Pond Boss Forums Thread Like Summary - Bluegill size, genetics or environment?

I know a healthy pond with all the factors a healthy fish needs to thrive is key. Given that... How important are genetics to growing optimal sized bluegill? I'm in upstate NY. Many of our lakes and ponds have bluegill. Some provide much larger average sized fish than others. Two waters come to mind. Both have great environment and offer plenty of food. But the bluegill in the one average 40-50 percent larger than the other. How much of this is caused by environment? Most of it? Or is the gene pool in one stronger than the other?

Here's something I can say about PS.. I have some youngsters in my tank and they love pellets. My smallest specimen is about 1.5" and took right to optimal #3. This is a wild-capture from a guys netting efforts up north that agreed to try and ship. He's shipped me 3 fish now and all are pellet eaters. The other 2 are a bit larger-maybe 3.5" and they hammer Optimal Jr until they look like they swallowed a marble. This tells me growing them should be very doable.
Now I need to learn to sex them for obvious reasons..lol