Unique, interesting and rare bass 2024

Fish n Stuff reply :

Just wondering if anyone has caught or seen any other rare and interesting kinds of bass. We caught an orange largemouth recently in Ohio, caught and released in a pond. I know on rare occasion people find albino bass or ones with dark spots and deformities, so have any of you found any or know anyone who has? Interested to know what all is hiding out there.

Looch reply :

weird black spots on smallmouth last 10 years. I didn't catch one this year so doubt I have a photo on this cpu. Google "Susquehanna smallmouth black spots" and you'll see what it is. They pop up everywhere in PA but Susquehanna River seems to have the most.

Fish n Stuff reply :

I actually saw someone post a pic of a bass covered in black spots on the Ohio fishing reports page on fb recently it was super cool. It looked like the bass was trying to be a cow

Looch reply :

yeah Ohio, Ny, Maryland have had cases of it. I live very close to Ohio. In a couple sections of the Susquehanna and Juniata it has been almost common to catch them some years. PA Fish & Game still hasnt figured it out last time I checked(last time I caught one), heard theories but nobody has nailed it down. Whatever it is, doesn't seem to hurt them any.

IndianaFinesse reply :

I catch bass with black sploches all the time, about 25% of my catch has them. It's a condition call hyperpigmented melanosis, which does not affect the bass's health in any way.

Fish n Stuff reply :

They seem pretty uncommon around here. I knew someone that caught one with a small black spot, but a lot of big spots are fairly rare in this area. Still pretty cool. It makes the fish more memorable I think

moguy1973 reply :

It's not a bass but my wife caught this strangely colored green sunfish last summer. We think it has something to do with the weed treatments that the pond has undergone.

Fish n Stuff reply :

Stripes! That’s awesome :3

Bluebasser86 reply :

I've seen pictures of orangish colored largemouth but have only caught one with an orange tint to it's tail. I doubt I have a picture anywhere but it was nothing as noticeable as that fish.

SuperCorona reply :

On 10/25/2017 at 11:02 AM, moguy1973 said:

It's not a bass but my wife caught this strangely colored green sunfish last summer. We think it has something to do with the weed treatments that the pond has undergone.

That's crazy looking! Uhhh, how close to Times Beach are you?

moguy1973 reply :

On 10/25/2017 at 5:33 PM, SuperCorona said:

That's crazy looking! Uhhh, how close to Times Beach are you?

This pond is in Columbia, MO. We have caught several more since then that have similar markings.

Way north bass guy reply :

Funny how this topic just appeared, I just caught a "blue" smallmouth last weekend. Never seen one like this before, seemed to not have any red or brown toned pigment at all. Wasn't a big guy but pretty cool to see anyway.

Fish n Stuff reply :

On 10/25/2017 at 5:33 PM, SuperCorona said:

That's crazy looking! Uhhh, how close to Times Beach are you?

That sunfish is emo af though xD awesome

On 10/26/2017 at 8:32 AM, Way north bass guy said:

Funny how this topic just appeared, I just caught a "blue" smallmouth last weekend. Never seen one like this before, seemed to not have any red or brown toned pigment at all. Wasn't a big guy but pretty cool to see anyway.

That’s an awesome coincidence xD I’ve not seen a smallmouth that was anything but brownish

LxVE Bassin reply :

I caught this smallie while fishing the White River in Indianapolis. He had black spots on his upper and lover lip.

S Hovanec reply :

My friend had a smallmouth in his aquarium. He fed it goldfish. After a couple months, it started to turn orange. When it died, it was almost as orange as that largemouth pictured above.

Fish n Stuff reply :

On 10/28/2017 at 2:35 AM, S Hovanec said:

My friend had a smallmouth in his aquarium. He fed it goldfish. After a couple months, it started to turn orange. When it died, it was almost as orange as that largemouth pictured above.

Hmm hadn’t thought about the diet having an effect on it. That would be interesting! I don’t think there are any goldfish or carp in there. They stocked it with largemouth and bluegill when they made it some 10 years ago or more, maybe catfish

Sifuedition reply :

On 10/29/2017 at 7:03 AM, Candi Carnifex said:

Hmm hadn’t thought about the diet having an effect on it. That would be interesting! I don’t think there are any goldfish or carp in there. They stocked it with largemouth and bluegill when they made it some 10 years ago or more, maybe catfish

I wonder if crawfish with more red could lead to orange in the fish that eats a lot of it? Flamingos get their pink from the shrimp they eat.

Frogman reply :

I bet he has a hard time hiding from prey!

Tim Kelly reply :

I have seen pictures of european perch with an orange hue to them, like your bass. Seems it can be a rare mutation. I caught a yellow perch in Oneida that looked like it had been dipped in emerald green dipping dye and caught a pike years ago that was basically yellow with black spots, sort of like a negative of a normal pike markings.

Chance_Taker4 reply :

On 10/28/2017 at 2:35 AM, S Hovanec said:

My friend had a smallmouth in his aquarium. He fed it goldfish. After a couple months, it started to turn orange. When it died, it was almost as orange as that largemouth pictured above.

I live in Ohio as well right on the Maumee River. About 5 years ago a guy caught a 25lbs Catfish that was bright orange. It made its way through the newspapers and local media outlets. ODNR said it was from eating goldfish. Goldfish is the main bait for that river to use for cats, bass or walleye. Between eating them and the few that were missed hooked and got off without a bite it changed the colors of these fish. They also showed a guy would dumped 10-15 in the river to swim freely then toss one out on a hook. So I agree that there may be someone using goldfish as bait or released some into the water.

