Post By: Kev-o Posted: 10/7/2015 1:38:22 PMPoints: 44306
Just returned from a trip to Wisconsin and on the back of their regulations something interesting caught my eye, it's about the growth rate of bluegills. I had no idea that they could be so old yet so small. Great info.
Thanks. Good info. I rather doubt many understand how long it takes a gill to get to edible size. Or understand that an 8-12 inch trout is only a year or two old. Even better that a 12-18 pike is only a year old on productive waters.
I realize growth rates vary between states and even waters in a state, however, if you can get the information, it might be good to put on the species page. That way someone new to the species understands how long it takes to grow a trophy. Lake trout as an example, those fish are old.
Reply by: jibber Posted: 10/8/2015 8:31:28 AM Points: 9694
Spoke with the biologist for Chatfield this spring and he said a 10 inch Smallmouth in that lake was three years old. I was shocked at how slow the fish grow.
That's pretty cool. I might be wrong but I think the growth rate varies considerably on where they live. For example, I think they grow much faster in the south ie. Texas, Louisiana, Florida and other southern states that the waters are warmer, thus creating a more favorable environment for them. Up North the waters are much colder and freeze, which slows down their metabolism. I've read that Largemouth can grow as much as 12 inches per year in Texas. Anyway, it's still very cool of that state to explain more about that particular species.
