If you catch bass especially in shallow water nesting area during the relatively short spawning period window, males where bellies are gently squeezed should be thin bodied and oozing white milt used as egg fertilization. Females should be plumper than ones oozing milt. This is the only time I would even attempt to withdraw females for restocking. Done carefully success rate should be close to 95%-97%. Also using the genital pore shape during spawn should improve the success rate to 99%. If success 100% is needed then I would use the catheter tube to sample for eggs to verify if those in doubt were actually females. Pay very close attention to the genital pore of ones proven to have eggs.
For visually sexing CNBG, the individuals should be a minimum of 8" long for best accuracy and sometimes 7.5" for good accuracy. Using prespawn to post spawn CNBG are easiest and most accurate to sex. Provide several photos of Spring prespawn & spawning representatives of the population and we can help choose male vs female. Clear water helps with color to help for recognition of the fish.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 12/07/22 09:56 PM.
