That aint a redear. I'd say hybrid. Looks alot like a greeny but has the mouth of a bluegill. My .2c is its a hybrid
+1
The yellow on the lower fins suggests a Green sunfish hybrid, with Bluegill being the most probable "other half". I wish we had a better, larger photo to view to be able to make sure.
From the picture we have, I feel with 99% certainty that the body belongs to a Green Sunfish. I feel with the same degree of certainty that the head, face, and mouth of the fish in question belongs to either a Bluegill or a Redear Sunfish. The head, face, and mouth could also belong to various other sunfish species such as Longear Sunfish and Pumpkinseed, but Green Sunfish hybridize with Bluegill and Redear Sunfish with a greater frequency, so the odds are in their favor.
I am a fish management/aquaculture major, ichthyology was one of my best subjects. We also learned about the various green sunfish hybrids in aquaculture. My well educated guess with 99.99999% certainty is green sunfish/redear hybrid.
The red ear tab is obvious still on the hybrids and assuming the picture was taken when fresh caught, the fish appears lighter than most bluegill/green sunfish hybrids I have seen. Green sunfish, as mentioned previously, will readily hybridize with other sunfish species. Probably a first generation hybrid judging by the size (F-1 hybrid vigor). Successive generations will appear more like green sunfish and will not grow as large. The fishing may be fun now, but you'll eventually end up with a pond full of green sunfish down the road! I would never recommend stocking green sunfish into anywhere!
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Maybe mastercatman can shed some light on this: I have heard that some hybrid bluegills could spawn and produce green sunfish. Is this right? I know of a couple sportsmen's clubs that have stocked hybrids and I'm not sure that is a good idea. Here at Lake Tomahawk we stocked redears and they are getting big. I hope they mostly reproduce as redears and do not cross-spawn.
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I am a fish management/aquaculture major, ichthyology was one of my best subjects. We also learned about the various green sunfish hybrids in aquaculture. My well educated guess with 99.99999% certainty is green sunfish/redear hybrid.
The red ear tab is obvious still on the hybrids and assuming the picture was taken when fresh caught, the fish appears lighter than most bluegill/green sunfish hybrids I have seen. Green sunfish, as mentioned previously, will readily hybridize with other sunfish species. Probably a first generation hybrid judging by the size (F-1 hybrid vigor). Successive generations will appear more like green sunfish and will not grow as large. The fishing may be fun now, but you'll eventually end up with a pond full of green sunfish down the road! I would never recommend stocking green sunfish into anywhere!
No he is not kidding, Its rare but during spawning male black crappie can present some very abnormal color phases. And a black crappie with an under size mouth is not at all unheard of. This likely would have been caused from being caught to much while it was younger. Yes he is kidding ?)
__________________ Single White Male -looking for wild healthy mature Flathead. No smaller than 15 pounds but the bigger the better. Do not need to cook or clean, just needs enjoy munching on creek chubs and long fights on the beach. Please meet me tonight at the old scioto mill dam in Piketon. Ill be waiting
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__________________ Single White Male -looking for wild healthy mature Flathead. No smaller than 15 pounds but the bigger the better. Do not need to cook or clean, just needs enjoy munching on creek chubs and long fights on the beach. Please meet me tonight at the old scioto mill dam in Piketon. Ill be waiting
Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine
__________________ Single White Male -looking for wild healthy mature Flathead. No smaller than 15 pounds but the bigger the better. Do not need to cook or clean, just needs enjoy munching on creek chubs and long fights on the beach. Please meet me tonight at the old scioto mill dam in Piketon. Ill be waiting
May have caught a world record fish?
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