Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations My pond remains a mystery to me...

Man...you guys are some deep thinkin' dudes...that's hilarious!

Does this CNBG look like it is beginning to display some GSF traits?

I don't see any GSF. I think the body dynamics could use a little bolstering, but then again I have no direct experience with CNBG.

Charlie,

+1 I don't see GSF either....You know I'm not a pro but, if I caught that fish in my puddle it would be going right back in as a potential monster. The size of that tail makes me think that fish is a shooter with outstanding potential.

Bill raises an interesting point: I'm curious what others see when they look at this fish?

I'll throw caution to the wind and share my two cents. If I caught a northern BG that had that appearance, it would be destined for a frying pan. Bill and Stickem, please know I'm not picking on either of you, and again I have zero experience with CNBG, so I may be way off base. To me, and based on northern BG, that fish is way too long to not be any "taller". I like to see BG with small tails and fins, and round bodies....this is often a characteristic common to fast growing specimens. To me this fish looks thin, and the area where the body transitions down to the caudal fin is too elongated. It's not the genetic blueprint I would prefer to see.

Remember though that this is only one opinion.

Sparkie I'm sure yer right. I have very limited experience. FWIW, first thing that came to my mind is a puppy. When a puppy has huge feet, in this case tail, they usually end up as huge dogs. Probably a totally inappropriate analogy but, that's what came to my mind.

If it is the white tipping on the fins that makes you think GSF, as I recall there were some pictures of some exceptional CNBG with white tipping in a thread a few months back.

I don't see any other tells that suggest GSF genes.

I agree that the physical characteristics (body shape) are that of a BG...what had got me asking the question was some of the coloring and fin tipping. Here is another presentation of what I'm talking about. I did not realize that light colored fin tipping was a characteristic (that snrub mentioned above) of a BG.

Bill / Sparkie,
I think in the first pic, the angle of the photo taken might have given the impression of a huge tail.

Charlie, our OTS CNBG have the fin tipping. It makes them easy to spot when swimming with our older stock.

Al,
Thanks, that's good to know...that's where my CNBG stock came from.

CNBG often have white /light fin edging and can have orangeish fins.

That second pic looks much better! Nice!

My wife and I fished for the first time since we began to move into our new home here in the woods of S.E. Texas. We caught BC and bullheads....wait!!! I never stocked any bullheads. That is another reason why my pond continues to be a mystery to me. It doesn't seem to ever end.

Hey Charlie,

Look on the bright side my friend...you now get to develop recipes for smoked BH and BH jerky!....Actually, I think both would be good eatin!...

Could have been worse. When you went down to fish you could have found Bob O in his pink speedo sunning himself in yer favorite chair!

Serious though, If BC stands for Blue cats, I suspect your blues will keep the BH under control with no problem.

Bill,
...thanks, for the graphic about the speedo...just what I needed to envision. Yes, I stocked CC & BC in the summer of '15. I'm sure the BH came in with the water along with the GSF and Dollar Sunfish. They were tasty though. We baked them along with the BC. Not sure about smoked BH or BH jerky, though...