Steve I generally observe that females have more yellow/cream sides and bottom and are lighter than males, which are typically have more black checkering on the sides. Also the red margin on the opercular tab seems to be deeper, darker in color on males than females where it's lighter and maybe more light orange than dark red. Sexing younger fish out of spawning season for me personally is kinda a crap shoot.

Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau

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