Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Copper Nosed Bluegills in NE Ohio?

Sprkplug,

Interesting... The biologist that told me he had seen it and it was a hybrid was Jed Pearson. I don't want to cause any trouble (I know Jed is a member here), but that's the way I remember it. Maybe my memory is faulty...

This was when I brought in a potential tie for the world record pumpkinseed for him to identify. One of the other biologists coming in late looked at it from 20 feet away and dismissed it as a pumpkinseed hybrid. The guy was quite arrogant. Jed took the time to key it out and everything, and believed it was a true pumpkinseed. I've always respected Jed and known him for quite a few years. I've actually worked for the INDNR as a biologist aid and did a couple of creel surveys. I eletroschocked with Jed one night back when I did a an outdoor column for a local newspaper.

BTW IGFA said they would make a category for a hybrid pumpkinseed if it indeed was a hybrid, and I commented to Jed that the INDNR didn't have a category for pumpkinseed and didn't differentiate between bluegills and hybrid bluegills, when it came to the state record. That's when i recall Jed saying he has seen the state record bluegill and it was a hybrid.

IN regards to the pumpkinseed, since the biologists disagreed, and the angler couldn't afford a DNA test, the pumpkinseed or pumpkinseed hybrid never made it into the record books.

I did have a biologist at Illnois Natural History that was an expert in pumpkinseed hybrids volunteer to do an DNA test for free. However when I tried to contact him to take him up on the offer he never answered the phone or his emails. Apparently he backed out. My theory is his superiors told him no probably due to the cost or not wanting to get involved in fish records.

I sure hope you can find a picture. I could also tell you if I looked at the mount. If it's a hybrid the mouth gape will be quite larger compared to a regular bluegill.