Thread: 1st gills from my pond.

Originally Posted by tnpondmanager

They're hybrid bluegill which are a cross between a bluegill and a green sunfish.

I disagree about them being hybrid sunfish. They look like a pure green sunfish to me. Reguardless, they will be fun to catch and eat.

Originally Posted by RetiredRR

NOW! I feel much better! Let 'em grow some more. Thanks for the clarification.

I recommend you send those pictures to your local fisheries biologist and see what they think they are and what they recommend you do. I'm not trying to rain on your parade. I just wanted you to be informed about what you are putting in your pond and what could happen. After all, it is your pond and you are free to do as you chose. We would all be blessed to have a pond like you. One of these days...

dandy shellcrackers! catch and release...into the grease

Originally Posted by D10

I recommend you send those pictures to your local fisheries biologist and see what they think they are and what they recommend you do. I'm not trying to rain on your parade. I just wanted you to be informed about what you are putting in your pond and what could happen. After all, it is your pond and you are free to do as you chose. We would all be blessed to have a pond like you. One of these days...

Excellent idea. And thanks, for I have been truly blessed.

Sent this photo to our county extension agent in Weatherford, TX. and waiting for their expert input. Texas A&M experts have helped me in the past.

those are green sunfish.very aggressive and fight twice their size.they will displace other species.but they can also be culled as they feed with abandon

They're not green sunfish. I do this for a living and sunfish are my specialty. Hybrid bluegill have smaller mouths and rounder, more compressiform (like a bluegill's) bodies than a pure green sunfish. Here is a picture of a hybrid bluegill that was right at 12" and weighed right at two pounds, caught by me from a pond I was managing:



Here is another hybrid, this one with a larger mouth but still significantly smaller than a pure green sunfish's, from the same pond, 1-3/4 pounds:



Here is a photo of a pure green sunfish - note the larger mouth and more elongated body:



Here's another:

8'' Green Sunfish (5-10-15) - Bluegill - Big Bluegill

And another:

Nice Green Sunfish - Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Here's a sunfish identification guide which notes the larger mouth as a defining trait of a green sunfish:

TWRA - Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency - Sunfish Identification

Well, I'm glad I posted these photos. Good discussion. Confirmed they are blue gill and the points made in this discussion point out the mouth and elongated body and
shorter, rounder body shapes are distinguishing features. Mine was 11"s and I have found several more in my pond and they are growing in leaps and bounds. Haven't
found one that matches the description of the green fish yet. All of mine are smaller mouthed and rounder bodied. Thanks to all that have commented. I'm just glad to
have what I have and the youngsters fishing for them could care less what they are. They are fish and fun to catch and eat. Now if I can get the evaporation rate slowed
a little, I'll have a pond with fish for a while.