Colors of a flathead question...

[Dan Thiem]

Please excuse me for asking this if it has already been discussed. Why are there some that are a mottled brown-gray and then there are some that are a bright yellow-golden color?

[DTro]

Very good question. In the past I have thought that it was water quality and or coloring, but I've seen all colors out of the same water. I lean towards genetics.

Ya got the green family, the yellow family, and the gray family. Sometimes, the kids hook up and you get the mixed colors

[honky kong]

good theory. i have wondered the same thing seeing all the different colors you come across.

[rushing]

What I was told by an old river rat was they get lighter in color as the lactic acid and lack of oxygen builds up during fighting and landing a fish. Put them back in the water for a bit and they will get a bit darker. True or not it makes sense to me.

Flatheads, like people seem to all come in different shades.

[sparcebag]

All the colors and names always mystified me,Mud cat,shovlehead cat,yellow cat.apaloosa cat,mudeye cat.All I really know there fun to fish for I'm lazy and like that hangin out,an gettin one makes it a real experience! especially the larger locomotives!theres a new name.I have to add I've seen many in Texas Okla.but never as yellow as here in Mn.

[mplspug]

I always just assumed they had some ability to blend in with their surroundings by changing color. I know I caught one early last year that was very dark. He kind of matched all the garbage (dark rotting leaves) that were collecting on my line.

[Kyle B]

I was once told when fishing on the rock river with denny halgren that the color of the fish was by dependant on how deep of water the fish came from and how much oxygen there was in that depth he was in. shallow or lack of oxygen they would be more yellow and deep and plenty of oxygen they would be darker? I am not claiming this to be true but ya never know!? Kyle

[DARK30]

Maybe a good experiment would be to keep a yellow one alive for a time and see if it changes back. I've heard the "lack of oxygen" thing but not sure I believe that. Other fish can and do change colors but its got more to do with spawning, aggression, or blending in I think.

[hanson]

Most of the Mississippi River fish are a dark gray/green color.

Most of the Minnesota River fish are green/yellow and all shades in between.

I think its a habitat, chameleon matching his surroundings type of thing.

[dps]

Hanson hit it pretty well IMO.

Its very rare do you see any of the *golden* fish in the Missis.. when you do they are usually from lower pool 2 or below where the water is murkier. 95% of the time from upper pool 2, and pool 1, the flatheads have similar color patterns as a brown bullhead... or the green/brown phase. The MN river, I have only caught a couple as dark as Missis fish, with the majority being leaning towards the golden phase, and the grey phase is quite common.

I dont think its genetics. I think it has everything to do with water clarity(clay base in MN river) and light penetration.

All fish get color phases to an extent. Catch any fish in a clear lake and put it in a livewell and look to see what it looks like in 20 minutes.. it will have much more defined patterns.

It might be natures way for natural camo on flatheads. A golden flattie in the upper miss would stick out light a lightbulb while the brown/green fish will more likely blend into th rocks a bit better. Anyone who has shore fished on the MN river knows if the fish on the line doesnt have its head out of the water, you are netting a "boil" more than you are netting a distinct visual fish... they blend in very well.

Its just a theory, but I think the water clarity, light penetration, and probably distinct chemical breakdown of the water likely has everything to do with fish coloration. Even the walleyes of the MN river often get the grey phase going, or lack of distinct pattern.. completely different than most anywhere else.

[sparcebag]

Upstream by GraniteFalls area only color I've seen is dark no mottled or yellow just dark.

[honky kong]

chameleons change color based on stress, not to blend in as people commonly assume. not to burst your bubble or anything. it may be the same thing for the flats. i really couldn't tell ya.

[DTro]

I saw proof tonight of same spot with yellow and gray fish. With a photo side by side (double ) will post tomorrow.

[rushing]

Two flatties, both 25lbs from the same spot I caught an hour apart with completely different coloration. I just think flatheads are like people and just all come in different shades.

[aanderud]

Was that last night, Rob? Holy smokes, that's like a bajillion over-20 fish you've gotten in the last week!

[DTro]

Here's that double we caught, smaller fish, but different coloring for sure. I'll stick with my genetics theory.

[rushing]

Quote:

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Was that last night, Rob? Holy smokes, that's like a bajillion over-20 fish you've gotten in the last week!

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No, these fish I caught last season. Just threw them up to show the contrast between the colors of the same size fish ,out of the location an hour apart.

[hanson]

I can't think of a single spot I've fished, where multiple fish have been caught, where they are all the same color. Like Darren & Rob have just posted, fish color varies in even the same spot.

Now, we also know flatheads "make the rounds" at night leaving their resting areas and moving to and from feeding areas. Could it be the coloration of a flathead is the result of the particular location they choose to make their daytime home? Could be dependant on light penetration and other factors such as a wood home, rock home, or cutbank home?

So it it isn't an environmental factor, I would tend to believe that it is genetics as well, or combination of the two.