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Pictures of the 13 1/4", 2LBS 8 3/4OZ BGxRES that I caught on a Berkley Power Egg on Sunday, 8-4-19

Good job!!! What a pig!

That's just not right! Please share some of your secrets as of late. I can tell you that the forums miss your more regular presence and we could use your wisdom.

Contrats on a fine fish!

Theo - Are you sure that is a RES X BG hybrid?. To me it looks like a big old male BG. I am not seeing any influence of RES on the gill flap. Send that pic to Condello and see what he thinks.

I'm very interested in the answer to your question Bill.. My Bio called me after seeing this picture and said almost the exact things about the gill flap???

Bill:

1. No female BG ever went into this pond (okay, that's kind of circumstantial).
2. I am sure it is NOT one of the male BG I stocked - the last ones went in 8-9 years ago, at 9" - 10" long, and all had a fin clipped. This fish has no evidence of fin regrowth, and I really doubt any of the old BG males could still be alive.
3. Evidence of some RES genetics, based on 10 years of experience looking at F1's, Fx's, and assorted back crosses:

There is some cloudiness in the dark opercule.

(The kicker) Look at the gill - I have never seen scales stand out separately on any BG (indeed, until I had the hybrids I didn't realize the gill had separate scales). But scales standing out is pretty common with my BGxRES hybrid Fx's. Their appearances runs the gamut from 95%+ RES (I would think that they were pure RES except for the BG-derived dark spot at the back of the dorsal fin) to 95%+ BG like this one (scales showing on the gill and funky looking opercules seem to be the last RES genetics determiner in ones like this).

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I'm interested in hearing how your experience with BGs compares to my #3 notes above.

P.S. I have it posted at Big Bluegill - Bruce's site.

Feed heavy (about 300 lbs of Aquamax a year). Cull heavy - I take 400+ hybrids out of this 1/2 acre every year. Every BGxRES under 10" comes out (the ones big enough - 7" to 10" is my eating slot - taste really good), except for a few promising looking 6.5" - 7" males. Everything over 10" goes back in.

Predation is provided by SMB and YP. An established population of Gambusia provide snack possibilities for the larger BGxRES. I stock Tilapia every year to convert FA into better utilized biomass and provide gluttony fodder in October when they get sluggish before dying (for the SMB and YP anyway - maybe the big sunfish get some of the little Tilapia).

Well done T. !!!!

Theo, that's a heck of a fish. How old do you estimate it to be?