ANYONE know what causes this ?

[Ketchn]

a very highly pronounced lateral line in crappie ? I see this in fish from specific locations and wonder why ? I know its a 6th sense thing and actually a hair like structure . it is typically used for the detection of prey and predators . but what I have not come to understand is why it is so bold and raised up on the crappie in mostly those locations .
both species are involved and neither spot has much in common . any ideas yawl ?

[lowe175]

Beats me buddy I've noticed some lakes have different conditions. Some lakes I fish the fish have softer mouths are will have more slime are different colors. I would like to know myself.

[rnvinc]

I think it's so the tartar sauce will stay on better ...



Rickie

[Tracker123]

...a very highly pronounced lateral line in crappie ? I see this in fish from specific locations?...

Interesting. Curious if the water in those locations are muddy/murky, might be an evolutionary thing if so.

[huntinslabs]

^^^ what he said was my thoughts.

[doggone]

I don't recollect having seen that before and I fish some in four states.Do see a lot of parasites now in some fish maybe something like that caused it?? Or maybe it is just an abnormality or trait to that local and fish.

I could be wrong on all that,and my memory stinks anymore half the time.

[skeetbum]

New to me.

[Ketchn]

thank you all for the replies .
one water body is really shallow and turbid
the other is really stained and has dark water
I think it may be something like mentioned before and the fish have evolved and or adapted to be better equipped to forage
interestingly enough years ago the first time I hit one of them I was trying to ketch catfish. I landed several and one in particular had a bold lateral line .
and get this .....it was hard fight and water was super warm . when I landed it its lateral line had droplets of blood coming out up and down the fish ?
Never seen that before or since on any fish .....

[D10]

I think y'all hit the nail on the head. More than likely it is a genetic trait that was advantageous to the crappie with the higher than normal lateral line. These fish must of had a competitive advantage over the others, resulting in better fitness and reproductive ability. Originally it was a genetic mutation (accident). Over time, this trait must have became the dominant lateral line condition in your water body due to the competitive advantage. Very interesting, I will keep an eye out for this trait in Arkansas while we are sampling this Fall/Winter.

[Ketchn]

I think y'all hit the nail on the head. More than likely it is a genetic trait that was advantageous to the crappie with the higher than normal lateral line. These fish must of had a competitive advantage over the others, resulting in better fitness and reproductive ability. Originally it was a genetic mutation (accident). Over time, this trait must have became the dominant lateral line condition in your water body due to the competitive advantage. Very interesting, I will keep an eye out for this trait in Arkansas while we are sampling this Fall/Winter.

we see several forms of genetic color mutations in the one pond ......
so i would venture to say you are right about that as well ....