Strange how my bluegill seem to find the best parts of the pond to spawn or make nests in. The depth seems irrelevant, anywhere from a foot to 5 foot deep. They don't like moving water, and avoid silt and soft areas. Mainly they just look for gravel or small rocks and push or fan out all of the sediment. The Red Ears look to deeper nests. The bluegills anywhere and the Green Sunfish are normally shallow. I do get some hybrids but not many. The photos are great, as they will side by side with no problem at all.
I will draw down my pond four or 5 feet to get to the lowest nests. I'll go to the spot where I find the most and just make new ones, exactly like the old ones. A slight depression and some gravel, pea gravel or smaller rocks. When I comeback every single nest has a male on it. I think they like the gravel as water movement oxengates the eggs keeps the eggs from sinking and dying in the silt or mud. I don't really create spawning areas, because I have no idea where they want them, I just add a lot more nests after I find out where they like to be.
