Thread: Redear?

I have a 10 acre lake that is about 35' deep and full of Bluegill and has some Redear in it. I'm not real good at telling the difference between the two. I know the males have a orange spot (thus the red ear) but what about the females. i want to thin out the gills and keep the Redear.

A male redear will have a red gill flap, and a female will have a orange gill flap.

Chubby lil sucka aint he.

you can't go by the earflap alone, because I catch them all the time with just a blue ear, or a little cream color border to it. the longer nose and tail, and long pointed pec fins, and also the body coloration help me tell them apart.Ive never seen a redear with an orange or red throat either, they usually have a cream or yellow color throat. the only time I have any trouble identifying them is when they are small, to me they look more like a gill then. they way they fight gives them away too, bulldogging for the bottom when they see the boat.

Here's a few pics from my 2009 trip to KY lake of redears and a bluegill. Should help tell them apart for you.
Bluegill


male redear


female redear

That there is called a "Pan Fish",hmmmm,I wonder why.lol.Nice fish.

Originally Posted by chaunc

Here's a few pics from my 2009 trip to KY lake of redears and a bluegill. Should help tell them apart for you.
Bluegill


male redear


female redear

The waters out here in San Diego look nothing like that in your pics.....that looks real fishy & inviting!!!!

If I caught fish that big I`d have to get a bigger pan ! thanks fpr posting the pic`s
Pat

Originally Posted by Hayden

i want to thin out the gills and keep the Redear.

May I ask, why? THat's a large pond, plenty of room, and they occupy two slightly different niches, I'd think there'd be room for both.

Originally Posted by chaunc

Here's a few pics from my 2009 trip to KY lake of redears and a bluegill. Should help tell them apart for you.

So chaunc, you planning on coming back down next spring? I know a few excellent holes around KY Lake, where we could load a boat with those. If you do come back down, look me up!!!