The lake she lives on is little bass lake in the 6 lakes area just north of M-46 (Edwards)off M-66. After showing her a couple I caught last year, she told me of a gent on the lake that had put in 500 of them. They have made it at least two winters, and maybe 3 if I can catch another in the coming weeks. Last winter the larger one was about 9 inches. I love that lake for the easy limits of pan fish. Multi species from the same hole. Love it.
Bingo on the pics. The hybrid pumpkinseed/bluegill pics you referenced are it. These fish had the darker coloration typical of older male BG, and yet had some red on the ear flap, although not as much red as I've seen on the recent pics of RES I looked at. The females had the same, but a deep burnt darkened yellow coloration common with females in the breast area. Thanks for that CC. It still doesn't explain the creel studies and trap nets that have not shown them, or lack of other anglers pics showing them. How many people fish Tip-up town every winter? A bunch, and yet I could not find any pics. Houghton gets tons of pressure year round by anglers so the lack of pics surprised me, although my google search was for RES, and PS, not hybrid PS/BG.
Still, thank you for researching this. Much appreciated.
