No doubt that local adaptation occurs including color. Plus in lepomis color can change rapidly in the same fish due to environment factors especially stress related ones. The literature on RES is limited and its is not always consistent. Some call the ear flap margin red others orange and some say it is red in males and orange in females. The cross data on RES is even more limited.

Shorty and TJ what do the gill rakers look like on some of those fish. Take some pics and post them with a pic of the fish.