Bluegills : Biology and Behavior , Spotte 2007 , AFS pg 124

Females are reported to lag behind males through age-0 , but no supporting data have been presented. After the first year the sexes appear to grow at similar rates, although territorial males ultimately grow larger. I analyzed age 1 through age 5 data ... from 4 Indiana lakes without finding significant differences in fork length. However in age 2 bluegills in Michigan ponds the males averaged 154.1 mm TL and females 142.6 mm , a 7.5 % disparity.


Handbook of Freshwater Fishery Biology V II , Carlander 1977 pg 105

Males grew more rapidly than females in some populations , but the differences were usually small. In other lakes no sexual difference in growth was detected , and in a few, females grew larger than males. (Cites omitted)