COMMUNITY PONDS - BIG BLUEGILLS

[Marathonman]

We caught some big, fat bluegills out of our davis county community pond. Mentally, I feel like I'm cheating because I'm going after planted fish in the local city pond but almost all the fish in all the lakes are planted anyway.
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[SkunkedAgain]

Just cause they are planted in town, don't mean they will bite... Been skunked on those community ponds myself, so don't feel bad about catching good fish where ever you can find them... Okay maybe the fish farm is a little bit of a give me, but community ponds sometimes have more pressure and make it even more difficult... Nice job... Later J
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[retch_sweeney]

I don't think Bluegills are stocked. They are prolific breeders on their own. Eat those big slabs and enjoy!
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[Cessna150]

About 15 years ago I caught some fish in a pond in NW Draper or SW Sandy. They all tasted like mud. I was disappointed.
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[Springbuck]

Take a quick look. Those are not all ACTUALLY bluegills, I don't think.

Of the three "bluegill" pics, I see two that may be hybrids. I have caught 5-6 hybrids at Kaysville, pond and one suspicious fish at Bountiful Pond. There are lots of green sunfish in both, and the hybrids I caught looked like bluegill/green sunfish hybrids.

I even caught one that looked EXACTLY like a pure pumpkinseed sunfish, except for some VERY faint bars on his sides. I mean you had to turn him in the sun to see them.

Really interesting catches. I'm very interested in this, bith for science, novelty, and actual catching. If you wouldn't mind a PM as to which pond you caught them? I won't blab, but I want to see how they act, grow, and figure out if they cross naturally, or if the DWR is messing with stock.

I also DO take my daughter (who has cerebral palsy) out to both often, and she loves to catch a big bluegill. It's getting harder and harder to mount an expedition to UL or Mantua with her.
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[Marathonman]

Hey Springbuck,
I've brought scouts over to get their merit badges and they all caught fish. Your daughter would love it. Close and accessible. I've caught crappie, bluegill, pumkinseed, mudcats, carp, green sunfish and warmouths there. I used dough for bait on #12 hooks. #14 treble would prob be better. I'll figure out how to pm
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[Joe_Dizzy]

I think you're correct Springbuck. All appear to be Green Sunfish/Bluegill Hybrids. Especially that last picture (fish on grass), you can see the characteristics of both species.

Here's an article on sunfish hybrids and why they are commonly produced and introduced into ponds: http://www.thejump.net/id/hybrid-sunfish.htm
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[AnglerDan]

I think those are tilapia not bluegill.
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