Toby, a gene is a locatable sequence on a DNA strand that corresponds to an inherited trait or characteristic.

I'm not changing the genes, I'm just selecting for certain characteristics, which may make some genes (such as rapid growth or affinity for pellets) show up more frequently in a population.

The ultimate hope is that you take a population of bluegill which has two or three really fast growing fish out of a hundred, and end up with a group of fish which has fifteen or twenty such fish. I may not live long enough to see any incredible results, but it's a good mental exercise just the same.

If the next generation has more of the "super growers" than the previous one, then I'll have more fish to stock in my ponds and give to my friends.

At the end of the day, putting them in a "perfect environment" will make most bluegill into super growers, I'm just stacking the odds in my favor, and maybe that gene sequence for a three pounder ends up living a perfect life and achieving the maximum possible growth. Then I can catch the fish and hold him way out in front of me for a photograph that makes him look like he's four pounds. ;\)

Holding a redear sunfish is like running with scissors.