Color Variations in Bluegill- Anyone else experience this with your Bluegill?

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

On a beautiful late July morning last year I went to one of my blackwater rivers and had a great time with some active Coppernose Gills.....I have attached five photos of different fish I caught on this morning and the color variation is incredible.....I'm just trying to determine if other members see these variations in their locations.....All of these fish were caught in the same general area yet some have distinct copper patterns, some have banding and one fish pictured has the most distinctive copper coloring I have ever seen on a bluegill.....His entire head was almost electric.......What's interesting to me, if you've seen a male Cardinal, you've seen the same bird everyone else has.......Many of these fish were different despite being the same species........Does anyone else experience this with their gills? Thanks for taking the time to provide input in advance........

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

This fish for example is a Bluegill/Seed hybrid Chris so it certainly wouldn't surprise me if you had cross breeding between Bluegills and Redbreasts...I don't know all the science behind it but somebody that does might weigh in....

[Chris Rowland]

I have caught some that look like they might be a bluegill/ redbreast sunfish hybrid. Is there such a thing?

[cal okeefe]

well i will tell you guys these fish are seriously pretty.. ive never seen or heard of a coppernose bluegill till i joined this forum.. that purple or bronze colored head is beautiful and some of the pumpkinseed posted on here are very very pretty.. we just dont have them in ILLINOIS

[Jeff Soto]

Well, I'm not an ichthyologist, but I'll bet the colors and markings variations on Bluegill can be attributed to what David said, plus the age of the fish and possibly the sex of the fish.  Being an aquarist and keeping Central and South American Cichlids in large aquariums for many years, I saw how fish will go through very distinct changes in their colorations and markings, which was primarily caused by two things,.. growth, (fry to juvenile to adult) and sex, which would involve the entire spawning cycle of males building nests, dancing and flirting for the female,  fighting with other males, and the actual spawning of a mated pair of fish.  Also, for the short time that the male Bluegill guards the newly hatched fry, he keeps his spawning colors, possibly to help scare predators away from the nest and/or fry.

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Ive noticed color variations, myself. I've not tried to figure out what caused it, as I figured it had to do with the environment, i.e., food, water conditions, and so on. Im also certain that like other creatures in Nature, genetic variation occurs with fish, too. As for stress... well, I wouldn't know how to tell if a bluegill were "stressed!"

What do you do, ask him? "Hey fish - hows it going today? You chillin'?"

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

You're right Jeff, I've been watching those LP coppernose postings intently and you guys have caught some beautiful fish......Do you have any ideas on the differences you guys see in Lake Perris?

[Jeff Soto]

Hey Jeff-  We also can catch a wide color variety of Bluegills from the same lake.   I can't quite figure out how to put up several photos at one time..

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

Thanks Tony...Bruce and Musky have talked about stress having alot to do with the fish changing in the live well or bucket.......My imagination leans toward this feature providing the fish a defensive mechanism as well....maybe like a dog's back hair raising...... 

[Tony Livingston]

Absolutely! My fish will vary considerably between my different ponds, and of course during different times of the year. I can't speak for coppernose, but northern strain gills will vary color while being handled.... for instance you catch one, admire it's colors, then put it in a bucket or basket. You get it out a short time later, and darned if it hasn't altered it's color! I thought I was imagining it until the subject came up elsewhere, and others had noticed it also.

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

I attached several photos from the same trip showing a lot of color variation in the gills I caught.....Just wanted to hear if anyone else sees this and/or has any ideas about this...Thanks