Must have missed a puddle when I killed out the bluegill hatchery pond after harvest last fall. Lime wasn't available so I used some gallon jugs of bleach to treat the puddles. From now on it will be rotenone.
I didn't want any survivors after harvest as it's important to only have one hatch and promptly remove the brood fish in the spring when the fry are observed, which I did this year. This is because the multiple sizes are not wanted and the first hatch will be your best fish that won't have to share zooplankton with newer hatches.
Long story short I have now removed by sight fishing 7 bluegills in the 5 to 6 inch range AFTER the brood fish were removed, that must have survived in a puddle. Two were males on beds and the rest were gravid females. Couldn't have been more than an inch or so in length last fall in a puddle! They are only 1 + year old.
Fast growing healthy fish though and fortunately I have an outdoor 300 gallon tank with bluegills that same size that I can put them in. The two males on beds went into the male only bluegill pond and were definitely colored up males.
Unfortunately I seem to have had more than one hatch thanks to these little stinkers. Will see what happens as seining will occur soon.
