Eli's 2014 OSF Multi-Species Challenge Entries - 30/35

[MuskieBait]

You can certainly contest it. I'm not a real expert (ie fishery biologist or ichthyologist) and I based my knowledge on only what I've read as well. I only appear to know more because sometimes I do read more material...but that doesn't necessarily make me an expert either. Experts are people like Dr. Milton Love and Dr. J.E. Randall (they are really nice and helpful people, BTW, absolutely no ego at all). Although, I do like to challenge others and do it often when I know "my stuff". However, I do have a pet peeve for people who challenge without knowledge or credible sources as their reference (which does not apply to you zippyFX ). This is just to say that anyone can feel free to challenge anything...just make sure you have something to back up your challenge...or else I would come charging in.

They are certainly difficult to distinguish. Between our (Eli and I) communication in the background, it is likely the fish he caught were hybrids also. They are known to hybridize. Hybrids can have full scaled belly just like the Rudd parent, but fins are more subdued like the Golden Shiner parent. You are absolutely correct that eye and fin colour seem off, but sometimes that could simply be due to the surrounding habitat. However, it is also possible that these are hybrids.

Eli and I both agree that these fish looks somewhat intermediate...neither full Goldens nor full Rudd. That's why I want to go catch some and see for myself Plus, if they are really Rudds, I want a new lifer ...and I want to fish in Ottawa for a Sauger since I desperately need a good picture of a Sauger for my lifelist.