How do you determine male and female

[GrizzlyAdams]

Since it's that time of year when the fish are starting to fill with eggs I was curious how do you tell the difference between a male and a female fish. I would prefer to throw all the females back until, atleast, they have laid there eggs. Protecting these fish is very important to our fisheries and am also hoping this will help out others who are unsure of how to determine this. Is it a noticeable difference or is it something subtle that you look for?? Any and all suggestions are appreciated. Thank you in advance.

[eyebjim]

If you cut it open and there are eggs inside it's a female.

[GrizzlyAdams]

Yeah I know but it is harder to get them to swim after that.

[gregg52]

their not just now gettin eggs they have had them for along time

its pretty easy to see how big their bellys are

it obvious as hec if not sure give them a slight sqeeze

eggs are yellow=== females

white milk=== male

[goblueM]

well with perch if they have fat bellies usually they are female.

big pike are usually female

[RumRiverRat]

Depends on species.

Most are impossible to sex.

[bmc]

You might be doing a lake a favor by keeping some female fish, especially panfish. If you are hungry for fish, I wouldn't be too concerned about if male or female fish end up in the bucket.

As a general rule, the bigger the fishe the more likely it is a female. Fat belly's on female fish should be pretty obvious right now, so it should be fairly easy to tell which is which.

Brian

[GrizzlyAdams]

Most of the fish in this area are pretty small. Panfish especially. Word of a good bite gets out around here and the fish will get fished out rather quick. So big spawning fish are very important to a lot of these lakes. We are more encouraged to keep the smaller ones as there are so many. I don't keep fish too often but once in a while it is nice to have a fresh meal and I would rather keep the big girls in the lake. Just curious if there is a way to tell the difference between male and female. More so just trying to learn more about fishing in general. If you don't know ask.

[cold one sd]

If it absolutely can't keep it's mouth shut it is a female.

[eyebjim]

Just keep the smaller ones then and if it is male or female it won't matter. That way you won't be taking the bigger girls out.

[ANYFISH2]

I agree with eyebjim.

Really as far as trying to identify sexes this time of year to protect females is frivalous if you don't do it all year. Taking a female with eggs in late winter is no worse than taking a female without eggs in the mid summer.

Being the time of year you are probably refering to IDing panfish, crappies are tough I'd look for distented bellies meaning eggs, bluegill females are "usually" drab in color with more of a pail yellow belly, males "usually" are darker with a dark yellow to orange belly.

[Maverick]

The females smell better.

[Reservoir Dawg]

If it absolutely can't keep it's mouth shut it is a female.

I can't stop laughing. Good reply

[Pleasant]

If the fish is caught on the nicest shiniest lure you have it is a female.... if you get it on a plain hook and minnow it is a male....

[Gordie]

The females smell better.

makes you wonder what fish really used smell like

[Ed Carlson]

Males genital orifice is more V shaped, think wide like shoulders, and the female is more like a O ... as in circular.

As they near late March the females genital orifice will redden slightly and swell, in preparation for spawn.

Do a search on Google on walleye reproduction, it will show you pics of what I'm referring to.

It is not 100%, but it is a good rule to fallow for ID.

[jeffreyd]

peek under the skirt

[mrscott]

I know this one! We had a largemouth bass named Nate. Nate was his name because of the following test:

He was in a 55 gallon aquarium. I thought, "I wonder how territorial these fish are." I held up a mirror on the side of the tank. He quickly swam over, started swim dancin', and proceeded to release chunks of, what looked like styrofoam, into the water. He thought, "Wow! Look at that HOT MA MA!" He was indeed a male. He then swam all over the tank bonking his noggin off the side of the aquarium. Something I can personally relate to after such a satisfied session.