This is the largest sunfish I have ever caught. My goal was a one pound BG this summer from our lake. Caught this 11 inch BG but think it might be a mix. It weighted 15.8 OZ. Thanks for helping identifying my catch.
I would just add that the fish looks to be female AND that it's a dandy fish. If female its rare in this size and you likely have males that will surpass your goal.
I don't catch a lot of BG/RES hybrids but when I do they generally have a verticle barring of darker color.
Shorty provided this pic in another thread and looks typical for the hybrid.
Last edited by jpsdad; 11/07/2008:31 AM.
It isn't what we don't know that gives us trouble, it's what we know that ain't so - Will Rogers
Thanks to everyone for the positive ID as a BG! It seemed like a really big sunfish. Exciting to know that it is a female and the males would be even bigger. Appreciate photos of the hybrid as an example.
This forum is an amazing place to learn and get questions answered.
It looks more BG than BGxRES to me, but based on my 12 years with BGxRES F1's, Fx's, and back crosses, I couldn't rule out some RES genes without DNA testing.
Time for CSI:Pond Boss!
"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever." -S. M. Stirling
Am I the only one seeing a faint color around the lower rounded part of the opercular tab or is that just a shadow? I've seen some F4+ HBG with 90%+ BG genetics express just the slightest GSF characteristics....otherwise of course 100% BG if that's not coloring around the tab. Also, impressive fish!
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
Copied the pic and enlarged to max size - pic gets fuzzy. There is a shadow but no color on tab (as best I can see). There is a spot of off color pigment on the fish just off the tab that looks like other coloration (yellowish pink) on the fish.
I appreciate everyone's response to my post. It is amazing the knowledge and experience this Forum provides to everyone, especially me! I now know what BG +1 means.....since this tread seemed to like BG photos, I attached a few more. I have been feeding Optimal BG JR for the last two years. I start with JR in April to June and then transition to BG feed from July to November. Extremely happy with the results in growth, size and coloration.
Thanks for the continued comments on my BG. It has been fun to raise them over the last few years. As a follow up to Esshup comment on the wall, I have attached a few images of the sea wall. We had a significant slope issue and wanted to get golf cart/UTV access to the boat. Parents are elderly and could not do the vertical rise from dock to house. When we built the sea wall, we installed a major BG spawning bed, see the attached photo at low water. It is great entertainment to watch the male BG trying to win the attention of the females and then defend their nest.