I.D. this fish

[Jacks Grampa 0]

[mikechell 0]

That's a beautiful Green Sunfish in full breeding colors.

[Jacks Grampa 0]

Thanks. First I've seen with orange on the fins. Seems a bit late for spawn but I'll keep an eye out for beds in the shallows. It hit that booger like it was mad at it.

[Mark Knapp 0]

3 hours ago, mikechell said:

That's a beautiful Green Sunfish in full breeding colors.

That's exactly what I was going to say. 😁 Actually he's green because he envious.

[HookedOnFTF 0]

4 hours ago, mikechell said:

That's a beautiful Green Sunfish in full breeding colors.

Aren’t those considered an invasive species in Florida?

[tjm 0]

10 hours ago, HookedOnFTF said:

Aren’t those considered an invasive species in Florida?

Nonnative, but apparently not too invasive; they've been there since 1959 and are still in just five small areas  https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?speciesID=380

[mikechell 0]

I don't remember ever catching any here in Florida.  I used to travel to Houston, TX every year.  Mostly fished one drainage ditch called "Turkey Creek" that was full of them and Rio Cichlids.  

 

[Guest]

We call those stump knockers here in M’isip.  They hybrid them with regular bluegill for ponds.  

https://www.lsonews.com/craig-nyhus-18/

[HookedOnFTF 0]

6 hours ago, tjm said:

Nonnative, but apparently not too invasive; they've been there since 1959 and are still in just five small areas  https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?speciesID=380

I am 68 years old and have fished streams and reservoirs in central KY for 60+ years. Green sunfish have ruined countless bluegill habitats over the last 30 years here (IMO). The only thing worse is the dang Asian Carp that have taken over the Ohio River and even made their way into Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley.

[knotjoe 0]

1 hour ago, denduke said:

We call those stump knockers here in M’isip.  They hybrid them with regular bluegill for ponds.  

https://www.lsonews.com/craig-nyhus-18/

Yeah, I've seen the same type of thing naturally occur in inter-dunal ponds around the Great Lakes.  Not good for pure Bluegill populations, but those natty hybrids get obscenely large.  Ferocious, too.  Can't say I didn't enjoy doing battle with them during the years of my youth.  

[tjm 0]

52 minutes ago, HookedOnFTF said:

I am 68 years old and have fished streams and reservoirs in central KY for 60+ years. Green sunfish have ruined countless bluegill habitats over the last 30 years here (IMO). The only thing worse is the dang Asian Carp that have taken over the Ohio River and even made their way into Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley.

You should absolutely  notify the USGS, they believe Kentucky is within the native range of the green sunfish.

[tjm 0]

I think all the sunfish hybridize to some extent, I know I catch some that look like half and half most years. One major cause of invasives is the old bucket stocking by the good olboys.

[dogfacedoc 0]

1 hour ago, HookedOnFTF said:

Green sunfish have ruined countless bluegill habitats over the last 30 years here (IMO). 

A friend has 900+ acres and a private pond in western oklahoma, says any green sunfish gets culled as they are bad for bass too. What's ruined several lakes here is sand bass. 

[HookedOnFTF 0]

1 hour ago, tjm said:

You should absolutely  notify the USGS, they believe Kentucky is within the native range of the green sunfish.

Yes - green sunfish are a native species to Kentucky. When I was younger you rarely found them except in creeks. Now they are everywhere. The reason I made the Florida comment was because they are not native to Florida. They need to make sure they don’t spread. I make an annual visit to the Sebring area and it’s many lakes with wonderful bluegill and red ear (shell crackers). I would hate to see those habitats ruined. 

[Mark Knapp 0]

13 minutes ago, HookedOnFTF said:

Yes - green sunfish are a native species to Kentucky. When I was younger you rarely found them except in creeks. Now they are everywhere. The reason I made the Florida comment was because they are not native to Florida. They need to make sure they don’t spread. I make an annual visit to the Sebring area and it’s many lakes with wonderful bluegill and red ear (shell crackers). I would hate to see those habitats ruined. 

Do they ruin the habitat or just replace the other fish. If they get real big and they fight hard, is it a huge loss? Other than liking the other species is habitat lost?

Just wondering not arguing.

Up here, dominant species are expanding their ranges and replacing other species all the time. Coyotes will replace foxes and wolves will replace coyotes. We always counted it as a natural thing that we accept.