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identifying fingerling sunfish (bluegill & pumpkinseed)

Started by Guest_IvanMike_* , Aug 27 2011 01:24 AM

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8 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_IvanMike_*

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Posted 27 August 2011 - 01:24 AM

while seining and minnow trapping I have gotten several under 1" sunfish. Outside of the emergent black spot at the base of the soft caudal fin, is there a reliable method of identifying which species you have when they are that young? In CT we pretty much have those two species, except for the redbreast which is primarily found in rivers, not ponds and lakes. I was unable to find any good fingerling/fry pix on google.

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#2 Guest_Uland_*

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Posted 27 August 2011 - 07:33 AM

The new Peterson Field guide actually helps ID of juvenile sunfishes.
The book is available and quite cheap. Worth it's weight in gold - every ichthyophile should make this his/her first priority.

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#3 Guest_NVCichlids_*

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Posted 27 August 2011 - 09:21 AM

i second that book. I only had my first copy for a week before being lost into the depths of the river. New copy should be here soon.

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#4 Guest_IvanMike_*

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Posted 27 August 2011 - 09:32 AM

thanks! didn't think of that as they usually only show adults. Even worse is when they are drawings..... ](*,)

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#5 Guest_fundulus_*

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Posted 27 August 2011 - 10:00 AM

Even at 1 inch, pumpkinseeds will usually show some red on the opercular tab and have more of a golden-brown body color rather than bluegills being more blue/green/brown. But sometimes, it's just not that obvious in truth.

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#6 Guest_Uland_*

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Posted 27 August 2011 - 10:33 AM

thanks! didn't think of that as they usually only show adults. Even worse is when they are drawings.....

The Peterson second edition has drawings and accompanying text for juvenile sunfish. Don't be dissuaded from books with drawings. As a guy who takes lots and lots of photos....a drawing is very often far more valuable in terms of ID than a great photo. In the case of young sunfish.....color photos might just get in the way but I might be old fashioned or just plain wrong :-)

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#7 Guest_MichiJim_*

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Posted 27 August 2011 - 10:44 AM

I am undoubtably old fashioned, but I agree. Photos often draw your attention to features that are deceptive or not diagnostic. This is especially true with fish as variable as sunfish.

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#8 Guest_Yeahson421_*

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Posted 27 August 2011 - 11:38 AM

Not to steal the thread, but I had a similiar question: How do you tell the difference between Bluegill and Green Sunfish. I have tried the guide, but the differences seem very miniscule in it. The original poster may also find this helpful, considering Green Sunfish are just about everywhere!

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#9 Guest_NVCichlids_*

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Posted 27 August 2011 - 04:45 PM

Not to steal the thread, but I had a similiar question: How do you tell the difference between Bluegill and Green Sunfish. I have tried the guide, but the differences seem very miniscule in it. The original poster may also find this helpful, considering Green Sunfish are just about everywhere!

Greensunfish have a much much larger mouth even at a smaller age. You can also tell by the angle of the lower jaw is to the lateral line. How i do it is pick out the lateral line, a green sunfish's lower jaw will have a much smaller angle than the bluegill will. Other's will chime in on their way to do it, but that is my way.
Here is a link to something that shows this
http://calfish.ucdav...9494display.jpg

Edited by NVCichlids, 27 August 2011 - 04:49 PM.