# Largemouth/Bluegill hybrid ?



## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

Was fishing at my clubs pond today and caught some pretty weird fish. They looked like a rock bass, red eyes and everything but were colored like a Bluegill. All that has been stocked in that pond was largemouth bass, Bluegill and some fathead minnows. I know, Im the guy who stocks it. These were also started to spawn just like the largemouth do. Bluegill around here spawn much later. They weren't very big but put up a hell of a fight. Any idea's?


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## mmoetc (Oct 9, 2012)

This would be my first guess. Warmouth bass. http://m.myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/freshwater/warmouth/


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## kchamblee (Jul 30, 2014)

Warmouth would be my guess. They manage to get into even the most isolated ponds around here.


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

What you call a Warmouth we call a Rock bass. Now picture that fish with a bright Yellow/orange belly, blue striped cheeks of a sunfish.


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## mmoetc (Oct 9, 2012)

Rock bass and Warmouth are two distinct species. http://www.fish-fishes.com/fresh_water_fish/bass_rock_fish.html. Regional names can be confusing. Without detailed photos we're all guessing. For a real, accurate ID going to the nearest university with a good fisheries program will give results.


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

I agree, common names muddy the water. Any Blue gill type fish up here is called a Bluegill. The colors I'm describing are actually of what would be called a Pumpkin seed. If I was a novice fisherman my question might be from confusion of the species. But this is not the case.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

It could be a green sunfish. They are pretty widespread in the US. Look at the ear flap.

https://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A0LEVisJMEhV0ncAhLwnnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTBsa3ZzMnBvBHNlYwNzYwRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkAw--?p=green+sunfish&back=https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fyhs%2Fsearch%3Fp%3Dgreen%2Bsunfish%26ei%3DUTF-8%26hsimp%3Dyhs-001%26hspart%3Dmozilla%26fr%3Dyhs-mozilla-001&w=1208&h=739&imgurl=www.leboks.org%2Fsiteimages%2Fgsunfish1.jpg&size=148KB&name=gsunfish1.jpg&rcurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.leboks.org%2Fspecies.shtml&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.leboks.org%2Fspecies.shtml&type=&no=2&tt=116&oid=034f1f0930c2f037fb5bc8d9d4e8f854&tit=Green+Sunfish-+No+length+or+creel+limit&sigr=113s5i62o&sigi=1174sc03o&sign=10d4qsina&sigt=103jo2o6k&sigb=13chggesc&fr=yhs-mozilla-001&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-001

If you have water leaving your pond that goes to another water body it's pretty likely that greens have found a way upstream to your pond. They can lie on their side and work their way upstream in 1" or less of water.


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

I believe you solved the mystery. it very much resembles the fish we caught. Especially the one in the persons hand. thanks.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Most species of sunfish will cross with other sunfish species. One useful cross is bluegill male x green sunfish female. They are mostly male so have good growth but not all so it's only temporary and the population will change over time to slower growing fish.


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