Wow.!! Those words from Bruce made my entire month!! The "Bluegill King" has spoken.
That's the best looking coppernose I've seen yet on the farm. We went through many 100s of potential proodstock recently...looking for guality phenotypes to use as broodstock.
I think the copper color comes on as males grow older and larger, not as a seasonal pattern. Some coppernose show up well and some don't.
One big problem we have, which I would like some help with, is picking out good coppernose females. The females don't show copper noses, so we usually pick them by looking for reddish/yellow coloration on their tails and other fins.
The best spawns we've had on the farm come from stocking medium bluegill in early spring. Spawns from stocking hand-picked adults have not been as successful, but probably due to problems associated with the famales. Either way, we throw the big bright male coppernose in brood ponds and hope they spread the genes.
