I there a good way to tell the juvenile of these two species apart when you catch them fishing? Adults are are easy to tell, but when they are quite small (1-2"), before the Pumpkinseed color up, they look so similar to me. Any tricks? Pictures of very juvenile sunfish of each species would also be appreciated!
Juvenile Bluegill or Pumpkinseed Id
Started by
Guest_QuoVadis_*
, Jun 07 2014 10:32 PM
10 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_centrarchid_*
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Posted 08 June 2014 - 07:30 AM
Can you show an image of some yours. Include closeups of "lips".
#3
Guest_Pumpkinsteve_*
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Posted 09 June 2014 - 08:52 AM
I there a good way to tell the juvenile of these two species apart when you catch them fishing? Adults are are easy to tell, but when they are quite small (1-2"), before the Pumpkinseed color up, they look so similar to me. Any tricks? Pictures of very juvenile sunfish of each species would also be appreciated!
The local strains here in PA, I can see a difference in the color of the eyes, fins, and pattern. Your mileage may vary in WI. The pumpkinseed has orange or red in the eyes, lighter fin color, and the beginnings of a checked pattern. Pretty easy to see when you have a catch from a minnow trap side by side.
#4
Guest_QuoVadis_*
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Posted 10 June 2014 - 12:29 PM
So do bluegill never have red in the eyes? I don't really have any pictures because I don't have a good camera. Pumpkinsteve, do you have any pictures of little bluegill compared to little pumpkinseeds?
#5
Guest_gerald_*
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Posted 10 June 2014 - 03:28 PM
Some southern bluegills DO have red eyes; dont know about northern ones. Compared to Bluegill, Pseed juveniles have a more "checkered" body, slightly shorter and less pointy pectoral fin, no black blotch in rear dorsal (bluegill often has blotch but it can disappear), and a tiny speck of red-orange on edge of opercular flap.
#6
Guest_centrarchid_*
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Posted 10 June 2014 - 10:23 PM
Bluegill in the Mississippi Drainage basin consistently lack red in eyes so that would be a good character to use in WI.
#7
Guest_QuoVadis_*
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Posted 14 June 2014 - 03:18 PM
Well this is where it gets confusing. The fish in question have red in their eyes, I think I can detect a glint of red on gill flap, but they also have the darkish blotch on the base of the dorsal at the end... When I caught them I IDed them as pumpkinseed, because of the glints of red in the eyes, and gills, but they were washed out and then the dark dorsal spot showed up when they colored up in the aquarium, so I thought I might have been wrong. Also they don't seem to have the bright colors of a pumpkinseed.
#8
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Posted 15 June 2014 - 12:28 PM
Have you ruled out green sunfish? They often have a dark dorsal blotch, red eyes, a little red/orange on gill flap, and checkered body pattern.
#9
Guest_Irate Mormon_*
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Posted 17 June 2014 - 09:04 PM
If you see railroad tracks, think bluegill.
#10
Guest_Heather_*
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Posted 07 July 2014 - 10:59 PM
A bluegill's mouth appears much smaller and more upturned than a pumpkinseed's in comparison even in young juvies.
#11
Guest_QuoVadis_*
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Posted 09 July 2014 - 10:53 AM
Have you ruled out green sunfish? They often have a dark dorsal blotch, red eyes, a little red/orange on gill flap, and checkered body pattern.
Yes, for me Greenies are super easy to tell, because they just have an entirely different shape. Plus I have a green sunfish already, and used to have them in the past. I am pretty confident the fish are juvenile Pumpkinseed. They just must not show all the pretty colors at 1" and under. Everything else adds, up, ray counts, eye color, gill flaps, etc. And when my brother-in-law was fishing at our cottage, he caught quite a few juvenile bluegill, and they do look a little different.
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