The "bluegill" in the center. It was caught in a Northern Minnesota lake on 2-1-2023, I don't know yet what other lepomis are in there. The mouth looks bigger than a regular BG, but no orange on the fish like it is a cross with a Green Sunfish. FWIW, it's between 9" and 10" in length.
esshup, I'm not always right, but when I am it's a good day. I don't see anything that leads me in another direction from "mostly" BG-on the center fish.. I say mostly because we understand there has been a lot of hybridization throughout time that we may not see anymore traits of something else.
esshup, I'm not always right, but when I am it's a good day. I don't see anything that leads me in another direction from "mostly" BG-on the center fish.. I say mostly because we understand there has been a lot of hybridization throughout time that we may not see anymore traits of something else.
I'm saying that because of the mouth size. Enlarge the picture if you can, it seems way bigger than a typical BG mouth.
Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:" "She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."
The mouth looks bigger because the mouth is open whereas the other BG have their mouth closed and it appears they have a smaller mouth. The open mouth better shows the maxillary thus is appears larger than that of a closed mouth. I agree with Snipe and Sunil, all the non-crappie in the pic I think are what we standardly call northern strain BG and they probably were caught from clear, light brown stained water. BG from wild natural populations will have a 'fair' amount of natural variation of color. I will next post a link of mouth size variation for the common sunfish (Lepomiis) species. The bluegill does have a small amount of mouth size variation in natural populations that is also noted in this well done video link that has some good useful information.
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Last edited by Bill Cody; 02/02/2310:13 AM.
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They came from a part of Lake Winnibigoshish in Minnesota. 56,471 acres, so there could be anything in there. Where the guy was fishing has a limit of 5 BG per day.
Compare Similar Species Lateral Scales Bluegill 39-45 Sunfish, Green 44-51 Sunfish, Longear 34-38 Sunfish, Orangespotted 36-41 Pumpkinseed 38-43 Warmouth 36-40 Bass, Rock 39-43 Opercular Flap Color Bluegill Solid dark Sunfish, Green Dark with light margin Sunfish, Longear Dark with light margin Sunfish, Orangespotted Dark with light margin Pumpkinseed Dark with light spot at tip Warmouth Dark with light margin Bass, Rock Solid dark Gill Rakers Bluegill 13-16, moderately long Sunfish, Green 11-14, long and thin Sunfish, Longear 9-11, short and thick Sunfish, Orangespotted 10-15, long and thin Pumpkinseed 9-12, short and thick Warmouth 9-12, moderately long Bass, Rock 7-10, long and thin Pectoral Fin Bluegill Long, pointed Sunfish, Green Moderately long, rounded Sunfish, Longear Short, rounded or blunt point Sunfish, Orangespotted Long, rounded or blunt point Pumpkinseed Long, pointed Warmouth Moderately long, rounded Bass, Rock Short, rounded Pigment Pattern on Sides and Soft Dorsal Fin Sunfish, Longear Sides dark bluish-olive, with solid color or light irregular spots or blotches/mottling; fin solid or faint spots/mottling Sunfish, Orangespotted Sides blue or gray, with occasional irregular orange spots, faint diffuse vertical bars; fin solid or faint spots/mottling Pumpkinseed Sides olive or yellow-olive, with many irregular yellow-orange spots or blotches and sometimes faint vertical bars; fin solid or faint spots/mottling Warmouth Sides yellow-brown or olive with dark mottling, faint spots or faint bars; fin mottled and/or spotted Bluegill Sides dark or silver blue or bluish-olive, solid color or with dark vertical bars, sometimes fine irregular dark blue spots; fin solid, often with large diffuse spot at base Sunfish, Green Sides yellow or blue-green, with solid color, dark mottling, faint light spots or faint dark bars; fin dusky, spotted or with dark blotch at base Bass, Rock Sides brown solid color or with dark mottling or many indistinct spots; fin mottled and/or spotted Other Characteristics Bluegill Opercular flap slightly elongated in large adults Sunfish, Green Rarely a few teeth on tongue Sunfish, Longear Opercular flap greatly elongated in adults Sunfish, Orangespotted Opercular flap often elongated in adults; large sensory pores above lip; 8-9 anal fin rays Pumpkinseed None Warmouth Well-developed supramaxillary bone; teeth on tongue Bass, Rock 5-7 anal spines; 9-11 anal rays Similarity Index Bluegill N/A Sunfish, Green Small juveniles very similar, adults moderately similar Sunfish, Longear Small juveniles very similar, adults moderately similar Sunfish, Orangespotted Small juveniles very similar, adults moderately similar Pumpkinseed Small juveniles very similar, adults moderately similar Warmouth Small juveniles very similar, adults moderately similar Bass, Rock Moderately similar TOPICS Fish and fisheries Trap nets Ghost nets Lake Michigan fisheries forum Fish ID Fish glossary Learn more Learn more about fish and fisheries in our publications section.
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esshup - My vote is it looks like some of the old PS that I have seen as they become really old. Darker hue indicates clear water with maybe some brown stain. I vote that it is a male.
aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine - America's Journal of Pond Management