I'd love to see a pic too. Like the other guys said, it's probably environmental. Seems like fish in dark stained water have more pronounced and darker colors. Fish in real clear water are usually more bland looking. Makes sense, camoflage. I caught one perch while trout fishing in a little stream here in WI. Way up in the middle of a big swamp. No idea what he was doing way up there. The stream is spring fed and very clear, and the perch was almost translucent.
kero