Wanted to share this little guy, I have fed optimal and AM500 the past two years...optimal BG this year. He is not the biggest I've caught but the first I have photographed and shared. The state record in Arkansas for GSF is 1 lbs. 11 oz. I think I'm going to try for it since I've got them in the pond anyways. lol. I did not measure or weigh this one but really enjoyed him. For reference, the ozarka water bottle is right at 8" long...actually 7 15/16. Not a great measurement, but it is something. lol
Caught these that day also
Seem to be growing well. Hope to get a scale soon so I can get some relative weights...and keep up with the GSF. lol.
Is there a story to go with the big GSF catch? Was she a fighter? I've read that GSF are supposed to be more aggressive than BG. Not sure if that translates to catching too?
"Politics": derived from 'poly' meaning many, and 'tics' meaning 'blood sucking parasites'.
Thanks Luke. I figure with the 30# of tilapia I added, we should see the weights climb some when they start spawning and then when they die off later this year.
Is there a story to go with the big GSF catch? Was she a fighter? I've read that GSF are supposed to be more aggressive than BG. Not sure if that translates to catching too?
I've caught lots of GSF in the wild. The bigger ones make one good run, then kind of lie on their sides and get reeled in. Fighting ability if BG=10 would be a 4 in my estimation.
I've caught lots of GSF in the wild. The bigger ones make one good run, then kind of lie on their sides and get reeled in. Fighting ability if BG=10 would be a 4 in my estimation.
Thanks John! Sounds like the aggressive traits don't translate very well into doing battle vs the rod and reel.
"Politics": derived from 'poly' meaning many, and 'tics' meaning 'blood sucking parasites'.
I will have to disagree on that one. Now I've only "known" since being on the forum what a GSF actually was. I had been feeding them for about 3 months before I knew I had them in the pond...(long story) Maybe its the feed, or something else, but mine fight hard...you would think they were small bass. I really thought this one was. Caught on top water popper...bait was about 3" long. Slammed it. Mine are also VERY aggressive around the feeder. When fishing with bobbers and worms, the kids barely have time to reel in the slack before the bobber goes under.
I actually threw out one larger than this, back when I was trying to get rid of them. I have regretted that ever since. Maybe they aren't the fish everyone wants....maybe they cause forage problems...maybe they don't spawn enough to be good forage...but man they are fun to catch and the kids have a ball.
And yes...I'm one of those people...the ones you cross to the other side of the street when you meet...you don't look them in the eye...you pick another line at Walmart because you do not want to be behind them...you unfriend them on facebook when you find out...they are a member of the Green Sunfish Club.
Peach, maybe it is the feed. My experiences with GSF (black perch locally) are one good run, then you think you have a small piece of wood on the line.
My experience is also different from yours John. Yep, the fight is different but mine make more than one long run. I can certainly tell when I catch a good one.
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
As a long time member of the GSF club I'm going to second the 'fight like the dickens' statement. In my little pond I still catch 'mature' GSF and it's an absolute ball....they fight from hook to bank, every time.
Dale
"When tempted to fight fire with fire, remember that the Fire Department usually uses water." - anonymous
Nice fish there Peach. I to like the GSF and have bucket stocked them in my pond. Good luck at getting that record.
Nothing like seeing your bobber bobbing. 1 acre pond with LMB BG GSF BH CC and whatever else I can find Not after trophies I just like catching and eating fish Buddy R Hill
Too tall vertically in relation to the mouth size.
Here is a what I would call a pure GSF caught last night.
Second picture is of a GSF trying to eat another GSF I was using as bait.
Another thing that is evident when holding a GSF but not evident in a side picture view is a GSF is a wider body fish than a BG or hybrid. A pure GSF is not as tall as a BG but the body and mouth is wider. The HBG will be somewhere in between. Scales are also finer than a BG. The skin/scales are really noticeable difference when filleting them.
Edit: the first fish went back in the main pond to grow bigger. The second one is waiting in the holding pen to get filleted. I generally will return any GSF that could potentially reach trophy size but cull the rest.
Don't feel bad about it being a hybrid. That fish has the potential to grow into a really nice fish. Even nicer than it is already.
Second edit: I just noticed the swivel snap is open in that second picture. I did not notice it at the time. But that explains why when I turned around and cast it in my main pond and either a decent size LMB or CC hammered that small GSF live bait, I retrieved a straightened out swivel snap. I thought the swivel was defective. I think instead the operator was defective.
Here are two I am unsure of. I'm pretty sure when I caught the first one I called it a pure GSF. But now looking at the picture I am unsure as it could have some Fx BG influence.
The second one I can't remember which pond I caught it in but I think it came from my forage pond. If so the only sunfish in there are RES and GSF.
It sure is easier when the fish is in hand than looking at pictures. And even then sometimes I struggle with a positive ID when it comes to hybrids.
Here is a GSF I caught tonight out of my main 3 acre pond. At least I think it is pure GSF. I have read (probably on this forum) that GSF hybridize so easily that it may be hard to actually find pure GSF populations.