Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Another fish ID

I put a trap in my pond yesterday. Had 13 BG and these 2. Any ideas on what they are? Obviously 2 different type of fish.

One looks like a Greenie

The smaller one on the board?

I think the one on the board(not in the hand) is a form of hybrid BG and not very close to a green sunfish. The 1st one in the hand, I am not sure because it is young - a juvenile. Mouth is not real large - probably some sort of HBG? I am not familiar with the features of young coppernose. To my knowledge no one has posted pictures of several sizes of pure young coppernose bluegill. Someone should take on that project for the forum's fish picture database.

The first one looks like a juvenile bluegill.

The second one looks like it is mostly a green sunfish. With the bright coloration on the anal and dorsal fins, it could be a hybrid, or offspring of a hybrid between a green sunfish and something like a bluegill, pumpkinseed, warmouth, redear sunfish, etc.,

Look at this page. It may give you some insight into what it might be. Green Sunfish

In any case, love it. Catch more of them and enjoy them for dinner.

Regards,
Ken

Edit: Being that it probably is a green sunfish, take a look at the "Moderator's Corner" article by my good friend and fellow Pond Boss moderator, Dave Davidson about Green Sunfish.

1 is a juvenile CNBG , 2 is a HBG.

Off of overtone site. Looks pretty similar to fish #1

Yes it appears to be mostly green sunfish
The one in hand appears to look like CNBG young

I've never seen a GSF with the reddish coloration on the anal and dorsal fins. But, I'm certainly not arguing the point. Just saying that mine don't have that. My beloved GSF are mutts and all don't look the same.

Here is a GSF with some red margins. I mostly see this in the spring just before spawning starts.

Pictures can deceiving. If a person had that second fish in hand it would be easier to tell if it was pure GSF or hybrid.

A GSF is not tall like a BG but they are thick more like a bass. Not only does the mouth have a taller opening, but wider also.

I go back and forth on the second fish being all GSF and a hybrid just exhibiting lots of GSF "signs".

Maybe this helps

It still looks like a mostly or all green sunfish to me

That one looks like GSF to me.

Here are lots and lots of GSF pictures to compare in this thread.

100% green sunfish pictures mostly starting on page 2

fingerling BG, HBG and GSF identification

The only CNBG X GSF (small ones) I have seen have white fin margins like fish 1. That is a CNBG trait. Most of the fish looks GSF. CNBG often have red/orange fins/tail. GSF can also have red/yellow tails/fins. HBG can look (shape/color) like GSF. Not all HBG have BG shape but most of the standard hatchery HBG (mBG X fGSF) have BG shape. It is not so easy to find 100% pure GSF as was exhibited in several studies on HBG. Several PhD fishery scientists noted that they think the variance in % male HBG in studies is due to the GSF component not being 100 %.