Fish ID?

[saxmatt]

I was fishing with ESOX FIX today and he got this big sunfish that was about 10” and around 1lb. What kind of sunfish do you guys think this is? I say redbreast/bluegill hybrid.

[Gunflint]

Pure bluegill with red phase markings.

[DR.SPECKLER]

Long ear sunfish is what it looks like to me.pure gills do not have that long ear or that color around here anyways.its some kind of hybrid mix.someone will know for sure probably taxi1.

[fishville]

I'd agree red breast, or a red breast/bluegill hybrid.

[hardwater diehard]

https://www.facebook.com/dave.genz/videos/1516316878515600/

[Ravo Himself]

Looks like a long ear to me

[lowaccord66]

How does that eat a pike bait?

[ESOX FIX]

It doesn’t, panoptix keeps my interest in jigging

[lowaccord66]

It doesn’t, panoptix keeps my interest in jigging

Mine too except when the screen is dead...

[Fishhead680]

Definitely a redbreast sunfish. Note the dark margin along the whole length of the opercular flap (no pale margin), the rounded pectoral fin (pointed in bluegill and pumpkinseed). Bluegill would also have a black spot on the soft dorsal too.

[mikez]

I believe it is redbreast x bluegill hybrid. Despite the obvious redbreast opercular flap (universally misinterpreted as a longear which aren't found in New England ), it has a very bluegilly shape and overall coloration. In particular there doesn't appear to be any red in the tail. A big breeding male usually have a noticeable red tail, even viewed from above swimming in the water. Finally, that would be quite large for a pure redbreast. Hybrids are often of unusually large size due to hybrid vigor which is why they're in demand for fish ponds.
Damn gills are hoes, they'll breed with anything.

[mikez]

Here's an old pic from one of my aquariums back in the day. This is just a young one, the flap hasn't grown out but you can see the red tail, the red spots on the body and the well marked face. This is typical for redbreast in Ma. I'm sure Ct as well.