Sexing Pumpkinseeds

[Larry Mihalik (Adirondack Pond)]

I'm interested in raising large Pumpkinseeds in my pond next spring.
The largest PS's I trapped this year were 6 inches. I plan on building a cage, and put in the largest males i can trap from the pond, and feed them heavily.
My question is determining the sex of the PS's. I have the march-april 2006 issue of Pond Boss which discusses sexing Bluegill, but does this hold true for PS's, in reference to Opercle flap, Scale tipping, Genital Pore, and Caudal Spot.
I would appreciate any info from the experts.

[Bruce Condello]

Very interesting question.

I don't know the answer, but I absolutely intend on finding out over the next year or two. "Big Bluegill" has provided so many exciting pictures of pumkinseeds that I'm dribbling from the lower lip--hoping to find a source for these amazing fish. Maybe somebody (maybe me) can hopefully do a little web crawl and see if there's any information about this.

My initial guess is that spring would be by far the easiest time to make a sex determination.

[Larry Mihalik (Adirondack Pond)]

Thank-you Bruce, If you do find definite info on the subject I would love to hear about it
I've got plenty of time till spring but atleast I can start building the cage in the garage.
Thanks to Pond Boss there's plenty of info on cages.

[Justin Gloede]

Your lucky.. your in a state where you can still legally transport live fish to another body of water. That stupid VHS crap up here in Wis nulled all that...now all the stocking that we do is technically illegal..Stupid.. Darn invasives.

[Larry Mihalik (Adirondack Pond)]

Justin, unfortunately we have VHS in new york and DEC is putting so many restrictions on small hatcheries that many will probably go out of business. The guy I get my trout from wasn't sure he would be in business next year because of the cost of the testing the state was going to require on his Trout.
Luckily I have Pumpkinseed's in my pond, and I just have to trap and separate the largest males and raise them in a cage to larger size.
By the way since your in Wisconsin have you ever been to the EAA show in Oshkosh? , I've been there twice, that's one great airshow.