Pond Boss Forums FISH & FISHING Sunfish-Including Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass Sexing Redear Sunfish?

That makes sense.

The interesting thing was most of the FHM were eaten after the lights went out in very dark conditions. They would occasional get one or two during the first few minutes when the FHM were intitially introduced into the tank. Basically a FHM would swim too close to a RES and get sucked in from a few inches away, but the RES wouldn't start to chase them around the tank until the lights were about to go out. When the lights were on they mostly just ignored the FHM in the tank. My aquarium RES had a very uncanny sense when the lights would go off every night and would herd the minnows into a ball just under the light about 15 to 20 minutes before the light turned off. Once the lights when out it was game on.

A few from tonight.

#1





#2





#3





#4

Those RES are in very good condition. Does the water have high salt content like Bruce's ?

I don't know, I have never checked salt content. There are saline marshes in the area though, the Lincoln area is also know as the "Salt Valley" and the road just north of our house of us is named "Little Salt" Road. The Salt Creek Tiger Beetle makes it home 4-5 miles straight south of our place.

My water has been very green most of the summer due to farm fertilizer run off in the water shed, secchi disk readings are currently running 12".

Two from tonight.

Shorty - Your RES are getting to be really nice big fish.

A couple of likely males from tonight. Male #2 took a jig off the edge of the dock that was in the water while I was taking a picture of male #1, I almost lost my pole. He also jabbed my pretty good before I could get his picture taken.

Likely male #1



Likely male #2

Those are gorgeous fish!

Is the blood yours?

Probably mine, I got jabbed pretty good before I took the picture and my thumb is still sore. This one did not want his picture taken and tail thumped the board every time I tried to take my hand off of him to snap a shot, that's how I got jabbed. I never did get him lined up right. This RES also bled lightly in the corner of the mouth when I unhooked him, so it it was either him or me. Given the number of times a 10" RES has made me bleed this summer, I would bet that the blood is mine.

Those RES are adapt at drawing blood !

Nice fish. How was the condition of those 2 vs. prior pictured fish ?

Condition was very good but not near as good as the previously pictured fish.

My smaller 6-7" RES and under have some stiff competition from a very robust GSH population. An interesting note on those smaller 6-7" RES, they became very uncatchable from late June until mid September which corresponded with a very large GSH hatch this year. I also have a lot of 6-7" GSH that are directly competing with that particular year class of RES for groceries. This years GSH hatch now ranges in size from 1-3/4" to 2-3/4" and are likely too large for for those 6-7" RES to eat, but still an ideal size for my larger RES over 9".

It also appears that I had decent late summer hatch of RES as I am seeing 1" RES sitting in a few inches of water along the banks after dark. My pond currently has no vegetation and very little structure for YOY to hide in.

Likely female from tonight, got jabbed once again and ended bleeding while taking the picture.

I can send you some band-aids if it will help. Do you prefer Transformers or Ninja Turtles?

I'm good, I rarely bleed long enough to warrant a bandaid, but thank you for the offer.

We do Sponge Bob here

Likely male from tonight, I also managed to avoid any blood loss.

All super nice fish Shorty.

Two from tonight, the first one I am not sure about but I'm leaning female, the second one is likely female.

#1





#2

From tonight.

#1 Likely male.




#2 Likely female.




#3 Likely female. (she escaped before I could get a 2nd photo)


#4 Likely male.

Holy Smokes!! what is the pond record now?

The pond record is almost 11", I have caught two of them that size in the last two weeks, both are likely males.

That is really amazing to me! Those are very young fish! It seems to me like you're destined to break the state record.

I have caught four RES over 10" in the last two weeks, all of them likely males. It might be a year or two down the road but a Nebraska state record RES is not out of the question.

Just to get them as big as you have is quite an accomplishment. Good work!