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Small mouth?

TRIGGER

TRIGGER

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Why do they change colors in the livewell? Stress? My buddy caught one yesterday just shy of 5 lbs so we kept it for a while to see what we could put with it. The fish was pretty when we put it in the livewell but absolutely beautiful when he pulled it back out later. The markings were much darker and pronounced. I have noticed this before but not to this extent.
 
I've seen it quite a bit as well, I think the stress of being caught makes their markings go away but then they rejuvenate in the livewell bringing their colors back out. Just a thought


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Never thought about it that way. Good point. Can they change there color like a Chameleon? I know fish change colors based on depth but is it a rapid process or something that takes time?
 
I think it has to do with where they are caught and the time of year etc. I notice it happens a lot more out of cold water in the spring than I do in the summer. 2 years ago fishing a Feb tourney on lake barkley. Caught 2 different 4 lb smallies in about 10 ft of cold water, think they were almost on bed. They were darn near white with hardly any markings when I put them in the boat, so white that my partner and I contemplated if it was a weird hybrid because neither of us have caught a bunch of smallies. Texted a pic to a friend and he said check em in an hour and see what happens. Sure enough, colored up beautifully.
 
I've been catching smallmouth since I was a kid and have always pondered their coloration changes. I'm primarily a river fisherman, and we catch them often that are jet black. No stripes just solid black, after landing them you can watch as they turn back bronze. Really bizarre to watch
 
jard":3nunw0tc said:
I think it has to do with where they are caught and the time of year etc. I notice it happens a lot more out of cold water in the spring than I do in the summer. 2 years ago fishing a Feb tourney on lake barkley. Caught 2 different 4 lb smallies in about 10 ft of cold water, think they were almost on bed. They were darn near white with hardly any markings when I put them in the boat, so white that my partner and I contemplated if it was a weird hybrid because neither of us have caught a bunch of smallies. Texted a pic to a friend and he said check em in an hour and see what happens. Sure enough, colored up beautifully.
Click to expand...


Given the time of year you caught them, I would say they had just moved up from deep water. Just my thought.
 
Went a few hours before the rain this morning. My GF caught this 3.5 lb smallie not long after we put in the water. Put it in the livewell just to take before and after pics. Didn't take long at all to color up.
 
It all has to do with amount of light coming though the eyes. Can remember the technical term for it but it's the same reason fish caught in muddy water will darken up after being in livewell or cleaner water. It's also the same reason that fish that look melabistic or black, will often times be blind because they cannot regulate light coming through.
 
I've always said they were angry or pissed off when they turn colors. I don't know the actual cause but I love it when they show their colors


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