Pond Boss Forums FISH & FISHING Sunfish-Including Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass Identifying HBG

Do young HBG have the distinguishing yellow on the fins? Or is it something that develops after a while?

It is one of several characteristics I look for, but HBG do not have to have the yellow/white fin tipping either. They can still be hybrids without it.

HBG can mean durn near anything. Any fish that has BG somewhere in its lineage is a HBG. Most folks mentioning HBG mean the result of a cross between a BG and a GSF, and in my experience with this particular cross, the young fish often have a reddish tinge to their fins.

But, like nearly everything else having to do with HBG, there are variances. I have seen young hybrids with white or yellow borders.

Is this a redear with something else mixed in? The yellow fins throw me.

RES and one that looks very typical.

RES (or at least high %). See pic below.

Do RES females get some yellow, or even variance of colors, on them when they're close to spawning? All the recent RES posts have peaked my interest.

Looks like several of my RES.

Have not seen RES female change much wrt spawning colors. A very good question though. Males do get somewhat more colorful at spawning time.