Bleached Bass ?

[hl&s]

This may be a dumb question but what the heck. It won't be the first I've ever asked!

A couple of times last year and just last weekend on Nickajack I caught bass that were washed out in appearance. The fish were healthy otherwise, just the colors were all light like they had been bleached. Someone told me it was because the fish had just come shallow after being in deep water for an extended period of time. Just like to know if thats right.

Thanks

 

[bassfishingnerd]

It's been my experience that bass are really light in color coming from murky water. The clearer the water, the darker they are, at least up north!

 

[Andrew]

Thats right. Bass will be alot whiter and without color when they have been down deep all winter. If your catching them in shallow water they haven't been there long since they have just migrated from deeper water. Bass get real green and dark only after having been in shallow water around grass for awhile once the water warms up. Now this all depends on what lake your on also. Some big and even famous lakes further south are shallow lakes with no big depth changes so the bass won't turn so colorless anytime of year.

 

[Guest]

Nope, you are right. If a bass comes into the shallows, from being in the deep water, they will be very light in color. It takes a week or two of being in the warmer shallows before the color comes back to them. Consider it a "sun-tan" of sorts.

Muddy water can also effect their color, which was stated above. The clearer the water, the more light penetration there is, causing the fish to become darker. Thusly, in muddier waters, the fish will appear lighter in color, as compared to those in clearer waters.

 

[churly]

Stick him in the livewell...He'll change colors pretty quick! Yes muddy and deep cold water creates that look.

 

[hl&s]

Thanks everyone for the info.

Bass with suntans. What's next? Sunglasses? LOL