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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1
Junior Member
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OP
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1 |
 I would like to know how to determine the difference between a male and female bluegill.
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 253
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 253 |
Pink ones are girls, blue ones are boys ;-)
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 8,854 Likes: 1
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent  Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 8,854 Likes: 1 |
It's much easier to do around the time of the spawn. Males will have an "ear tab" that is as long as it is tall. A female's ear tab will be taller than it is long and appear more as a thin crescent. Males breast color is more rusty-red, while the females will be a breast color of yellow, orangy-yellow or just pale. Bigger fish are easier to identify as well. Even trained biologists are not always correct in their gender assessment, but the more you've done it the better you'll get.
Holding a redear sunfish is like running with scissors.
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 8,854 Likes: 1
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 8,854 Likes: 1 |
Holding a redear sunfish is like running with scissors.
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 20,043 Likes: 1
Hall of Fame Lunker
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Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 20,043 Likes: 1 |
And I thought the ones that try to hump your hand were the males! What do I know?  How about the black scale tips that radiate from the posterior edge of the head dorsally and longitudidly to just below the spiny dorsal fin, and start to fade out around the soft dorsal? Aren't these limited to the males? Or am I wrong? I know they are really pronounced in males at spawning time. At the peak of spawning a male will squirt milt when squeezed too. Used to like to squirt my fishing partners! :p
If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 8,854 Likes: 1
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 8,854 Likes: 1 |
I've noticed the black scale tips, too. I think you're exactly right. I just haven't seen any literature on that.
Holding a redear sunfish is like running with scissors.
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,587
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,587 |
Alvin -- Bruce didn't mention it, but Kayla Condello is holding a nice, big, male bluegill on last month's Pond Boss cover. That's the photo you currently see when you first log on to the web page.
Dave
Subscribe to Pond Boss MagazineFrom Bob Lusk: Dr. Dave Willis passed away January 13, 2014. He continues to be a key part of our Pond Boss family...and always will be.
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