The Coppernose is a subspecies of bluegill native to the far southeastern United States. It is now commonly stocked in ponds throughout the South. Coppernose bluegill resembles the native bluegill, however the Coppernose can be identified by the copper colored band around the nose. They also have similar diets consisting of insects, crustaceans, and other aquatic invertebrates. Bluegill have small mouths that limit them to a diet of small meals. However, they may consume small fish, including juvenile sea bass. This is the main reason not to stagger bass stocking too long after forage stocking. Life expectancy is around five years for both the native bluegill and the coppernose.
Coppernose bluegill has a history comparable to Florida largemouth bass and in warmer climates, including Texas, Coppernose bluegill thrives. Research done in Texas suggests that the Coppernose bluegill grows faster and reaches a larger final size than the native bluegill. The largest Coppernose bluegill taken from private water in Texas was 3.25 lbs. Because the Coppernose grows faster and gets bigger, it will produce more offspring than the native bluegill. An adult female bluegill can produce more than 10,000 eggs per spawning. This is why they are stocked as the main component of the food chain to sustain largemouth bass. Bass has to eat 10 pounds of bluegill to gain a single pound of weight.
We often recommend feeding bluegill to get a good number over 10 inches, giving you a protected breeding population. This means that even your largest bass won’t be able to swallow those bluegill that reach lengths of more than 10 inches. Use a pelleted floating fish feed with 30-32% protein. You can hand feed or use an automatic fish feeder to disperse the food up to twice a day. Children especially enjoy watching the fish feed almost as much as catching them. Feeding the fish regularly will not significantly affect the overall catch rate, but it will at least double their growth rate.
Coppernose Bluegill will serve a dual purpose in your pond or lake. Not only are they fun and often easy to catch, they are the backbone of the food chain. They spawn shortly after bass in water temperatures of 67°F to 89°F and can spawn up to five times per season. Additionally, they mature to spawning capacity of just three to four inches. Bluegill spawned early in the season will mature and start spawning later in the same season. Early maturity and frequent breeding make them an ideal forage fish and a must for raising trophy bass.
