Next question.. After looking at my new Avie..
How big are my feet? Or better yet, how long is that Mac?
If I remember right a foot is 12 inches no matter who is measuring it. As far as the Mac goes, it looks longer than you look wide.
Sorry Pat, but have a closer look at the SHAPE of the face and head of your fish and compare it to the shape of the face and head of N.E.T.O’s and Coldfooter’s fish. There is a distinctive difference there. Your’s is a Bluegill, their’s are Sunfish. Color is not the only thing to look at - Also look at the overall profile of the fish - it is the better identifing feature here.
Edited to correct my possitive ID on N.E.T.O’s fish. As I took a second look at it, I can’t make out in the photo the size of the mouth and eyes. The line on it’s chin may not be the jaw line. So, my ID on it is more guesstimate than anything else - it still looks like a Sunfish to me from the rest that I can make out in his photo.
…am I going to have to change my 2007 Fishing Ledger?
I still have the fish in my freezer at home.
Here are some characteristics that I noticed about it.
When extending the dorsal fin(s) on my alleged Green Sunfish, the front part is very short and the back part is higher. On the bluegill, the front part of the fin is higher and the back is shorter. Right next to each other that is the biggest difference, other than coloring of course. I didn’t take a close look at the mouth, so maybe I’ll have to thaw it out and take a couple of closeups…I don’t have a copy of the 2007 fishing proc with me, but I do have a 2005 and 2006. When looking at the 2005 proc, the fish I have may as well be the the actual photo of the green sunfish…it is identical. It even has those little “bars” on its back…of course so do bluegills.
Is there a definitive way to verify species?
I still think the middle fish of my photo is a Green Sunfish.
Randy
That fish is definitely a green sunfish…unmistakeably! The biggest green sunfish in the state come from the Enterprise Reservoirs…
You can always tell an opinionated person…but you can’t tell 'em much.
I expressed my opinion, based on having caught bajillions of both, in several states, and in working with state biologists to do the same.
Anyone who is ready to go to war over fish ID…from pictures…is an OVERLY opinionated person.
**I shall forever quit offering my opinions. **
hey pat im the only guy on this site that gets to hold back with opinions. lol. ive cornerd that staitment. and i charge for others to barrow it.
Agree’d Pat, to much to do over little of nothing..
I didnt mean to open a can of worms but, as I see it, if the fish in question was thaw’ed and pictures posted with its mouth open we can make a far better judgement call. As of now however I’ll remain with my opinion that its a Gill. From that angle, and with its mouth mostly closed, its mouth simply looks far to small to be a Sunfish ..
LOL ! Yer gonna stop offering your opinion ? Yeah right ! That’ll be about the same time you stop wanting to go fishing.
I know where you cought it!
right next to me catching some of the other fish in qustion.. [sly]
Ohh Man there is no respect here. On a lighter side thouse are some pretty healthy gills you had there TD.
Aw heck thoses are just puppies. You should have seen the ones that got away. Those were so big they could bite yer head clean off! Right Pat? [;)]
Btw, Nice gills my friend…
so when did you pick up that mack? he looks pritty good. were you with ash? looks like his back yrd to me.
Project for tonight:
Thaw the fish in question and post pics.
This has been an entertaining post. During the interum, I went out and did a search on “How to tell the difference between a Green Sunfish and a Bluegill”. You would be surprised how many discussions there are out there on this EXACT subject…and most end undecided!
But, as stated, I really am interested in knowing what kind of fish it is, and if anything, will educate me so that I certainly know in the future. I’ve recieved private messages this morning from about 4 different people, all of whom I admire and respect on this board … and the vote is 50/50!
I will thaw the critter out tonight, and take detailed closeups and post pics tomorrow!
Randy
LOL, shhhh! We wouldnt want to have the masses swam the little honey hole of poisonous monsters.. After all, their extremely dangerous to handle at those ridiculous large sizes. They could kill the common person where they stand, and not bat an eye.. [;)]
Cool Randy.. That may solve this debate.
After looking at it closer, I think you are right Pat… They are very hard to distinguish aren’t they…[:)]
yes, yes. indeed them fish at that size are far to dangres for the common angler.. no you must be traind in how to handel such fish before setting on such a quest and catching one of the likes of them! [sly]
Your so right, their absolutely vicious. Why it could sneak up and swallow a persons thumb before they knew what bit them.. And worst of all, I hear they carry the deadly “I cant catch a bigger fish” syndrome. And once a person contacts that they aint worth their salt. Just as well dip a hole in the ice and crawl in..[sly]