That is what nearly all my hybrids look like. The redish/pinkish border on the opercular tab is kind of translucent.
I figured the one pictured was RES/GSF because the tab is very bold and solid in color rather than being translucent. All my pure GSF have that translucent looking redish/pinkish tab. Also the mouth just had a different look to it. I have not had enough experience to explain the look, but it just looked different than the other hybrids caught.
I suppose this fish could have came from one of the early spawns from my pond, but it would have needed to come from a hybrid/RES cross, so it is more likely it was a mutt from one of my later stockings of RES. As far as I know there are no pure GSF in this pond so it would seem improbable the fish have so much GSF attributes without one of the parents being a pure GSF.
Was a pretty fish. It got transferred to my old pond to grow out. Amazing how much the color looks different in the two pictures. Either it changed that much while I was messing with the fish or the lighting angle was just different in each photo.
I'm seriously considering next spring sticking one single GSF female in my sediment pond along with the 175 RES and 100 CNBG fingerlings I put in it recently. Once the fingerlings get big enough so the GSF doesn't eat them all that is. Just to potentially get a mix of some more hybrids in the main pond. Probably a bad idea, but I'm entertaining it anyway. Probably been hanging around Dave Davidson too much when I start talking about propagating GSF characteristics.