TnRiver46 reply :

On 11/13/2017 at 9:30 PM, Chance_Taker4 said:

I live in Ohio as well right on the Maumee River. About 5 years ago a guy caught a 25lbs Catfish that was bright orange. It made its way through the newspapers and local media outlets. ODNR said it was from eating goldfish. Goldfish is the main bait for that river to use for cats, bass or walleye. Between eating them and the few that were missed hooked and got off without a bite it changed the colors of these fish. They also showed a guy would dumped 10-15 in the river to swim freely then toss one out on a hook. So I agree that there may be someone using goldfish as bait or released some into the water.

My girlfriend is from there, I've heard some wild stories about the muddy maumee

Chance_Taker4 reply :

On 11/13/2017 at 10:06 PM, TnRiver46 said:

My girlfriend is from there, I've heard some wild stories about the muddy maumee

very underrated fishery. Once the walleye run is over nobody is on the river. But it does produce quality smallmouth. But the northern section is so muddy it is like fishing in chocolate milk. I have a lot of family down by you as well. They are in the Sweetwater are so a little farther south but my family came to Ohio from the Townsend/Wears Valley area. What a small world.

TnRiver46 reply :

On 11/13/2017 at 10:11 PM, Chance_Taker4 said:

very underrated fishery. Once the walleye run is over nobody is on the river. But it does produce quality smallmouth. But the northern section is so muddy it is like fishing in chocolate milk. I have a lot of family down by you as well. They are in the Sweetwater are so a little farther south but my family came to Ohio from the Townsend/Wears Valley area. What a small world.

No kidding, not many people on earth are from wears valley or Townsend. I'm originally from maryville, my girlfriend is from new Bavaria/hamler Henry county corn field area somewhere hahahah. I saw the river at independence dam once, definitely looked muddy. Her brothers say it's only for catfish and crashing pontoon boats where they are from

J Francho reply :

Gold fish don’t make a fish turn orange. It a genetic mutation. Look up xanthanism.

Chance_Taker4 reply :

On 11/13/2017 at 11:57 PM, TnRiver46 said:

No kidding, not many people on earth are from wears valley or Townsend. I'm originally from maryville, my girlfriend is from new Bavaria/hamler Henry county corn field area somewhere hahahah. I saw the river at independence dam once, definitely looked muddy. Her brothers say it's only for catfish and crashing pontoon boats where they are from

My wife and I are planning to either move permanently or own a vacation rental property in TN and Maryville was one of the places we have looked. I to live in Henry County in Liberty Center (Colton to be more specific but there are only 50 people in Colton). When it comes to the Maumee it is split into 5 sections. From Lake Erie to Perrysburg is a great largemouth and smallmouth fishery if you have a boat, Perrysburg to the Maumee Rapids is great for smallmouth and walleye but steelhead show up more and more, Maumee Rapids to the Grand Rapids d**n is the recreational area for Jet Skies and Pontoons, Between Grand Rapids Dam and Independence Dam is the Henry county area where there is great Largemouth fishing my PB came from this section, The last section from Independence Dam till in drains into the St. Mary's River in Indiana I know nothing about except there are endangered animals and they frown upon you fishing that section.

dropped shot reply :

Ive caught a completely black largemouth

Alan Reed reply :

Not an odd color but had never caught a Humpback bass until yesterday.

everythingthatswims reply :

On 10/26/2017 at 8:32 AM, Way north bass guy said:

Funny how this topic just appeared, I just caught a "blue" smallmouth last weekend. Never seen one like this before, seemed to not have any red or brown toned pigment at all. Wasn't a big guy but pretty cool to see anyway.

My brother lost one today that looked like that!

Fishing Cowgirl reply :

There have been some orange colored Largemouth caught on the Kissimmee Chain of lakes. 99% were caught in Lake Hatchineha.

Smokinal reply :

I was looking foward to hearing from some power plant fishing guys.....

Tim Kelly reply :

On 11/13/2017 at 3:09 PM, Tim Kelly said:

I have seen pictures of european perch with an orange hue to them, like your bass. Seems it can be a rare mutation. I caught a yellow perch in Oneida that looked like it had been dipped in emerald green dipping dye and caught a pike years ago that was basically yellow with black spots, sort of like a negative of a normal pike markings.

I found a picture of the pike.

geo g reply :

That is one beautiful bass. If its a mutation then its pretty rare. I hope it was released in good shape. Was she caught close to a nuclear power plant? She has a great looking glow!

Scott F reply :

On 11/28/2017 at 5:05 AM, Tim Kelly said:

I found a picture of the pike.

To me, that looks more like a tiger musky. My basic rule is a pike has a dark body with light spots and a musky has a light body with dark spots. Either way, it is a unique fish.

Tim Kelly reply :

Being caught out of the River Thames in London, England excludes any variation on a muskie hybrid. It was just a very peculiar coloured pike. I have caught muskie in Lake of the Woods, but never caught a tiger muskie, yet....

J Francho reply :

That is DEFINITELY not a tiger. What a weird and beautiful pike. I've often remarked that EU pike sometimes have very interesting patterns.

Also, nice dink pike, @Tim Kelly