have no idea why they do this, but it seems like in addition to things like turbidity and light penetration, there may also be some physiological factors that influence a LMB's outward appearance. It may be nothing to worry about if the water conditions are good - it may just be that he's kind of pissed that he fell for the whole artificial lure thing and is feeling sheepish!

Agree with Todd. That fish is in good condition and I would not worry at all about the color. Lots of info here on coloration.

Here are a few threads on coloration.

http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthread...true#Post200457


http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthread...=true#Post85635


http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthread...true#Post135555


http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthread...true#Post143640

To me the belly looks sunken. Like its having trouble getting forage in cloudy water.

Ditto. I see this as a taxidermist that takes in dozens of bass a year to mount. Invariably the ones that come out of turbid water have no markings. Nothing to worry about.

I have access to numerous ponds so I've seen a variety of markings and coloration for LMB in my local area. I have not seen a correlation between health of the LMB and markings. Some that have very little color or markings have been very healthy and some that have been very colorful have been starving. This is a very interesting thread.