Theo,
Well as you surmised my motive is mostly profit as a one pound or better pure strain bluegill is worth a minimum of $60.00 a piece for me. The bigger they are over a pound the more I can get. I could see getting at least $200.00 for 2 lb. bluegill from a replica maker.
As some of you may know, an honest to goodness 1 lb. or bigger bluegill up here in the north is as rare as a 6 lb. or greater bass.
What I like about potentially growing and selling big bluegills is their relative small size to be considered a trophy class fish compared to the other species I raise. Case in point: A one pound bluegill takes much less money in shipping to ship than a 6 lb. bass. (Increases profit as I incorporate the same shipping cost into all my fish to simplify shipping.) Also the relatively smaller size compared to the other large gamefish means I can hold more numbers before I reach carrying capacity in my ponds.
Not sure about Bruce and Bill's motives but the following is something to consider:
I know of NO fish producer that is actually selectively breeding pure strain bluegills for fast growth. Not one! All the ones I know of either just periodially seine bluegills out of ponds for sale to customers (many don't even artifically feed them), or purchase them from othe producers which do the same. If someone (like Bruce) would selectively come up with a line of bluegills that grows rapidly, and to large size, on a regular basis, by selectively culling fast growers, using good genetics etc. I personally believe they could market them. Give them a name or something like "Bruce's Nebraska Mega Bluegills" and you are good to go.
The way the market is now if you bought say 100 5 to 7 inch bluegills, you have no idea if they are all the same age as the grower probably just seined and graded them or his supplier did.
