Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Fishing 2015

Fireshot,

How do I go about ordering that measuring board? Looked up Fiskars Brand Inc. Madison which is listed on the side but didn't see anything specifically. Apparently its use isn't designed for fish?

Cecil, there's certainly nothing wrong with that CNBG, it's just not what I'm wanting the genetics of. Your bottom BG picture above, is almost exactly what I'm getting shape wise with my CNBG from Overton's. I really like that look.

Currently, my CNBG that may be integrates, are the longest and heaviest CNBG in my pond. I'm trying to change that.

Looks like a pattern board made for use with a circular cutter? If so, maybe JoAnn fabrics?

Wally World has them in the sewing section. They have them in different sizes, and I'm liking it a lot. One, the grid lets you lay your fish anywhere on the board and get an accurate measurement and 2, it shows the height of the fish. That's right in my CNBG wheelhouse.

They're plastic so they can stay wet with no problems.

We toss around the term intergrade a lot, and I don't dispute that, but could another possibility exist? It used to be common to hear authorities describe two sub species of CNBG....macrochirus purpurescens, and macrochirus mystacalis.

Mystacalis was thought of as a Florida strain, while purpurescens was described as indigenous to some southern Atlantic coast states. Now, many consider them to be one and the same...maybe not, at least for appearance sake.

I know there are threads here somewhere that contain info.... Maybe Travis put something up?

If you get the Fiskars " pizza cutter" to go with the board, you could filet the culls right there also!

Tony, there's probably some truth to all that.

Basically, I guess this is what I'm after. With vertical stripes of course.

Tony, there are two strains of Overton's pure Florida CNBG that have been personally caught and transported from the Florida peninsula to Texas. There is a third strain that I can vouch for but cannot divulge due to confidential agreement.

These pure strains have been preserved and brood stock selected over several years to meet Overton's OTS CNBG standards. Ewest has stocked the OTS CNBG strain and his posts are in the archives.

Overton’s pure Florida LMB have been imported by the same process and verified by TAMU DNA analysis and is published on his website. I am not privy to his CNBG “trade secrets” but he plans to be at the up-coming PB conference and he likes to talk about his fish.

I have been fortunate to participate as a guest in Todd's CNBG program for many years.
Fun stuff!
George

There ya go Tony. Another reason to make the conference.

I hear that there will be an arctic cold snap hitting the end of January/early Feb. Maybe it'll slow sap down enough so you can make it.....

You know, the more I think about it, it is the "look " I'm after.

IIRC, we closed the dam on the big pond 15-16 years ago. This is the first time since it was originally stocked that I can visually verify the age of the CNBG. Like Tony, I live on the property with my ponds, and I hit the brood pond and big pond 3 to 4 times a day, almost every day. From the brood pond, I've figured out over 2 years what my CNBG's dominant traits are from the 2-3" CNBG fingerlings I got from Overton's in March of 2013, and want to continue those traits. It kinda makes all the fun new again.

Ah yes, tetraodontidae macrochirus cactii a Texas exclusive I believe? I have heard that if you step on one, you can rub the wound with the slime from a GSF to numb the pain.

George I agree, oftentimes the details tell the whole story and are quite interesting besides.

I have to admit to being curious though...if I remember correctly, Tamu advocates for the two sub species being the same..I think.

Here: http://fisheries.tamu.edu/pond-management/species/bluegill/

Interesting reading here also...note to Al: check out the part where the CNBG from the manatee river section are described as being more plate shaped than the specimens from the St Johns river system..... http://forum.nanfa.org/index.php/topic/12901-lepomis-macrochirus-purpurescens-vs/

Not claiming either is correct, just some interesting reading material.

Thanks!

Caught two bluegills today along with 8 or 10 yellow perch to 14 inches. Only need one to fill an order. Unfortunately one was just under the minimum size of 10 inches and the other albeit plenty big enough had an imperfect tail and spiny dorsal fin so they went back. The fish are for the world taxidermy championships so the customer is really picky. I'll keep trying.

The yellow perch outnumber my bluegill about 20 to 30 to one in the pond. Hope to change that in the next few years.

"imperfect tail and spiny dorsal fin" .....A little more effort Cecil, seems you're slackin.

Yep I take full responsibility. Should have removed the fish as I've seen him before but I don't have the heart to kill him.

More Saturday action...

HBCP just under 15" - fish are averaging 13" - happy with their success thus far.



Happy to see my WE, stocked at 6", are finally exceeding 18". Suspect this is the 2011 year class. Hopeful with improved gape they'll turn the corner soon and start adding some heft.

Great looking HBCP, when did you first stock them?

TJ,

Keep the pictures comin'. Love it! Nice fish!

Any pictures of the black nose stripe on those HBCP? Looks like fun on your ice! Congrats!

Rex - this fish lacked the stripe...many do. I may need another 50-100 fish down the road...let me know when you're headed this way again.

Interesting spot pattern. Not barred like a white but not as fully covered in spots as a black. Makes sense. What kind of spine counts do you get on these fish TJ? Similar to a white (6) or a black (7 to 9)?

I hope you don't harvest them too soon. They have the potential of getting very large. The biggest crappie I take in are usually natural hybrids. 17 to 18 inches and even one that was 21 inches.

I'll be right back with a pic of one recently posted on IceShanty.com in my area. It's obviously a natural hybrid as it appears more like a black crappie but has the spine count of a white crappie.

My fish above has 7 spines, but another fish taken that day, a little smaller, had 6 spines. I'll start recording this info more reliably and report to the forum. I caught two 15" fish two years ago - I'm hoping they are approaching 17" by now. Would be an treat to see them again!

Cecil, when counting spines, where do you stop? The one in the picture above that you posted has 5 clear cut pointy spines. THe 6th one kind of ties into the part of the fin caudal to that (behind it going towards the back) Is this a 6th spine then?

I count 6 spines on the dorsal fin of Cecil's fish - but see what you mean. I stop counting when they reach the apex of the dorsal fin. I count all others as spines...some fish there are "tweener" spines, it seems.

Anything that will stick ya is a spine!