CTFishTalk.com: Why are some smallmouth so bland looking? - Connecticut Bass Fishing ( CT Bass Fishing ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

BigEd · Joined: 22 Feb 2012 Posts: 103 Location: Monroe

I've been hitting the smallies pretty good on Lake Zoar this year. Nothing outstanding but decent 2lbs fish are coming fairly easy on soft swimbaits. What I am noticing is that they are all so boring looking and have hardly any pattern on them. Last year the smallmouth I pulled out of Candlewood in spring/summer were absolutely beautiful fish with incredible coloring and markings. I'm sure it has a lot to do with structure, water quality, and the fact its a different body of water etc. but I am just noticing such a distinct difference in these fish they almost look like a different species. Would an environment holding more weed cause the fish to be more bland? I would think the opposite would be true. All I know is I miss those red eyed tiger marked bronzebacks!

hila2006 · Joined: 22 Jul 2011 Posts: 582 Location: Ellington

It's really all the things you mentioned. It's water clarity,bottom type, and weed growth, as well as the amount of sunlight they can absorb. they are like a chameleon,they look like their environment. Places with rocky bottoms have the coolest looking smallies in my opinion.