Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations RES Dying

100% bluegill male I'd say.. and I would have to think found on the edge of your pond it came from your pond.. but hard to say without fishing it our putting some traps out.. and if it ain't your pond it's a miracle or a blessing in disguise of what could show up in there..

I have used a large fish-tank net in the small amount of weeds on the edge, and only caught what appear to be FHM. I also have never seen any nests. The BG would likely keep me from making this a SMB pond. I have also seen no signs of the YP. How large do RES need to be to spawn? I suspect I'll see nests once they start, but they were only 2-3" when stocked last fall, and I found 2 of the 25 stocked, dead.

Definately NOT a RES. That ear tab looks long for a pure BG tho.

I agree with Scott, definitely not a RES. I agree with BGK that it is a BG and likely a male. Since you said you have a near by pond with BG in it, I suppose it is possible a heron dropped it near your pond accidentally.

I does look like a Blue Heron hit that BG.

I think it is probably to big for a blue heron to swallow. It definitely looked like that is what killed it though. I do think that I once saw a blue heron that I spooked fly off with a catfish, but it all happened quickly, so I cannot be sure.

Many years ago in Minnesota I was fishing a river and took a 3# np from a heron that I watched it catch. Dinner, only fish I "caught".

I know for a fact a GBH will carry off a 7-8 inch BG wouldn't have believed it myself if I hadn't seen it just a couple weeks ago..

A blue heron can eat an 8"+ BG, I have seen it first hand. Here are a few videos of herons eating fish.

More reasons to hate those bastards.. I had them pretty scared stiff last year couple new young bucks in town guess I have to shoe them who the boss is

Now lets see a show of hands of the people who thought "I hope you choke on that fish!"

So how many pounds of Aqua-Max does it take to make an 8" BG to make a GBH meal for a day?

Answer................ too many.

Have one that stops by every day at sunset if I am not around. A year old pond sure attracts lots of waterfowl.