Help ID These

[Stephen Ermak]

I took the kayak to an "out-of-the-way" lake in N.E. Michigan today in search of bluegills. I had never fished this lake so didn't know what to expect. Didn't get a single bluegill or pumpkinseed. I did get quite a few of the fish like the one in the first attached picture. At first I thought these were green sunfish but now I'm not so sure after doing some research online. The fish in the second attachment is one on which I am totally clueless. It measured 10", was very dark in color, and fought like a large bass. Both species had large mouths, much larger than gills or pumpkinseeds.

Let me know what you think they are.

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

Nice fish Steve....looks to be hybrids to me but the experts will weigh in and help you out........

[Slip Sinker]

Steve nice fish by the way! im guessing but im no expert

i believe the first fish is a hybrid. more p'seed than anything... im thinking p'seed x green sunfish

second fish i believe is green sunfish and at 10" is a master angler for michigan congrats

[Stephen Ermak]

I was thinking the same about the first fish....a cross between pumpkinseed and green sunfish. The majority (95%) of the fish I caught that day were of this variety. So I'm left wondering, where were all the green sunfish and pumpkinseeds? If fish 2 is a green sunfish, then i caught only 2 of those that day. I didn't catch any pumpkinseeds. Once a population of pumpkinseed/green sunfish hybrids get established, can they continue to breed more hybrids like themselves and eventually force out the "purebreads"???

[Slip Sinker]

is this lake have a DNR access site or is it private... i wonder if it has stocking data on it. most of the time i see private lake owners association manage their  fish selection and is popular to stock hybrids for more control for numbers.

[Stephen Ermak]

The lake does not have an access site nor is it private. It is on National Forest land and there is a path to the lake from a nearby dirt road. I'm going to try it again tomorrow and see what else I can learn about what lives in there.