More On Smallie Colors...

[Al Agnew]

I've taken a lot of photos of smallmouth I've caught to use in my paintings, and so I have a variety of color phases. Smallmouth can and do change color either to match their surroundings or their mood--they can make their dark bars and spots appear or disappear, go darker or lighter, have red eyes or dark eyes, even change the general color of their bodies. Here are a bunch of photos showing different colors:

First of all, smaller fish often tend to be more brightly colored than big, old fish. Here's a beautifully colored little one: Note the many small orange spots on the sides.

Here's a youngster that is extremely light in color--this fish was caught out in the open in shallow water and bright sunlight:

Here's a bit larger fish, but extremely rich brown in color--this fish was caught on the upper Meramec:

This is a fish caught last week on Flat Creek near Jenkins--note the red eye and light, bright color. The water was clear and shallow where this one was caught:

Here are two fish caught on Huzzah Creek. This first one was under a log in shadow but in clear, shallow water:

This one was caught in the same place a year earlier...it could possibly even be the same fish. But it was out in the open, and by the time I got it in the dark markings were very pronounced:

Winter fish are often very light in color because the gravel of most streams is a lot cleaner and brighter in the winter and the fish change colors to match it. This is a winter fish from Current River:

However, this is an autumn fish from the same stretch of the Current--it's also pretty light. Note the clear, white bellies on these light colored fish:

Here's a beautifully marked, dark, late autumn fish from the Meramec:

And this one is a winter fish from the same section:

A big fish from upper Big River, beautifully but subtly marked:

Another fish from the same section of Big River, this one practically unmarked:

A very olive-bronze Meramec fish:

A fish from murky water on the lower Bourbeuse:

Two pretty big fish from my trip this week on the Mississippi trib, this first one is in the 20 inch class. Note the dark red in the eye:

This one is lighter, came from murkier water farther down the creek...note the brighter red eye:

Here's a very grayish brass fish from the mine waste section of Big River, caught over a bottom covered with the grayish mine tailings. Note the dark eyes, even though the fish is light overall:

This one is very unmarked, with red eyes, caught from a small creek:

Another, much bigger, smooth unmarked fish from the Gasconade:

And finally, an interesting red-eyed fish with a very dark tail portion. This dark tail is more often seen in green sunfish and rock bass, and is believed to be a result of heavy metal contamination in the water:

[eric1978]

The thing I noticed most in all those photos was...all the junk in the bottom of your canoe. Figured you'd be the fastidious type. Good pics Al.

[RSBreth]

I take tons of pictures too, and one thing I like the most about Smallies is the variance of colors, even in the same stream.

I like the smaller ones with cool colors as much as the bigger ones, like several you have here.

Good post!

[KCRIVERRAT]

Nice pics and descriptions. Any smallmouth caught in cloudy water are gonna be blondes. Gin clear water produce brunette's! Same with any fish... don't ya think?

[flytyer57]

I take tons of pictures too, and one thing I like the most about Smallies is the variance of colors, even in the same stream.

I like the smaller ones with cool colors as much as the bigger ones, like several you have here.

Good post!

Me ,I like the BIG ones.

[flytyer57]

Nice pics and descriptions. Any smallmouth caught in cloudy water are gonna be blondes. Gin clear water produce brunette's! Same with any fish... don't ya think?

The rivers I fished back up in Wisconsin all had a tannin stain to them, but all the fish had differing colors like Al posted.

Down here in Arkansas, I've fished the Buffalo and Crooked Creek. Gin clear water, but still the same color mix as back up north.

I think it has more to do with their surroundings. Around grass, they're greener. Around rocks and logs, they're more camoflaged. If they've been out in open water, they usually have lighter shades.

[Outside Bend]

Really cool photos, thanks for sharing, it definitely got me thinking. I don't know if their colors respond to changing light conditions throughout the day (early morning to bright midday sun and back), but it seems like it'd make a pretty interesting photo essay. Getting the fish to participate would be the difficult part

Thanks for sharing.

[flytyer57]

Really cool photos, thanks for sharing, it definitely got me thinking. I don't know if their colors respond to changing light conditions throughout the day (early morning to bright midday sun and back), but it seems like it'd make a pretty interesting photo essay. Getting the fish to participate would be the difficult part

Thanks for sharing.

Kinda makes sense about the light. I'll have to try to get some smallies to participate in a study next time I go out and catch a few. If the sun is shining brightly, I'll check to see if they're lighter colored, and if the sun goes behind clouds, or if they are caught in the shade, I'll look to see if they are darker.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Great post AL. At the moment I am not able to post pics due to my computer being down. But thanks to a very nice forum member, it is getting fixed.

I have a pic of a brownie that is just as olive green as it can be. I thought I had posted it but, I haven't located it on the forum yet. If I do,I will post it here.

Have you guy's also noticed that in LM, Kentucky bass, they are sometimes devoid of color? They are what I call the "Grey Ghost". If this this repost works, look at the third pic down and you will see what I am talking about. I have caught a few of these in Shoal Creek and Spring River.

Buzz and I took a trip to Sping River in Jasper County today. Boy was it tough. The fish were sticking very tight to structure and would not chase. You had to bonk them on the nose. All fish today were Kentuckies too. Well, except for one largemouth. I ended up with only 9 and Buzz had 7.

They sure as heck was fat though. Each one was fat pigs. And there wasn't any mistaking you had made a connection with them either. It was fish on, no question. Another thing you could count on was that once you caught one, you just as well move on. You were not going to pick another one out of there. I think only twice today we caught more than one from a spot.

Just another great day on a river in the Ozarks. As it was ment to be!

[eric1978]

Have you guy's also noticed that in LM, Kentucky bass, they are sometimes devoid of color? They are what I call the "Grey Ghost". If this this repost works, look at the third pic down and you will see what I am talking about. I have caught a few of these in Shoal Creek and Spring River.

Yeah, that's an odd-looking fish. Can't say I've seen one that colorless, especially a K. Usually they have more pronounced markings than LM, IMO.