How do I determine if a fish is a sunfish or sunfish hybrid blue gill? - Bluegill - Big Bluegill2024-03-28T21:41:38Zhttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/forum/topics/2036984:Topic:6698?feed=yes&xn_auth=noReaders - Simple question com…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2010-10-20:2036984:Comment:1066192010-10-20T14:47:21.535ZBill Codyhttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/BillCody
Readers - Simple question complex answer. Nothing is usually simple in nature. There are usually numerous ifs, and it all depends.<br></br>
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The dark spot on the rear lobe or soft rays of the dorsal fin is quite variable and not a reliable physical character by itself for separating the BG, sunfishes and their hybrids. The dark spot is to be used in combination with more prevelant characters for helping to separate the sunfishes. Recognizing hybrid BG or hybrid sunfishes consistantly and…
Readers - Simple question complex answer. Nothing is usually simple in nature. There are usually numerous ifs, and it all depends.<br/>
<br/>
The dark spot on the rear lobe or soft rays of the dorsal fin is quite variable and not a reliable physical character by itself for separating the BG, sunfishes and their hybrids. The dark spot is to be used in combination with more prevelant characters for helping to separate the sunfishes. Recognizing hybrid BG or hybrid sunfishes consistantly and accurately is pretty difficult due to the many combinations that could occur in natural populations. The ability to recognize hybrid sunfishes is as much art as it is science and the ability is learned from closely looking at literally hundreds or thousands of the various pure strain sunfishes from DIFFERENT habitats. From that one can have a good 'feeling' or learn to recognize more the obvious differences and the combination of various features from the parent speices that often show up on hybrids. This all becomes more difficult when the obvious physical features of hybrids are diluted (due to back crosses) from numerous generational spawnings that mask the hybrid genetics. Bottom line, don't rely soley on the dark spot on the soft lobe for much of anything when it comes to the sunfishes. I see them all as great Flath…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2010-10-20:2036984:Comment:1065922010-10-20T12:21:24.617ZZach Piercehttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/ZachPierce
I see them all as great Flathead Bait. We have caught some of our largest ones on LMB and Crappie in the 5-12 inch range.
I see them all as great Flathead Bait. We have caught some of our largest ones on LMB and Crappie in the 5-12 inch range. I'm glad to see other people…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2010-10-20:2036984:Comment:1065742010-10-20T02:59:27.230Z10.5" RES Sharonhttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/SharonDianaHansen
I'm glad to see other people have this same problem. I get everything mixed up.
I'm glad to see other people have this same problem. I get everything mixed up. I like fishing.tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2008-09-04:2036984:Comment:69002008-09-04T03:20:25.113ZBruce Condellohttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/BruceCondello
I like fishing.
I like fishing. This could be the problem! Th…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2008-09-04:2036984:Comment:68952008-09-04T02:17:26.453ZRob Greerhttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/RobGreer
This could be the problem! The East side of the lake has lots of nooks and crannies in the rocks/bricks/concrete pieces. I will have to do some research on the problem and see what type of solution can be reached. I'll start a new thread if I don't have any luck. Thanks for the info I think I am getting pointed in the right direction. It might be easier to take you fishing and show you the 3 ring circus that I have going on.
This could be the problem! The East side of the lake has lots of nooks and crannies in the rocks/bricks/concrete pieces. I will have to do some research on the problem and see what type of solution can be reached. I'll start a new thread if I don't have any luck. Thanks for the info I think I am getting pointed in the right direction. It might be easier to take you fishing and show you the 3 ring circus that I have going on. One thing that keeps bluegill…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2008-09-04:2036984:Comment:68932008-09-04T01:19:41.338ZBruce Condellohttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/BruceCondello
One thing that keeps bluegill small is if they have tons of hiding areas during their first six months. So can you think of any way that large numbers of YOY (young-of-the-year) bluegills can hide from predation? Most of my best ponds for big panfish have limited hiding areas during the critical first few months.
