Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Raising Forage and Bait RES spawn but seems too early

I had a phone conversation with Matt Rayle last evening, and he told me he has a late season RES spawn happening right now.

Redear sunfish display great variation in spawning season. Within most of their range, redear sunfish usually begin to spawn in May to June, and may continue to spawn until September (Schoffman 1939; Dineen 1968; Pflieger 1975). Redear may spawn sparingly during the summer and heavily in the early fall (Swingle 1949). In Florida redear sunfish begin to spawn in late February or early March and continue to spawn intermittently until October 1 (Clugston 1966). In the northern reaches of their distribution (Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana), nesting begins in May to July and generally does not extend into late summer (Krumholz 1950; Cole 1951; Childers 1967).

Redear sunfish have been reported to mature at Age I (Schoffman 1939; Lopinot 1961; Dineen 1968) at an average length of 12.7 cm (5") in Florida (Wilbur 1969). Attainment of sexual maturity is probably a function of size more than age. In most natural situations, redear mature at Age II (Krumholz 1950; Wnbur 1969). When redear matured less than Age I, this occurred in newly stocked waters that contained only the one redear age class. Age I and less redear probably do not reproduce when living with older age classes (Cole 1951; Dineen 1968; Wilbur 1969). Maximum reported age, length, and weight are 8 years, 35.5 cm, and 1.3 kg, respectively (Carlander 1977).