Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Male BG: Mature?

Thanks guys, glad for your input.

I owe the photo quality to my wife, who hasn't found a good place to hide her digital camera yet.

Eric:

There was no evidence of milt and 100% guaranteed no eggs. My inexperienced abdominal exploratory revealed no sign of gametes (eggs I don't think I would have missed, milt???).

Cecil:

Water is indeed pretty murky, from recent heavy rain and wind. This boy was also in a fish keep for 1/2 hour and a bucket with pond water for 45 minutes or so before the picture was taken; that may have affected his coloration as I remember him being darker when caught.

Bill:

My little buddy above isn't going to be developing into much except part of supper, hopefully sometime soon (he needs more friends in the freezer first). Yesterday was the first day I caught any Lepomis this year, but there should be (much) larger BG present. This BG is defeinitely NOT one of the original stockers; my best guess is he is from the first good, solid BG spawn in Spring 2004 (I might have had BG spawn in late 2003, but am only sure of a late RES spawn that year). So I believe him to be 2 years old, with a Father, many Uncles, and at least some brothers/cousins who've got some size on him.