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Young Unknown Sunfish

Started by Guest_LiquidPyro33_* , Jul 02 2012 08:24 AM

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18 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_LiquidPyro33_*

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Posted 02 July 2012 - 08:24 AM

I decided to go down to my local creek the other day and see what I could find, I caught a few little sunfish, or at least thats what I am assuming, but I dont know if it is too small too identify or not.

Hopefully someone can give me some insight.

It was caught in a almost dried up stream in south western Ontario, which might limit it down to:

black crappie
bluegill
green sunfish
longear
pumpkinseed

Attached Files

Sunfish.JPG 94.22KB 8 downloads
Creek 1.JPG 34.37KB 8 downloads

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#2 Michael Wolfe

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North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 02 July 2012 - 09:48 AM

I vote for Bluegill

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

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#3 Guest_natureman187_*

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Posted 02 July 2012 - 11:08 AM

I would say Redear even though it's not on the list....although I'm not familiar with juvi Pumpkinseeds or their hybrids.

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#4 Guest_LiquidPyro33_*

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Posted 02 July 2012 - 11:29 AM

I would say Redear even though it's not on the list....although I'm not familiar with juvi Pumpkinseeds or their hybrids.

Redear wasn't listed as I dont think we have them in Ontario, Canada

I just went through the 'ROM Field Guide to Freshwater fishes of Ontario' and listed all the sunfish in the book.

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#5 Guest_Skipjack_*

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Posted 02 July 2012 - 12:05 PM

It does have that angular head of a redear, and they are commonly stocked in ponds, and could easily escape. Though Bluegill seems more likely.

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#6 Guest_LiquidPyro33_*

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Posted 02 July 2012 - 04:35 PM

thats interesting, and all sunfish can mate with each other is that it? So they could always be a cross of something?

Maybe I will try again and see what I can catch, the four I caught the other day were all the same looking.

I read blue gill can crow to be 7 inches or so, and I just cannot imagine them that big in this stream

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#7 Guest_fundulus_*

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Posted 02 July 2012 - 04:48 PM

There are 2 basic rules of sunfish identification in a public forum:
1) Martin Moore's Law - it's a green sunfish. Otherwise,
2) It's a hybrid.
Some people may tell you otherwise, though.

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#8 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 02 July 2012 - 05:54 PM

My guess is pumpkinseed.

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#9 Guest_Orangespotted_*

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Posted 02 July 2012 - 06:11 PM

Fin coloration and tire track stress bars whisper "Bluegill" to me but he is awefully skinny... his mouth seems too big... and that opercular tab looks to have the beginnings of a margin and an orange speck... I have seen hundreds of baby Bluegills and Greens and this guy appears to have characteristics of both (important: I have only seen adult Pumpkinseeds and Redears). How big was this itty bitty fishy, approximately?

I read blue gill can crow to be 7 inches or so, and I just cannot imagine them that big in this stream

?

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#10 Michael Wolfe

Board of Directors

North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 02 July 2012 - 08:17 PM

I read blue gill can crow to be 7 inches or so, and I just cannot imagine them that big in this stream

Remember... fish swim... just becasue they grow up in a small stream, doesnt mean they live their whole life there.

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

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#11 Guest_MichiJim_*

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Posted 02 July 2012 - 08:35 PM

If I were to throw a dart, I'd say pumpkinseed. If I saw more of a dark spot on the base of the soft dorsal, I would go bluegill. I see a lot of that small stream habitat in Michigan and there are usually lots of small bluegills around. And Michael is right, don't let the size fool with you. In the right situation, 10 inchers can be found this far north. And I have seen places where they don't get more than 5 inches. Where in Ontario are you finding these fish?

But I would be comfortable with one of those two.

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#12 Guest_LiquidPyro33_*

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Posted 02 July 2012 - 09:28 PM

All four that I caught were right around the 2 inch mark, total length

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#13 Guest_exasperatus2002_*

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Posted 02 July 2012 - 10:37 PM

Bluegill

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#14 Guest_butch_*

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Posted 03 July 2012 - 01:01 PM

That looks like juvenile pumpkinseeds at the hatchery where I works at.

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#15 Guest_LiquidPyro33_*

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Posted 03 July 2012 - 05:18 PM

Well I appreciate all the replies, it still really is a mixed bag at this point I suppose and could be pretty much anything....

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#16 Guest_panfisherteen_*

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Posted 05 July 2012 - 10:30 PM

That's a juvenile pumpkinseed by the looks of things. According to Freshwater Fishes of Ontario (in reference between juvenile pumpkinseeds and bluegills), spotting between bars = pumpkinseed, no spotting = bluegill.

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#17 Guest_LiquidPyro33_*

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Posted 07 July 2012 - 09:48 PM

hey thanks for pointing that out 'panfisherteen' I mut have skipped over that part in the book, but have found it now, and that could for sure be a possibility

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#18 Guest_smbass_*

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Posted 30 July 2012 - 11:32 PM

I'm a little late to the party but I'm 100% sure that is a pumpkinseed sunfish, the body coloration and the little bit of a red spot on the opercle gives it away. I have just seen way to many of these and I'm not too good at explaining exactly why it is what it is so take that for what you will but it is a pumpkinseed.

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#19 Guest_NateTessler13_*

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Posted 02 August 2012 - 06:16 AM

I'm a little late to the party but I'm 100% sure that is a pumpkinseed sunfish, the body coloration and the little bit of a red spot on the opercle gives it away. I have just seen way to many of these and I'm not too good at explaining exactly why it is what it is so take that for what you will but it is a pumpkinseed.

Haha... Brian, I saw this fish and I immediately said, "pumpkinseed". However, like you, I have a bit of a hard time explaining why. Just seen so many of them that it's second nature now. FYI LiquidPyro33, the 2nd edition of the Peterson Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes has a useful picture guide to young-of-year sunfish. That would surely assist you in the future (and it's cheap!). Also, pg. 405 of the Fishes of Tennessee book has a guide to young-of-year sunfish as well. You can download the book for free at this link: http://www.newfoundp...du/pubs/fishes/

Edited by NateTessler13, 02 August 2012 - 06:17 AM.