Pond Boss Forums FISH & FISHING Show off your catch Nice BG

RC, would you post your best photo of your CNBG and compare to characteristcs of these pure Florida CNBG?
http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=385505#Post385505

Thanks,
George

George, here are a couple photos posted by BigBluegill.com member Ledhed. These fish came out of Lake Perris.

Definitely pure Florida CNBG - excellent characteristics!
Note length vs. width.
G/

We need some photos of those Richmond Mill Coppers for comparison. I know they're on here someplace.

Tony, you would get me in trouble - I won't touch that CNBG ID with a 10 ft pole..

snrub - I would give it a shot if I had a brood/forage pond to isolate the CNBG from natives, but I like to do stuff like that. If you purchase from Arkansas suppliers they are most likely intergrades so may be more tolerant to colder temps.
I have seen some brutes that are positively Arkansas intergrades - really nice fish!
G/

Well we certainly wouldn't want any trouble. How about some CNBG from North Carolina that didn't come from RM? Courtesy of BBG member Jeffrey Abney.

Here is my best. What do you think? Looks pretty close to what you have dont it?






Here is another one.

RC, compare to photos above - your call.
George

Strong CNBG characteristics - don't see pearl fin tipping.
I'll defer coloration to folks not color challenged!
G/

I have not seen the bars if you will on the above fish posted by spark. I don't have that on any of my fish. Other than that I think they are dang close to the same? Not sure if those bars mean anything or not? Like I said no expert here on pure or not pure?? What I can say is I do agree with you on the fish trucks some here can be iffy sometimes, and you better know what your getting. That's why I don't normally use them.

RC

RC, In my opinion "pure" is a relative term when used in context with a lepomid. At one time there was thought to exist two strains of coppernose in Florida alone, a northern variety located in the panhandle, as well as a more southern variety. Opinions differ as to the validity of that assessment, depending upon what you read, and who you choose to believe.

Factor in regional adaptations and things get more complicated still. THEN, allow for the possibility of genetic dilution due to the mixing of subspecies, whether orchestrated or naturally occurring, and it gets really crazy.

And in the end, coppers are usually thought to be a subspecies of northern strain bluegills in the first place.

Your fish look great to me....I suggest you keep doing what you're doing, enjoy the fruits of your labors, and don't get too hung up on pedigrees.

JMHO.

10" Northern Male BG caught in a local lake and bucket stocked in the pond.

I'm going to try to make it out to one of my ponds this weekend to catch , weigh and measure some gills. They have been aggressively eating the aquamax 600 pellets lately. One of the biggest caught recently was 9.5 inches and 16oz. There may be a few bigger that have been avoiding being caught the last few times I was targeting them.I wish I could stock a few coppers in there along with some Florida strain bass.

snrub, you are close enough to central Arkansas to get some fairly cheaply if you wanted to try. I would not expect them to survive the first winter in Kansas. They die in Arkansas when they get a film of ice for more than a couple days, and that is only because there are more Northern Bluegill genetics in them than a "Florida" strain. The coloring varies quite a bit in my opinion, on both strains.

Ok, thanks Rainman.

If they die in Arkansas with a film of ice, they probably would not make it here. Some winters are pretty mild with little ice, but last year like most of the USA was a doozy.

If I happen to be making a road trip down in Arkansas this fall, might pick up some to give it a try, but only if it turns out convenient.

I like the looks of them and just thought it would be neat to have some mixed in with my regular BG for variety. The sediment pond they could grow out without fear of being eaten till they got big enough to go in main pond.

George,

If the some of the bluegills from Arksansas suppliers are intergrades how likely is it the bluegills they truck up here in the north may also be intergrades?

Most of the bluegills up here come from Arkansas so...

It could explain why some of the bluegills stocked up here seem to stress more in the winter than the native fish.

Yes Cecil, it is my personal opinion that most, if not all Arkansas CNBG are intergrades.
A little history:

Bruce Condello got me interested in BG some 10 years ago!
I cull EVERY BG from main pond that do not meet Overton�s CNBG characteristics and transfer to small 1/4 acre pond.
I have caught some brute BGs from the �cull pond� that anyone would be proud � I just like the coloration and shape of the �pure� Floriida CNBG

12 years ago, I began examining all BG stock, knowing my young grandsons had bucket stocked some stunted native BG (from neighbor�s pond) into my previously stocked pure Florida CNBG pond, fingerlings supplied by Bob Waldrop, personally caught and transported from Florida. This was before Overton established his fish farm.

I could readily ID Waldrop�s CNBG from bucket stocked native BG.
As time went on I culled all offspring that I considered intergrades.

In the meantime, Overton acquired �pure� Florida CNBG directly from Florida and I began introducing his genetics to our brood stock.
I have also observed what I consider �pure� CNBG stocked in Lake Fairfield by Texas Parks and Wildlife.
I am extremely pleased with my present stock that I participated in naming �Overton Texas Strain� CNBG.

Best,
George

Another point to George's thought. Ark stockers brought in CNBG stock many years ago (at least 30 years)and over time have have adapted to Ark climate (become more cold tolerant). Don't underestimate local conditioning over time. Plus Ark had native BG which are in some cases mixed into the gene pool of CNBG moved (sold ) to the north. It really just depends.

Very interesting Eric.
Had a nice personal visit with Todd yesterday and he told me the same thing. One of his Arkansas associates heavily mix native BG with lesser CNBG traits to survive more cold northern conditions.
They just call them CNBG.
George

Funny you should mention that. They do call them that. I am going to get 100 of them when the truck comes to the local feed store next month and see how they do overwintering in the cage.

I have a couple hundred PS and some native BG in separate cages too, so I can compare mortality rates next Spring.

Ok guys, caught a nice 9.25" BG & it weighed 1lb5oz. My scale was right on with Bills method of checking the accuracy of the scale. Caught a cc that 2lb15oz so I know the scale was reading right.

My mom was out talking to me so I had her hold the scale cause I didn't know if I could've taken a selfie like that. So no, I don't wear pink gloves!

Keep in mind CNBG are native in the east up to southeastern NC. Sourcing them from there as opposed to FL would likely give a head start to one looking for cold tolerant CNBG.

A 9.25" BG that weighs 21 ozs would feature a Wr of 193%. I mean no disrespect JD, but that female gill in your photo just doesn't look like it has the stuff to pull off that kind of weight.

Are there any other photos of the fish, one that shows more detail as well as the entire length? Really curious!