Mutant Susky smallmouth

[sport22]

Has anybody seen this before? This smallmouth was caught today on the Susquehanna North of Harrisburg. I have never seen one with these markings before. Is this normal or is this fish mutated by something. I also saw a heilcopter buzz the river and spray an orange liquid across some rapids. You can make out the helicopter if you zoom in. The bass was about 14 inches and fat.

[cujo]

Don't think that is a smallmouth....We call them red eye bass down here....Fight like a smallmouth though....

[sport22]

it was definitely a smallmouth but was unusual in it girth as well as it's color

[Hillbeach]

Looks like a smallmouth mated with a Largemout bass. Rock Bass down in Va look like that but that would be almost a record down here.

[martineta]

Rock Bass for sure. Red eye, correct color, Judging from the size of the hand holding it,,,,,its a nice one

[golfinjoe24]

Looks like a smallmouth mated with a Largemout bass. Rock Bass down in Va look like that but that would be almost a record down here.

Haha, then its a regular mouth bass! haha:clap::clap:

[ekim22]

I wanna know what that helicopter was doing :)

[David Redding]

I saw the same markings on largemouth bass on the potomac around blue plains wilson bridge about 15 years ago. Something environmental (pollution).

[mini moe]

Yeah, maybe the orange stuff. Is the back half black and the front half green?

[brewman555]

I`d shoot that pic to the MD DNR......they might want to see it......strange looking colors on that fish........:eek2:

[bowhunter1188]

Smallmouth bass with an oddly shaped tail. I fish that stretch of the river, and also kayak through there. I've seen the helicopter before spraying the same substance. I knew what it was last year, but now I forget what they were doing. If I remember, I'll post it.

[johnh]

The s/m adapt their color to the surroundings. the one you cought looks :confused:
The spraying is for black flies
I've cought s/m that were black, white,yellow, and mixtures the one you cought is definately unusual :eek:

[J Keeler]

I`d shoot that pic to the MD DNR......they might want to see it......strange looking colors on that fish........:eek2:

I doubt that the MD DNR would be concerned about a fish caught in Pennsylvania.

I took the second photo and enhanced it with Microsoft Digital Image Pro. There is NO DOUBT in my mind that you have caught a Rock Bass also known as a Red Eye. The coloration is typical for rock bass . They will have a mottled pattern to match their habitat.

I have been fishing the Susky for over 45 years and have caught some very large rockbass during that time. They will hit artificial lures without hesitation. The Rebel crayfish and the mepps spinner are very effective for them

The helicopters are spraying to kill off the black fly larva. This has been a regular event for at least the last 25 years.
Tight lines,

[swampfox]

Must have been caught near the nuclear power plant, an obvious mutation. :cool2:
Bill

[uncle phill]

Looks like a giant rock bass to me.

[wasabi]

any fisherman worth his salt can tell that is clearly a smallmouth

[Dan.]

any fisherman worth his salt can tell that is clearly a smallmouth

x2. It's just got a weird body shape that makes it look rounder like a rock bass. That isn't uncommon in bass. The coloration appears to be a severe form of a pigmentation condition that I've seen mostly on largemouth. From what I've heard not many people really know what causes it but generally it is not thought to be harmful (just look how stout that fish is--he seems fine)

[vabrad76]

looks like it has scoliosis. i have seen it in bass and trout. not uncommon.