Cecil I have been doing some checking. What reference (pg / ft.nt. # , etc) in the Bluegill book are you referring to? I reviewed the material along with some other info and the results are all over the place on BG winter growth and most , but not all , is latitude (temp) related.

Guys please don't pick out one data point (or comment) and assume it is universal. That would be a huge mistake and not justified by the science or actual data. As I stated early on this is a big picture discussion and the results depend on many factors.

Cecil you said " The author of that bluegill book you sent me maintains that bluegills grow in winter here in Indiana." The author also states " Based on the appearance of scale annuli, growth starts in May in northern Indiana and extends through September. Growth rates vary widely both by region and bodies of water with in regions , and variation within lakes can be as great as between lakes in the same vicinity." He also says about those near Kalamazoo Mich that BG " continued to grow through winter, in one pond adding 20% in length and 50% in mass." Keep in mind the nature of this book. It is in large part a survey and recounting of data and conclusions from many studies on BG. There are over 1300 footnotes and probably around 500 studies reviewed and acknowledged. There were 60 lakes examined in the one study above in IN.

Last edited by ewest; 10/21/09 09:05 AM.