"white" Bass?

[Walcrabass]

Straw Hat,

I know you are the "Biology Information Guy" on this site so I have a question for you. When the Largemouth turn bleached out white in color.....other than they don't feel great.....exactly what is it that makes this phenomenon??? Additionally.... am I right about going lighter with the colors we throw at them during this time???? Sure seems to help for me.

[Dutch]

I for sure am no biologist but I have always been told that the lighter the color of a fish is related to how dormant it is, while actively feeding fish have lots of color because of hormone increases. I have no way to prove or disprove this.

[straw hat]

Dutch is right. The low temperature (and therefore low metabolism) reduces alot of the hormones and other metabolites once the water temperarure drops below 40 degrees. In addition, if the water is dingy during these low temps then the lack of sunlight will cause there melanophores (color bearing cells) to shrink. Also, if the temperatures are low enough to stress the fish this causes the blood vellels to the skin to contract in order to reduce heat loss.

I have seen nothing on the darkness of bait to use on these white fish but I sure know that the speed of the bait has frequently been studied. The fish strike zone under these cold condition become very small and the fish metabolism is very slow soooo....the bait must be worked slow enough to keep it in the strike zone for as long as possible. Baits you can hold in one spot and shake or live bait that can set in front of a fish can be very productive. I hope this helps.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I'm not a biologist either, but I know that the intensity of color can be a product of camouflage that depends on the water they are living in. When they are in deeper water and under a cloud cover they can become very light.

[straw hat]

That is the chromatophores I was talking about. Cloudy, dingy water, nighttime or any other low light situation causes those chromatophores to shrink and the fish to become lighter.

[powerdive]

The more colorful the fish, the more embarrassed he is that you actually caught him.

[Walcrabass]

Guys,

Thanks for confirming what I always thought.....they're cold.......I kind of knew this anyway because I have noticed sometimes when I bring them in the boat their teeth are chattering. Maybe that is why I miss so many .....they can't keep there mouth closed all the way for me to set the hook!!!!!

[9LB]

I am an equal opportunity angler. I like them white, black, green, striped, Fat, skinny but they must be 17 inches ! No shorties