How can you tell the difference between
Bluegill and Redear Sunfish?
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How can you tell the difference between
Bluegill and Redear Sunfish?
Most of the redear I've seen have a red fringe on the blue gill flap.
Attachment 51470
Another one is just the size. If you catch a slightly bigger one, it's probably a Redear.
Once you've seen a Redear and Bluegill side by side, you can see quite a difference between the two fish. Not only does the Redear have the red, orange, yellow or white edge on the gill flap, (it's not usually red here in California), and Bluegills just have a black or dark blue flap, the body shape is longer on the Redear. Adult Bluegill are more rounded where as the adult Redears are more elongated. Colors and markings are different too, but sometimes they look about the same with both fish...
The red ear.