Posted By: gar1970
Re: A Hidden Hill Country Creek ! Nice Longear ! - 05/22/17 03:24 AM
Wow chuck beautiful color!
Posted By: jagg
Re: A Hidden Hill Country Creek ! Nice Longear ! - 05/22/17 05:04 AM
The Hill Country's got some extraordinary fish in it but I think the Longar are the most beautiful. Not to mention the fact that the they go thru a couple of color changes most years. Nice report and trip, Chuck!
Thanks Leo and Jagg for the replies! Jagg: You are right on the money. The Longear are the most beautiful fish in the hill country! Also great fighters for their size!
Love fishing the hill country!
Posted By: Fishing_4_Life
Re: A Hidden Hill Country Creek ! Nice Longear ! - 05/22/17 12:15 PM
Wow those ARE some amazing colors!
Posted By: J-Moe
Re: A Hidden Hill Country Creek ! Nice Longear ! - 05/22/17 02:16 PM
Awesome looking fish and fishing spot
Thanks Alan,Fishing_4_Life,and Jamie for the replies.
Fishing some SUPER spots with some SUPER results!
Posted By: Dfitz
Re: A Hidden Hill Country Creek ! Nice Longear ! - 05/22/17 04:59 PM
Those are some head turning Longear Chuck
We don't have the orange belly version up here, it's more turquoise/gold dominant and some of the Rivers in ETX have a deep rust color.
The places you fish are incredible.
Posted By: 1960texan
Re: A Hidden Hill Country Creek ! Nice Longear ! - 05/22/17 06:32 PM
Beautiful, Chuck! As always, nice report and photos.
Thanks Andrew,Will,and BassMajician for the replies.
There are several places I fish that have very nice Longear!
Love that Longear Ultra Light Fight!
Posted By: Gitter Done
Re: A Hidden Hill Country Creek ! Nice Longear ! - 05/28/17 03:46 PM
Nice fish. Love the colors.
Side note. Wonder why the color tone is so different in other areas?
Posted By: Fishbonz
Re: A Hidden Hill Country Creek ! Nice Longear ! - 05/28/17 04:22 PM
Beautiful Country,surroundings,fish... nuff said. banker-always ketchin! Love your posts
Thanks Gitter and Fishbonz for the replies.
Gitter: Water conditions and the area I think are a couple of factors that play a part on fish colors. There is a lot of limestone in that area which helps keep the water crystal clear. Water quality I think is a huge factor on color tone. Just my two cents.
Side Note: The spawn is the biggest factor!
Posted By: Gitter Done
Re: A Hidden Hill Country Creek ! Nice Longear ! - 06/02/17 02:23 PM
Thanks Chuck. I kind of figured that. Love seeing fish caught in other parts of the state. The Bluegill section is a great section to see some beautiful fish.
Posted By: Dfitz
Re: A Hidden Hill Country Creek ! Nice Longear ! - 06/02/17 04:56 PM
The spawn plays a huge part in coloring fish up, in that they are cold blooded animals and when the water warms their metabolism changes and it allows the pigmentation to show from the increased blood flow. The same fish may look different if caught in the early morning vs mid day when the water has gotten warmer. They are also excited/stressed when caught on a hook and that makes their colors "pop". The clarity of the water makes a difference. The ones Chuck catch are mostly in very clear water so the colors are brighter & lighter so they don't "stick out". In more stained but still good visibility water and/or heavy vegetation (ETX) , the colors are deeper and darker. Also the fish that live in shallower water with more sunshine have more color than deeper fish. The water ph, diet, and the fact that they hybridize easily make for lots of color variations. A change in temperature or a change in the substrate in a lake, river, creek, pond (two ponds right next to each other, fed by the same water and stocked with the same fish but one has a dark bottom with grass and the other has a light bottom with riprap-------- the fish will look different). I keep Sunfish in two large aquariums (225gl, 175gl) and notice color changes when I feed them, when I change the temperature of the water, or see the fight for territory. These fish have strong chameleon tendencies, extreme aggression and are easily available to catch which make them my favorite fish to target from Late Spring to Early Fall.
These are my first hand observations along with book research. I'm no biologist just fascinated by these cool fish.
The spawn plays a huge part in coloring fish up, in that they are cold blooded animals and when the water warms their metabolism changes and it allows the pigmentation to show from the increased blood flow. The same fish may look different if caught in the early morning vs mid day when the water has gotten warmer. They are also excited/stressed when caught on a hook and that makes their colors "pop". The clarity of the water makes a difference. The ones Chuck catch are mostly in very clear water so the colors are brighter & lighter so they don't "stick out". In more stained but still good visibility water and/or heavy vegetation (ETX) , the colors are deeper and darker. Also the fish that live in shallower water with more sunshine have more color than deeper fish. The water ph, diet, and the fact that they hybridize easily make for lots of color variations. A change in temperature or a change in the substrate in a lake, river, creek, pond (two ponds right next to each other, fed by the same water and stocked with the same fish but one has a dark bottom with grass and the other has a light bottom with riprap-------- the fish will look different). I keep Sunfish in two large aquariums (225gl, 175gl) and notice color changes when I feed them, when I change the temperature of the water, or see the fight for territory. These fish have strong chameleon tendencies, extreme aggression and are easily available to catch which make them my favorite fish to target from Late Spring to Early Fall.
These are my first hand observations along with book research. I'm no biologist just fascinated by these cool fish.
