I was talking to my cousin at a funeral yesterday (where else do you talk to your cousins?) and he was familiar with the pond I bought last year. He told me something that I hadn't heard before, namely that this pond once had hybrid bluegill stocked in it. He said that for awhile they were catching nice large bluegill in it.
Now however I've caught nothing larger than the palm of my hand. I have often wondered if they were pure BG. I am not bright enough to be able to tell all the different BG and sunfish crosses from each other but have noticed that the ones I catch do not have that nice round BG shape I see in pictures that Bruce and others post. So I'm wondering if I have a bunch of F2s, F3s and F4's swimming around. When I catch some this spring I will post some photos and let you guys decide, but assuming that I do, what is the best thing to do. Fish out as many as I can and add some true BG back in?

Posting pics will help with the ID. Removing a large number of your "mutts" and adding some new pure BG genetics may be a good solution.

Look in the archives for a sunfish primer (pictures). Pay attention to the gill flap area (coloration) and the coloration of the body, not too much to the body shape of the fish.

Also, is their mouth large for a BG?

Clear close-up side view pictures would be best tho.....

Try these 2 threads.

http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=92482#


HBG pic/question - http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=1341&Number=14459#Post14459

After looking over the previous threads, I'm fairly certain I have a lot of F2+'s.
I kind of suspected it before, but after talking with my cousin I now know why. I'll post some photos when I catch some.