Different Bass Eye Colors?

PapaJohn454 · Post by **PapaJohn454** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:25 am

Have a question about bass eye color.

Yesterday at Anderson,
at the South end of the lake caught a few 12" bass all with orange eyes. In the North end of the lake caught a few same sized bass but these had golden eyes. The water temp in the South was 62 in the North 58. Otherwise their coloring was exactly the same, silver whitish sides very little green pattern.

So do bass have different eye colors? or are they different sub-species or what?

Thanks!

Tin Can · Post by **Tin Can** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:33 am

The south has been a bit warmer for a while now. Maybe it has to do with the fish being shallow in the south longer. Deeper fish are usually pale looking. I was catching a bunch of pale fish that looked like they had just moved up. Maybe that has an effect on the eye color.

ash · Post by **ash** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 5:16 pm

I have a strange theory on this based upon no science just observation.

LMB bucks during spawn eyes change colors from orange to a hint of red. I really feel it is an aggression (but is probably more of lack of certain nutrients in their diet) anyway during this time I start throwing red and orange baits and these fish can blast them. Kinda like the saying of "seeing red" I really feel that it is an aggressive thing.

My observations were first made on Lake Mission Viejo and later at other ponds. On LMV you could see the bass eye colors and call out there is a hot fish, make a flip and BLAMO.

Again no science, just quakerie and my theory

tunaman · Post by **tunaman** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:29 pm

Ask Oakview Dave about the red eyes... he can tell you stories about getting them excited and seeing the red in their eyes!

I do believe it is a conditional situation, based on Dave and Rob's experiences that they've shared with me while enjoying our getaways at Casitas. Then again, could have just been campfire BS, but I doubt it!

Roger

PapaJohn454 · Post by **PapaJohn454** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 6:20 am

Ash and Tin Can

You both may be on to something.

The "orange/red" eyed bass were very aggressive and they did fight really well for their size.

Also as Tin Can suggested the only other time I've seen bass that pale color was from cold deep water so they may have just moved up; it may also have been that the water was muddy, with only about a foot of visibility.

Thanks,