In the mean time till he does, I caught a few today that might add to the discussion.
First one is a RES, I'm guessing female. But is it a "pure" RES or does it have some "other" in it??? The pectoral fin does not look all that long. The orange tab is not real big and distinctive on this particular fish, but it is a distinctively orange tab (unlike GSF which tends to be a translucent orangish). I still do not know what I am looking at as far as the pharyngeal crushers are concerned. Would like to see a picture of such. Looked in its mouth but could not identify anything. I know this fish does not look like my northern BG, my CNBG nor any hybrids that I know are hybrids. I would not consider it in great condition. It looks kind of skinny to me (compared to my other sunfish), but may be because of recent spawn.
For comparison purposes, the second picture is a similar size BG, the third picture is another BG with considerable different coloring than picture 2 and the fourth is a CNBG that earlier this year had been transferred from my sediment pond. All fish were caught in the same area within a half hour. The fifth and sixth pictures are of the same hybrid. I would normally say it was just a HBG, but the mottled cheek makes me wonder if it might have some RES in it. In the picture it does not show up clearly like it did in real life, but the opercular tab has a distinctive translucent orange around the edge reminiscent of GSF. RESxBG or RESxGSF or BG/GSF?????? Or just call it a mutt???? At any rate, I like it and it went back in the pond. Would not mind having a bunch more like it. I caught some bigger BG, but tried to use pictures of similar size fish.
I will say it again. Looking at these pictures is a lot tougher than looking at the fish in real life. Things that stood out to me as I inspected each fish did not necessarily show up as clearly in the pictures. The coloration change (within less than a minute) of the hybrid would almost make a person think it was pictures of different fish.
Incidentally, all caught using a cane pole from the bank (wife has family reunion tomorrow and fixed up a bunch of cane poles for the kids to fish with, without letting them loose with my good rods
). Had to test it out to make sure it worked!
Caught about fifteen fish in thirty minutes so low tech works.
