Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Redear vs Bluegill spawn

Do redear sunfish spawn at the same time as bluegills and do they spawn in the same areas?

Thanks

In my pond they do, and they also exhibit the same pattern in the local lake. RES in my pond spawn in shallower water than BG.

I'm seeing bluegill spawning but not redears however I have caught both out of this particular pond.

I guess the redears are spawning away from the bluegill in open areas?

Science says RES spawn at a bit warmer water temp than initial BG spawn. So BG may spawn first but it's very common to see them together as the difference isn't much and BG spawn multiple times in a single season whereas RES only spawn once. It's been my experience that RES spawn on the edges of the BG spawning colonies.

Maybe that's why the RES spawn in shallower water in my pond? (warmer) Last year I saw RES spawning during the 1st and 2nd BG spawn. Each pond is different tho, so what applies to mine might not apply to yours.

In my ponds the RES are definitely shallow. I've seen them 6" from the bank. They also share spawning areas with the BG. However, in the biggest pond, they begin staking out prime bedding sites before the BG do. Both species will eventually be on the nests' together, but the RES seem to be the first to start thinking about it, by just a day or two.

Maybe they're just better planners.

Same here.

That is a BG bedding area just a little deeper but not there at same time. In other locations I see what CJ described.

In a pond that I was at today the RES are nesting on the SMB nesting areas. No SMB in the pond yet. RES are 5" long.

Thanks

I will go tomorrow hopefully and check it out