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Post by Smoothkip on Mar 29, 2011 21:17:30 GMT -5
I got a question for someone. Me and rollo were talking earlier tonight about the shape of a flatheads head. I have always noticed that the fish caught on the northern (shallow end) of the river the heads are massive and wide. down south on the ohio and even pics of fish from the james of flatheads they are longer from nose to gill plate. My question is why? Are the wide ones males or vise versa or is it because of the current, Ive also noticed this on lake flats?
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Post by Catfishrollo on Mar 29, 2011 21:23:46 GMT -5
Here is an Ohio River Flathead. Seems the fish we catch down there are more long from the lip to the gills. rollo Attachments:
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Post by Catfishrollo on Mar 29, 2011 21:27:32 GMT -5
A Muskingum River Flathead. Notice this fish is more wide across the nose than slender. Which this fish is smaller than the first. But, we have also noticed small changes from water system to system with genetics. etc. in the fish ?? Im stumped also.. Anyone? ..rollo Attachments:
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Seanstone
Catfish Freak
Multi-Specie Catch and Release Angler
Posts: 1,166
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Post by Seanstone on Mar 29, 2011 21:31:42 GMT -5
I'm not sure if this answers your question but I believe the males have larger heads because they have to protect the nests during spawn. Their larger heads have allowed them through natural selection/evolution to protect their young from predation. Therefore the males with the largest heads can protect their young better and are more likely to pass on their genes. As for the differences you have noticed, I could only hypothesize that the structure may differ from location to location. Maybe local geology has made larger crevices in the bedrock for the flatheads up north, therefore they flatheads have adapted/grown larger heads to protect larger holes.
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Post by Catfishrollo on Mar 29, 2011 21:38:27 GMT -5
I like that Sean. I dunno. There are many different things besides just that also I have noticed fishing different systems whether be a small to medium size river system, large river, or lakes. They all seem to be different in there ways. I can see how lake flats looks different than a river flathead obviously in muscle tone. You might be right. Fish do adapt to their enviroment for sure. Thanks for the insight... rollo
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Post by Smoothkip on Mar 29, 2011 22:20:17 GMT -5
To add to that also! Ive noticed many different colorations of flatheads. Ive seen them almost completly yellow and have seen them jet black! I wonder if that has to do with the habitat they live in also! Ducky posted a pic of a flat with a black head and yellow back, makes ya wonder why?
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Seanstone
Catfish Freak
Multi-Specie Catch and Release Angler
Posts: 1,166
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Post by Seanstone on Mar 29, 2011 22:26:55 GMT -5
Yea that thing is wild looking for sure. I have absolutely no idea. Maybe it left its head out of its log and got a bad tan line. ;D
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Post by Catfishrollo on Mar 29, 2011 22:33:10 GMT -5
Kip I believe so. One rocky small system we fish the flatheads are very dark in color. Most flatheads we have caught on the the Muskingum in heavy rock are darker also. Most caught in wood have been a lighter color on average. However, we have caught flatheads in late fall in the rock that resemble ones that mostly come from wood structure? Maybe water temps. have something to do with that? I think they can change their pigment to the area, and possibly other variables are involved... rollo
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Post by dreadnaught on Mar 29, 2011 22:38:26 GMT -5
A Muskingum River Flathead. Notice this fish is more wide across the nose than slender. Which this fish is smaller than the first. But, we have also noticed small changes from water system to system with genetics. etc. in the fish ?? Im stumped also.. Anyone? ..rollo It is an old trick!!! They have a tendancey to adapt different colos in different water color and, structure I have seen them with a Mottled brown color= rocky or leafy bottom Olive to yellow= clay or sandy bottom Blackish colors=dark wooded structure and so on. Evironment plays a big role in the colors they have. They don't get big by being obvious, LOL!!! Stealth is thier way of life!!!
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Post by bassmassey on Mar 29, 2011 22:43:59 GMT -5
some pretty good insight from everybody......i've seen a flathead caught out of the chattahoochie in georgia that was bright orange........musta been from that georgia red clay
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Post by dreadnaught on Mar 29, 2011 22:46:18 GMT -5
Exactly!!!!
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Post by Smoothkip on Mar 30, 2011 0:31:34 GMT -5
some pretty good insight from everybody......i've seen a flathead caught out of the chattahoochie in georgia that was bright orange........musta been from that georgia red clay Does that Chattahoochie get as hot as Alan Jackson says? ;D
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Post by bassmassey on Mar 30, 2011 7:38:26 GMT -5
it sure does........i lived on lake oconee though, where it gets hotter then some fried bologna.........
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Post by Skyline1506 on Mar 30, 2011 9:18:52 GMT -5
? 2........Do you think Glow sticks on a float can turn the fish off talking bought the 8in model glow sticks ? Not sure but I can tell you that after last year I will not be using any yellow hi vis braids. Moss green for me only. I could have 2 rods side by side one with green line and one with yellow. I would catch 10 times thie fish on the green line. So yea, I could see a glow stick having some effect.
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Post by ducky on Mar 30, 2011 15:49:42 GMT -5
sean was right males have larger wider heads than females. Heres a close up of that flathead, same fish as in my avatar, I am hoping one of us catch him agin to see how much he grew since last june.
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