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Caught this fish with my Dad (at his pond) at 2 p.m. this afternoon. It was on a 1/32 ounce jig with a tiny piece of 'crawler on it. It was hooked so lightly that it fell off when I tried to hoist it. My Dad snapped a few quick pictures. Notice that this fish is immature. This indicates to me that it may have quite a bit of growth left in it. It was 11.25 inches and I'd estimate the weight at 2 pounds. I can't wait for Bill Cody to see this and render an opinion as to it's fitness.

I realize this is some pretty tight managing, but it's fun just the same. \:\)

...also notice the teeny-weeny head on this thing? I'm not even sure where this fish came from. It could be as young as age-4, or as old as age-5. I think this is a fish that Lusk and Willis helped me to take out of my production pond in February. If so, then this is a pretty young fish.


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I also tried to get a shot of the thickness. I'm not sure if this will do it justice.




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Bruce what about the first pic -- what are the #s. We want to know how close our guesses were. \:D

At that age the second BG should have some more growth. I wonder about its maturity. It may not be exhibiting sexual maturity because of its being in an all male situation. I bet if it was in a mixed population it would be mature. What do you think about its visible delayed maturity and the reason?
















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Hey, Eric. I think I've cluttered this thread up so much that you missed the results of the first bluegill. It was 10 5/8 inches and 1 lb 6 oz. Due to the greater length and awesome body condition of the second one I think it would have weighed in at a solid two pounds but I was afraid of stressing this fish so it didn't get weighed.

I think you're exactly right about the delayed maturity being a result of the all male situation. I still have some bluegill that mature, but a much lower percentage. It may also be partly the result of the extreme scarcity of acceptable spawning areas. The slopes of this pond are extreme and I think only room for a couple of dozen nests at the most.


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Bruce, The Sept 10th Bgill is an excellent specimen, a real dandy fish. However, what features on it make you think it is immature? It has some dark, although not distinct tipping of nape scales, a prominent dark soft dorsal spot, good mature male coloration. If the fish is 4 or 5 yrs old then definately you can expect some more growth over the next few years. Do you think this fish has similar sized siblings or is he leader of the pack?


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I thought the really small ear tab was what sets him apart from the bedding males that I saw a couple months ago. He looks like he's really interested in growth as opposed to attracting females.

I'm not sure about the siblings, especially due to the fact that I didn't realize I had ANY fish this big.


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Do not discount the variability in size of male bgill ear flaps. Also it is possible the ear flap my not grow or develop as fast as the other male characters. Very little has been published or studied as to the rate of opercular flap growth. Also other individual variable things (behavioral and/or hormonal) may help explain why this fish did not appear to be competitive with the other bedding males. Numerous unknowns on this topic.

Since this fish is a young male it may still be somewhat intiminated by the pre-existing older males and not aggressively establishing a rank in the center of the nesting colony. It is also possible that this fish is one of those rare individuals that is destined to attain the "atypical size" i.e. a rogue when it come to the normal growth plateau. I think sometimes individuals of each species get chemical and or genetic imbalances and this causes the rare unusual upper growth sizes evidenced in angling records. Many and most individuals of the species never attain the monster status due to various reasons.

Irregardless, since you did not harvest this fish it will continue to grow until it reaches the final limit. I eagerly await your future encounters with this fish.


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remarkable fish bruce......i stand in awe. that helmet development is unbelievable.


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Who knows he may even be one of the ones inclined to solitary nesting. I am not sure there would be a nest in the center of the colony big enough for him. \:D

I was close on the first one. Only 3/8in and .3 off.
















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I would be tempted to put him in with some big female RES and let him 'mature'. ;\)


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What's the old saying? Like son like father? If I ever grow one that big he's going on the wall. Or would I let him go to grow even bigger? What a dilemna to have.


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 Quote:
Originally posted by burgermeister:
I would be tempted to put him in with some big female RES and let him 'mature'. ;\)
Very funny. ;\)


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 Quote:
Originally posted by dave in el dorado ca:
remarkable fish bruce......i stand in awe. that helmet development is unbelievable.
...ahhh, the irony. A helmet, but no face.


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Silly. The helmet covers the face and protects it. Form the looks of that boy above, next year he'll have grown a nose bar or possibly a facemask. ;\)


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Very nice BG Bruce, and I mean very nice. ;\)



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I just ran a seine this morning for the first time this fall. It was my little seine so I was just trying to get a sampling of my new YOY's in the bluegill program.

All of the fish were "late spawn" since they didn't get stocked until late June. I saw several thousand one to three inch fish. I also put about 300 in tanks. These fish ranged from 3-4.5 inches. I also recently purchased about 170 fish that were about the same size range. I'll be raising these fish in separate locations and then hopefully by June of 2008 I can mix and match some fish for further reproduction. These fish looked really nice. I'm also going to drain a couple in ponds in the next two weeks and see what else I've got.

I failed to bring the digital camera, but when I go back to the farm, possibly on Friday I'll try to remember so I can get a photo of these fish. For those of you who don't know (and I know many don't care), a 4.5 inch bluegill that's four months old is a really big fish. He's got little teeny eyes and a big hump already. Can't wait to show him off.


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This was one of my questions but I never asked. How big should my YOY bluegill be? So 1 - 3 inches should be this years fish? If that is true then I had a good bluegill spawn this year. I wasnt sure if my dock fish that are 1 - 3 inch fish were this years or last years.


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Cecil,

I have some incredible bluegill for you. When are you going to get a pickup and tank rigged up so you can make the trip? \:\) \:\) ;\) ;\)

They're way too big to ship! It would cost a million dollars.

If I ship some next year that are small enough how will we know which ones are the best ones?

Remember that I'll buy some big YP from you to pay for the gas. ;\)


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Joey:

Your BG or my BG: 1"-3" is 2006 YOY.

Condello Strain BG: September 2006 YOM.


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Thanks Theo, I have been culling out small bass like crazy. Been catching 7-11 inch bass like crazy on these FHM. I want my B/G population to get better.

Bruce that BG on page 6 is something..! Is that a common or coppernose? I am in NC, can you send me a few...? hehehe


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 Quote:
Originally posted by Joey:
... that BG on page 6 is something..! Is that a common or coppernose? I am in NC, can you send me a few...? hehehe
If he's willing, you will be quite a ways down on the waiting list.

Bruce is in Nebraska with the particular northern (not CNBG) variant we only half jokingly call "Condello Strain BG" or CSBG. Only half joking, because if/when he is ready to ship them commercially, he will have a fair number of customers ready to order. And I think "CSBG" is as marketable a name as gorilla or tiger bass.


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Well, the most surprising thing about the entire process is that the majority of the fish are normal size/growth rates. It seems, however that there are about ten percent that have exceptional growth. Somebody who knows more about genetics may eventually explain this to me.


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Bruce - I think the key to your success is in culling or sorting out that 10% and then focussing on their growth.


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Agreed. I've also had no problem selling the rest. I've been getting 30-50 cents apiece. The people who are interested in the bigger ones are giving as much as $1.08 each. I'm thinking of giving up the aquaculture license at the end of this year. This whole deal just doesn't pay worth a hoot.


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Bruce wrote: "The people who are interested in the bigger ones are giving as much as $1.08 each. I'm thinking of giving up the aquaculture license at the end of this year. This whole deal just doesn't pay worth a hoot."

Well Duh!!! Anyone who's willing to pay $1.08 for a sunny would surely pay $1.10! Sometimes your two cents makes all the difference in the world.


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"She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."

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