Here a four that I keep to eat.
In the first pic there is one that is more of a gold color I think that is a Shell Cracker is that correct?
Diesel,
Just to start with... I am not an expert.
However, the gold fish is not a shellcracker, aka red ear sunfish (RES). RES have a little red (males) or orange (females) on the end of the dark coloration of the gill plate. It looks like a female bluegill (BG) that lacks full coloration.
The fish that is more gold colored is one with just faded color and is the same species as the darker fish - both bluegill -BG.
I'd say there all northern male BG..
I'd say there all northern male BG..
How they have not been out of SC.
Northern, native whatever you wanna call them just don't degrade them by calling them RES
They look like classic CNBG to me... CNBG are native to SC and that's all I have ever seen hatcheries sell there.
Yeah your right after a little better inspection..
Here is a LMB I caught over the weekend.
Nice fish. Spinny rods rule.
Looks like the horses came down to see what you were catching...
A bit of history on my stocking. In 2010 I stocked 500 Bream and 250 Shell Crackers and then in 2011 I stocked 25 LMB.
One thing that is has me puzzled is I'm not catching any LMB that seem to be from this years spawn sau 8" - 12" in length.
With the number of BG and RES you have in there it may take longer for them to take hold as many of the eggs and fry will be eaten.
I am sure you will see some this next spring.
Can anyone till if this is a Florida, F-1 or Nothern LMB?
First what type of LMB were stocked ? Then if someone can tell they are better than anyone I know. You have to test the genetics to be sure. Sometimes there are visual hints but even then it is a wild guess. If it’s a 15 lb fish then you are fairly sure it has some Fla genes. Here is one way but it may not work for crosses - Count scales on the lateral line. The Fla LMB has 69-73 scales compared to the northern LMB’s 59-65.
They just said LMB when I bought them. The fishery was in NC.
Call them and ask. If I had to guess (a WAG) I would say that is a northern LMB.
This one looks a bit chunky.
Caught this summer almost pulled my nephew in.