Why is it that sometimes shad have a green or purple coloration and sometimes they don't? Does it have anything to do with water clarity? 

Why is it that sometimes shad have a green or purple coloration and sometimes they don't? Does it have anything to do with water clarity? 

 

Not only water clarity, background color too.

Look up "iridescence."  Light, and angle plays a part too.

Water chemistry, temperature, clarity, food source and seasonal periods all affect fish coloration including several species of shad.

Tom

The easy answer is that there are different species of shad.  I know at Table Rock, sometimes the shad have a purplish cast to them and other times they have a greener or geryish cast to them.

 

9 or 10 years ago, Lavender Shad was a popular regional color in the Ozarks.  I don't see that color so much lately, guess it was a fad color that came and went.  Around that same time frame, I started seeing the Table Rock Shad color, first on Lucky Craft baits and then repainted on other baits.  That color has stuck around.

The easy answer is that there are different species of shad.  I know at Table Rock, sometimes the shad have a purplish cast to them and other times they have a greener or geryish cast to them.

 

9 or 10 years ago, Lavender Shad was a popular regional color in the Ozarks.  I don't see that color so much lately, guess it was a fad color that came and went.  Around that same time frame, I started seeing the Table Rock Shad color, first on Lucky Craft baits and then repainted on other baits.  That color has stuck around.

I'm not too sure that they are of a different species. As far as lakes around my neck of the woods, I think there are only gizzard shad and threadfin shad.

Water chemistry, temperature, clarity, food source and seasonal periods all affect fish coloration including several species of shad.

Tom

Ah! this is what I was wanting to hear. 

Species is probably the wrong word.  All I know is that sometimes at Table Rock you will come across schools of shad that have a greenish tint to them and other times schools of shad will have a more purple tint to them.  I've seen this on different lake areas on the same day in very similar light conditions.