redbreast-bluegill Hybrid?
#1 Guest_eLeMeNt_*
Posted 02 June 2007 - 04:38 PM
#2 Guest_fundulus_*
Posted 02 June 2007 - 04:42 PM
#3 Guest_drewish_*
Posted 02 June 2007 - 08:10 PM
#4 Guest_eLeMeNt_*
Posted 03 June 2007 - 09:21 AM
I know mottling wouldn't be the best characteristic for identifying a fish but it's a bit strange after catching tons of these fish over the years all over Maryland and never seeing this feature. Maybe it's just a species variation that is less common in Maryland. The mottling reminds me of a pumpkinseed.
#5 Guest_fishlvr_*
Posted 03 June 2007 - 11:34 AM
#6 Guest_centrarchid_*
Posted 03 June 2007 - 06:49 PM
I'm thinking this fish is a bluegill red-breast hybrid. It's body is deeper like a bluegill, however it's color is much too bright for a bluegill. Being that the fish is 8 inches long it's ear flap should be much longer for a fully grown red-breast, however its pectoral fins are short like a redbreast. Longear sunfish (non-native) are restricted to the Potomac drainage in Maryland, this fish was caught on the eastern shore which is devoid of long ear sunfish. I thought of the possibility of a pumpkinseed hybrid, however in the same stream I was catching a ton of normal red-breasted sunfish and bluegills. Some type of pumpkinseed hybrid could be possible though. I've seen a lot of sunfish, but never one like this. Let me know what you think.
I say pumpkinseed hybrid owing to spotted pattern on flanks. I have several hand-made pumpkinseed hybrids (not including redbreast though) and the only the central longear hybrid has a large ear like the animal you have shown but the pumpkinseed x central longear hybrid does not able to acquire the base green coloration. Pumpkinseed spotting pattern, big ear and green body, mouth looks a bit large, I say pumpkinseed / redbreast hybrid.
#7 Guest_smbass_*
Posted 03 June 2007 - 06:53 PM
I would be interested to here what centrarchid has to say about this fish since he has worked with hybrids quite a bit.
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