One thing that keeps bluegill small is if they have tons of hiding areas during their first six months. So can you think of any way that large numbers of YOY (young-of-the-year) bluegills can hide from predation? Most of my best ponds for big panfish have limited hiding areas during the critical first few months. It has some really nice under…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2008-09-04:2036984:Comment:68892008-09-04T00:49:55.889ZRob Greerhttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/RobGreer
It has some really nice underwater weeds beds (not very technical). The lake also has nice cat tail stands along the west bank and also a large 3 foot deep section of the lake with weed beds open water and cat tail stands. One problem that I can think of is that the banks drop off quickly into 6-12 feet within 5 feet of the bank. The bottom is pretty much void of any kind of structure. I usually do not catch and gills around the weeds or cat tails. I pick them up off the bottom of 6-12 foot…
It has some really nice underwater weeds beds (not very technical). The lake also has nice cat tail stands along the west bank and also a large 3 foot deep section of the lake with weed beds open water and cat tail stands. One problem that I can think of is that the banks drop off quickly into 6-12 feet within 5 feet of the bank. The bottom is pretty much void of any kind of structure. I usually do not catch and gills around the weeds or cat tails. I pick them up off the bottom of 6-12 foot deep open water jigging or along the rocky steep East bank in 6 foot of water. An important question in this…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2008-09-04:2036984:Comment:68772008-09-04T00:29:14.595ZBruce Condellohttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/BruceCondello
An important question in this regard would be:<br />
<br />
"How much vegetative cover does the pond have throughout the spring, summer and then fall?"
An important question in this regard would be:<br />
<br />
"How much vegetative cover does the pond have throughout the spring, summer and then fall?" I read this on pond boss as r…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2008-09-04:2036984:Comment:68752008-09-04T00:27:00.854ZRob Greerhttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/RobGreer
I read this on pond boss as recommended:<br />
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HOW TO ID PUREBRED VS. HYBRID SUNFISH<br />
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Of course a lot of it seemed like TMI for my small brain but it made me wonder if the "purebred male GSF" may actually be a hybrid that has a high GSF gene content but not high enough to keep the dorsal spots and longer body or is may be a regression of multiple generations of breeding that reverted back to the strong GSF genes? Either way I've got some cool fish in the lake but no really big bluegills. I went…
I read this on pond boss as recommended:<br />
<br />
HOW TO ID PUREBRED VS. HYBRID SUNFISH<br />
<br />
Of course a lot of it seemed like TMI for my small brain but it made me wonder if the "purebred male GSF" may actually be a hybrid that has a high GSF gene content but not high enough to keep the dorsal spots and longer body or is may be a regression of multiple generations of breeding that reverted back to the strong GSF genes? Either way I've got some cool fish in the lake but no really big bluegills. I went fishing yesterday and took pictures of 7 or 8 gills that I caught. They were all the same size and each of them had a different color scheme. I also managed to catch a number of bass, one of which was 21 inches. SO why are my gills so small since I have good bass numbers? I'll have to check the archives on that one. 1. Now he's eatin size
2. To…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2008-09-02:2036984:Comment:67632008-09-02T02:20:17.942ZJeremy R. Mayohttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/JeremyRMayo
1. Now he's eatin size<br />
2. To big for catfish bait and to small for the fryer<br />
3. Just right for my alfreado dip.<br />
<br />
haha.<br />
They look like american fish to me. Just a good ole mixture of all. Unless you catch them from a purebread res. they prolly gotta lil bit of everything in em. I can say I dont think theres any red ear in there and that I dont believe that there is a pureblood bluegill in the bunch. My guess is going to be 1. male gs....2. female gs..... and 3. is most def a hybrid but im no…
1. Now he's eatin size<br />
2. To big for catfish bait and to small for the fryer<br />
3. Just right for my alfreado dip.<br />
<br />
haha.<br />
They look like american fish to me. Just a good ole mixture of all. Unless you catch them from a purebread res. they prolly gotta lil bit of everything in em. I can say I dont think theres any red ear in there and that I dont believe that there is a pureblood bluegill in the bunch. My guess is going to be 1. male gs....2. female gs..... and 3. is most def a hybrid but im no scientologistististist. I just throw em a cricket and if they look like they gonna taste good then they go in the box. Thanks to gustov its gonna be a few days before I get to see any so get out there and stick a few for me.