Could not have side it any better! Great information Andrew!
Gitter: Yes Sir about the Bluegill section being the best. Andrew just showed why!
Posted By: 1960texan
Re: A Hidden Hill Country Creek ! Nice Longear ! - 06/08/17 06:46 PM
The spawn plays a huge part in coloring fish up, in that they are cold blooded animals and when the water warms their metabolism changes and it allows the pigmentation to show from the increased blood flow. The same fish may look different if caught in the early morning vs mid day when the water has gotten warmer. They are also excited/stressed when caught on a hook and that makes their colors "pop". The clarity of the water makes a difference. The ones Chuck catch are mostly in very clear water so the colors are brighter & lighter so they don't "stick out". In more stained but still good visibility water and/or heavy vegetation (ETX) , the colors are deeper and darker. Also the fish that live in shallower water with more sunshine have more color than deeper fish. The water ph, diet, and the fact that they hybridize easily make for lots of color variations. A change in temperature or a change in the substrate in a lake, river, creek, pond (two ponds right next to each other, fed by the same water and stocked with the same fish but one has a dark bottom with grass and the other has a light bottom with riprap-------- the fish will look different). I keep Sunfish in two large aquariums (225gl, 175gl) and notice color changes when I feed them, when I change the temperature of the water, or see the fight for territory. These fish have strong chameleon tendencies, extreme aggression and are easily available to catch which make them my favorite fish to target from Late Spring to Early Fall.
These are my first hand observations along with book research. I'm no biologist just fascinated by these cool fish.
Could not have side it any better! Great information Andrew!
Ditto. Very interesting and informative write-up.
Thanks Pot licker for the reply. Love those Longear!
Posted By: Laker One
Re: A Hidden Hill Country Creek ! Nice Longear ! - 06/17/17 11:08 AM
Nice fish Chuck. Love those colors.
Side note. Is the water body spring fed ?
Thanks Curtis for the reply.
The water body is spring fed. It's a creek. Water is in it year around on the part I was fishing.
Posted By: Laker One
Re: A Hidden Hill Country Creek ! Nice Longear ! - 06/26/17 12:08 AM
Thanks! Hopefully the springs got a shot of water from this latest front!
Thanks! Hopefully the springs got a shot of water from this latest front!
They did. Some more RAIN would not hurt!
Posted By: ottfamilyfarms
Re: A Hidden Hill Country Creek ! Nice Longear ! - 07/01/17 11:01 PM
Amazing color on those fish
Thanks ottfamilyfarms for the reply.
Yes Sir some of these water bodies hold some amazing fish.
Love catching those sunnies.
Posted By: Gitter Done
Re: A Hidden Hill Country Creek ! Nice Longear ! - 07/09/17 01:35 PM
The spawn plays a huge part in coloring fish up, in that they are cold blooded animals and when the water warms their metabolism changes and it allows the pigmentation to show from the increased blood flow. The same fish may look different if caught in the early morning vs mid day when the water has gotten warmer. They are also excited/stressed when caught on a hook and that makes their colors "pop". The clarity of the water makes a difference. The ones Chuck catch are mostly in very clear water so the colors are brighter & lighter so they don't "stick out". In more stained but still good visibility water and/or heavy vegetation (ETX) , the colors are deeper and darker. Also the fish that live in shallower water with more sunshine have more color than deeper fish. The water ph, diet, and the fact that they hybridize easily make for lots of color variations. A change in temperature or a change in the substrate in a lake, river, creek, pond (two ponds right next to each other, fed by the same water and stocked with the same fish but one has a dark bottom with grass and the other has a light bottom with riprap-------- the fish will look different). I keep Sunfish in two large aquariums (225gl, 175gl) and notice color changes when I feed them, when I change the temperature of the water, or see the fight for territory. These fish have strong chameleon tendencies, extreme aggression and are easily available to catch which make them my favorite fish to target from Late Spring to Early Fall.
These are my first hand observations along with book research. I'm no biologist just fascinated by these cool fish.
That's what I love about the Bluegill section. Anglers here have so great knowledge and share it.
The spawn plays a huge part in coloring fish up, in that they are cold blooded animals and when the water warms their metabolism changes and it allows the pigmentation to show from the increased blood flow. The same fish may look different if caught in the early morning vs mid day when the water has gotten warmer. They are also excited/stressed when caught on a hook and that makes their colors "pop". The clarity of the water makes a difference. The ones Chuck catch are mostly in very clear water so the colors are brighter & lighter so they don't "stick out". In more stained but still good visibility water and/or heavy vegetation (ETX) , the colors are deeper and darker. Also the fish that live in shallower water with more sunshine have more color than deeper fish. The water ph, diet, and the fact that they hybridize easily make for lots of color variations. A change in temperature or a change in the substrate in a lake, river, creek, pond (two ponds right next to each other, fed by the same water and stocked with the same fish but one has a dark bottom with grass and the other has a light bottom with riprap-------- the fish will look different). I keep Sunfish in two large aquariums (225gl, 175gl) and notice color changes when I feed them, when I change the temperature of the water, or see the fight for territory. These fish have strong chameleon tendencies, extreme aggression and are easily available to catch which make them my favorite fish to target from Late Spring to Early Fall.
These are my first hand observations along with book research. I'm no biologist just fascinated by these cool fish.
That's what I love about the Bluegill section. Anglers here have so great knowledge and share it.
Yes Sir and there are a lot of em.