What is this hybrid sunfish?

I caught this sunfish out of South Long Lake, Minnesota that has Bluegills, Pumpkinseed and Green sunfish populations but I have never seen this sunfish before and nor this coloration. I have caught Green x Bluegill hybrids before but I have never seen this coloration before...I think its a female?

I see a bluegill. Is there something not showing well in the photo?

I see a bluegill. Is there something not showing well in the photo?

i agree. all i see is bluegill

100% Bluegill.

Blake

It is not 100% bluegill as it has a slightly larger mouth, there was plenty of Green X Bluegill hybrid in that spot but I never seen this coloration before, usually Green X Bluegill hybrids are more colorful.

I see a hybrid sunfish, although this picture doesn't make it obvious.

It might be a backcrossed hybrid where green x bluegill then bred back to bluegill. Can't tell for certain based on picture only. Hybrid or not, it has been growing very fast! Has someone been applying pellets to pond?

It looks like bluegill shape, color, mouth size. And if it quacks like a bluegill...

It might be a backcrossed hybrid where green x bluegill then bred back to bluegill. Can't tell for certain based on picture only. Hybrid or not, it has been growing very fast! Has someone been applying pellets to pond?

This sunfish was caught in a lake, so I doubt anyone would feed pellets to the sunfish. However I noticed that there are high numbers of the hybrids in that specific lake than any lakes I fished at this summer which is a little odd to me...is that normal for the natual occuring hybrid sunfish populations being high in the lakes? Sometimes I have hard time to tell the difference between a pure green and a hybrid green these days. It is possible that this sunfish is a backcrossed hybrid. Do you have a picture of a female Green X Bluegill hybrid?


Sorry I have only one picture of this fish because I ate it....but I notice the fillets from this sunfish feels like really mushy, why is that?

What did the meat look like?
Several years ago a pond I frequent came down with these grayish bluegill. The meat was opaque white and rubbery. Was so goofy looking I stopped keeping them. Reminded me of the few VHS pictures I've seen.

Either way it does appear not pure bluegill.
Bluegill x Green, Green x Bluegill, have different appearances, tie in back crossing and you have a million different variations.

If this helps, in my uneducated mind, these are the same greengill hybrid just a different cross. Centrarchid's thoughts would be appreciative here. Your fish could easily fit in with the second picture or back cross of any.

 BluegillGreenB2.JPG   57.45KB   3 downloads

 BluegillGreen4.JPG   61.41KB   3 downloads

Hybrid or not, it has been growing very fast!

How can you tell from one picture what the growth rate has been?

What did the meat look like?
Several years ago a pond I frequent came down with these grayish bluegill. The meat was opaque white and rubbery. Was so goofy looking I stopped keeping them. Reminded me of the few VHS pictures I've seen.

Either way it does appear not pure bluegill.
Bluegill x Green, Green x Bluegill, have different appearances, tie in back crossing and you have a million different variations.

If this helps, in my uneducated mind, these are the same greengill hybrid just a different cross. Centrarchid's thoughts would be appreciative here. Your fish could easily fit in with the second picture or back cross of any.

 BluegillGreenB2.JPG   57.45KB   3 downloads

 BluegillGreen4.JPG   61.41KB   3 downloads

I often caught few Green hybrids, they appeared to be healthy but their fillets were mushy when I filleted them out. The fillets of bluegills, pumkinseeds and BG X PS hybrids were normal and not so mushy as the green sunfish fillets. I don't know why.

I agreed with you, my fish seems fit in with the second picture beside the lack of white edges which the first picture has. I was assumed that every Bluegill X Green hybrids looks excatly to the fish of first picture, and that is what I caught most, just never come across a very dull hybrid.

How can you tell from one picture what the growth rate has been?

Big body, small head. Slow growing fish will have a higher head to body ratio than fast growing fish. Also slow growing fish will often have larger eyes. Just my observation, maybe centrarchid is using a different identifier.

Big body, small head. Slow growing fish will have a higher head to body ratio than fast growing fish. Also slow growing fish will often have larger eyes. Just my observation, maybe centrarchid is using a different identifier.

Yes, it is all about ratios, some parts capable of broader range of growth rates. Also in extreme cases, such as with cannible largemouth bass in a culture pond, the fins will appear very stubby.

Big body, small head. Slow growing fish will have a higher head to body ratio than fast growing fish. Also slow growing fish will often have larger eyes. Just my observation, maybe centrarchid is using a different identifier.

I always go by the big eyes thing.