the best ID i have (net caught and observed) is a yellowfin topminnow.
Not aware of a common name for any topminnow as yellowfin but there are a couple species of topminnow native to the area.
Originally Posted By: skinnybass
I've seen redear before, and I can fairly well say that the BG's are not redear. I actually think there are 2 species of BG, one has a bright yellow belly, the other does not. I do know they both have the blue coloration behind the gill plate (characteristic of a BG, not a Green Sunfish).
You are correct that redear and BG are not the same species. Closely related, but very different in many ways. Redear can have a yellow belly as can several other sunfish species. One of the sunfish with a yellow belly that you may be seeing are pumpkinseed sunfish... When you say I think there are two species of BG, you may be seeing BG and pumpkinseeds or another sunfish species. Or, you may be seeing male and female BG which often have distinctly different coloration. Check out the sunfish archive and look at the pics for ideas as to what you are seeing... http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=92482#Post92482
