In all the reports and studies I have seen there is no mention of color being a differentiating trait. I have seen many thousands of northerns , F-1s and Flas and never seen color as an indicator. Keep in mind that color changes rapidly and often. Thanks for the info and keep up the tests and keep us posted on results.
IMO, the only fair comparison to differentiate between LMB traits would be to hold them in a large holding tank to normalize conditions for comparison. As has been mentioned, they can change physical characteristics in a heartbeat..
I believe I can ID pure Florida traits by the �mottled� pattern on their backs after I leave them in the live well long enough to settle down.
Only problem I have is that I don�t have a native or F1 to compare so I am just guessing.
