Thanks for the quick responses, guys. I was thinking male as well, so I'm glad to know I'm at least on the right path to making semi-accurate guesses.
Bruce and Eric- I am glad you both mentioned color. First, the camera used is actually a video camera that also takes still pictures. The video footage is great, but still pictures can be a bit fuzzy and are not the camera's strongest feature. I think part of the washed-out color is due to this. I also remember that fish being a bit more washed-out than the other males I caught. The others had the beautiful yellow belly and were much darker bodied.
Bruce- I most definitely defer to your expertise, but I am curious as to why you think the fish is immature. I thought b/c of size alone it should be a mature fish, but then again I noticed that you thought one of Eric's BG on the previous page of this thread was immature, despite its being 9". What features alert you to immaturity? A lack of stark coloration or girth?
Theo- Thanks for the compliment. The pond that this BG came from is actually BG-heavy, so we will be harvesting fish of this size in the fall. Yum yum. I remember those red spots, so they are not reflections. They could very well be sores, but I was hoping they might also be the result of spawning activity. I suppose they are too far forward and high on the fish's tail to be from fanning, or could that still be a possibility? The fish seem to be healthy, and I don't recall noticeable sores on other fish from that pond.
Thanks for the help guys, I'm still learning a ton.
