Originally posted by Bruce Condello:
None of the photos in the Pond Boss articles were from male only ponds, however I have noticed what is seemingly less vivid coloration from the ponds without females, including the one above.
It seems plausible that there is a connection between female availability and the bright colors normally associated with male bluegills. Just a hunch, but I think you're right on.
I do know that some trout breeders put their females upstream from their males to get the males conditioned for spawning at spawning time. The females apparently release hormones in the water. So what you are saying is definitely plausible.
My bluegill pond that I just drained had probably 99 percent males. Almost all of the males even though they were 8 to 8 1/2 inches did not show much mature coloring. However in my other pond where there are an even balance of both sexes the coloring difference is striking for the same size fish. Albeit it's not peak spawning time yet.
