+1 and a quick recovery

This is a really cool discussion thread. I will throw in my $0.02. I grew up on both sides of the Mississippi River between Vicksburg and Baton Rouge fishing in oxbows and barrow (bar) pits. Here is the key to our fish:

Largemouth=bass or green trout
Crappie=sac-a-lait or white perch (regardless of whether they were white crappie or black crappie)
Anything looking like a bluegill=brim
Redear=chinquapin
Bowfin=grinnel or cypress trout or choupique
Drum=gaspergou
Yellow bass or white bass=barfish

I never saw or caught a flier until graduate school. My only encounter was in ichthyology class. As I recall we remembered it by the anal fin being about the same size as the dorsal fin. I've had to adjust to the local names since being in Texas - crappie, black bass, and perch. Like others, I enjoy learning about the regional names of the fish I catch (or see on this thread). Well done everybody.

Good information Choupique!!! Thanks for sharing

OK, I am confused by the fish in the top picture. I catch both fish in the same location. I have caught bluegill, redear and BG X Red Hybrid in this location. Is the top fish a native bluegill, red ear or BG x Red Hybrid?

awesome thread, I've enjoyed reading through and learning quite a bit. That flier resembles a ciclid/crappie mix.

I took a look at my Bible for freshwater fishes, "How to Know the Freshwater Fishes", by Samuel Eddy. It was our field guide in ichthyology class. For the bluegill is says 10-12 soft rays on the anal fin. Spines are the hard ones that will stick you - rays are the soft ones. My book doesn't say how many the redear ought to have.

Any idea on this fish guys???

Looks Bluegill to me. The ear on the fish is not totally round like on pure Gills. Good chance it is a hybridized fish. I am leaning more Bluegill. Just my opinion.

Looks like a coppernose or coppernose x bluegill intergrade.

Very pretty fish.

Thanks banker-always fishing, and fishbreeder!!!
Did learn today that a few coppernose may have been introduced into this pond!!

Man, that is one beautiful fish. Don't believe I've ever seen that coloration before with the vertical greenish bars.

I did discover one other bluegill characteristic from my ichthyology class notes - a dark spot at the base and rear of the dorsal fin - you can see it pretty plainly in the pics on page 5 of this thread. Thanks for the picture...that is a beaut.

Not a Perch

When I started this thread back in December I only had a vague understanding of the different types of sunfish, bluegill and hybrids of each. But with the help and input of all you TFFers and some internet research I can now quickly identify all the different species I catch. During review of the TPWD private water body records I noticed that there was no fly fishing record established for Hybrid Green Sunfish. I also noted that the current rod & reel record, established in 1994, was 0.54 lbs and 9 inches.

I caught one over .5 lb. but it lost to much weight before I got it weighed.

Since the top water bite returned early this month I started fly fishing with Betts Fancy poppers that I purchase at Walmart. What I found is that the red and white popper was not only catching the biggest bass in the ponds, but also some really big sunfish and bluegill. For all you guys who fish with conventional gear, these poppers can be used with a float. Give them a try, they are lots of fun to fish with.

I was out fly fishing a pond for bass with the white popper. Mainly because I had only caught small red ear and a few greenies in this pond. As fate would have it, I caught a big hybrid green sunfish.

The red ear x green sunfish was 10 inches long and weighed 0.70 lbs.

One word "FANTASTIC"!






Side Note: Congratulations on yet another State record.

This is sooo AWESOME!!! Congrats