Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Do you love big bluegill?

Here is one of two HBG we caught on Fathers Day. Can anyone tell if it is a Male or Female?

Rating:
  • Currently 5/5 stars.

Views: 131

Comment

You need to be a member of Bluegill - Big Bluegill to add comments!

Join Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Comment by Bruce Condello on June 18, 2012 at 9:26pm

The few times that I've heard of DNA testing of hybrids (GSF X BG) and (WAE X sauger), it is amazing how seldom that the fish is "pure".  If even once in this fish's past it had a wandering great-great-great-great grandparent, the genes are less than pure and you essentially have a hybrid.  Definitely noticed the smaller mouth, but in my mind there's lots of GSF genetics at work here.  Who knows?  Fodder for discussion, but unfortunately no possibility of complete resolution. :-)

Comment by Walt Foreman on June 18, 2012 at 9:15pm

I do agree that HBG display a wide range of morphology - I see that every time I catch one.  But, just to my eye, the two fish Zach posted photos of are much more elongated than the most fusiform-ish of Bruce's fish below, and a proportionately larger mouth.  The mouth does seem slightly small to be 100% GSF, but both fish look to me to be way above 90%, if not 100%.  

I think you probably hit the nail on the head, Tony, when you mentioned F2s and F3s - my guess would be Zach's fish are at least a couple generations removed from the initial hybridization.  

Comment by Tony Livingston on June 18, 2012 at 8:00pm

HBG can display an incredible diversity, when it comes to appearance. I think a couple of pics that Bruce recently posted show it most clearly. The first photo shows Bruce with a 12" HBG, more orientated towards a Green Sunfish.

The second photo is Bruce's dad holding a "traditional" shaped HBG. There is the possibility that Bruce's fish is a reciprocal cross..... the product of a male Green Sunfish, and a female Bluegill. While Mr. Condello's fish is likely to be a product of the "usual" HBG combination.... a male Bluegill and a female Green Sunfish. The male traits of each combination may appear dominant, possibly accounting for the difference.

And most importantly..... this is just a guess on my part! I've seen a world of difference in HBG through the years. Reciprocal crosses, back crosses, F2's, F3's...... it can be hard to tell.

I won't even get into the "Georgia Giants" differences........

 

Thanks go to Bruce for posting these photos for us here at BBG.

 

 

Bruce Condello with 12-inch bluegill X green sunfish hybrid.

 

Frank Condello with big hybrid bluegill

Comment by Jen Nayfly on June 18, 2012 at 7:51pm
Good job Zach!
Comment by Jeffrey D. Abney on June 18, 2012 at 6:49pm

Pretty fish Zach!

Comment by Walt Foreman on June 18, 2012 at 6:21pm

Do you have some that elongated, Tony?  Usually that's the tip-off for a pure in my experience.  The mouth could be a tad small but other than that...If it were only a couple inches I'd lean more towards HBG, but that fish looks to be seven or eight inches long.  All of the HBG I've seen have more of a bluegill shape at that length, even if they're not as round as a pure-strain bluegill.  Just my $.02 though - I could be wrong.  

Comment by Tony Livingston on June 18, 2012 at 6:00pm

It looks like a male. I don't believe it's a pure Greenie, it looks an awful lot like some of my HBG.

Comment by Walt Foreman on June 18, 2012 at 4:42pm

That's a green sunfish.

Latest Activity

John Sheehan replied to Jeffrey D. Abney's discussion Panfish Species of North America- Which Ones Have You Caught?
"Hey Jeffrey! Does the Warmouth have about the same sized Mouth as a Black Crappie of equal size, or…"
4 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Wednesday
Jeffrey D. Abney replied to Jeffrey D. Abney's discussion Panfish Species of North America- Which Ones Have You Caught?
"Some quality Warmouth I caught in my early years on the Albemarle….."
Wednesday
Jeffrey D. Abney replied to Jeffrey D. Abney's discussion Panfish Species of North America- Which Ones Have You Caught?
Wednesday
Jeffrey D. Abney replied to Jeffrey D. Abney's discussion Panfish Species of North America- Which Ones Have You Caught?
Wednesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Wednesday
Jeffrey D. Abney replied to Jeffrey D. Abney's discussion Panfish Species of North America- Which Ones Have You Caught?
"Thanks for sharing John……you have patterned your available species pretty good over…"
Wednesday
John Sheehan replied to Jeffrey D. Abney's discussion Panfish Species of North America- Which Ones Have You Caught?
"Only caught five of these Species up here in New Jersey. Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, Red Breasted…"
Wednesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a photo

Crackers Saved This Morning Behind A Cold Front…..7/23/2025

If I get out the remainder of July it will probably be a crappie stalk on the coastal marsh……
Wednesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Wednesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Wednesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a status
"Slow Moving Cold Front Went Through Overnight and Shifted the Wind to the North so our rivers were dumped, but we wanted to go anyway…."
Wednesday
Jeffrey D. Abney replied to Jeffrey D. Abney's discussion Panfish Species of North America- Which Ones Have You Caught?
Tuesday
Jeffrey D. Abney replied to Jeffrey D. Abney's discussion Panfish Species of North America- Which Ones Have You Caught?
"There’s multiple variations in the Spotted Sunfish….in Louisiana the Red Spotted…"
Tuesday
Jeffrey D. Abney replied to Jeffrey D. Abney's discussion Panfish Species of North America- Which Ones Have You Caught?
"Growing up in Louisiana into a fishing family I got many introductions to the Sportsman’s…"
Tuesday
Jeffrey D. Abney replied to Jeffrey D. Abney's discussion Panfish Species of North America- Which Ones Have You Caught?
"I have personally caught 11 of the 12 panfish featured in this discussion. I have never lived in…"
Tuesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a discussion
Tuesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Monday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Monday
DAVID L EITUTIS commented on DAVID L EITUTIS's photo
Thumbnail

THIS COLOR COMBINATION SEEMS TO WORK THIS YEAR

"Yup blue and white is an essential with my oldest son......."
Monday

© 2025   Created by Bluegill.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service