Sunfish shooting liquid

[salmotrutta]

I went fly fishing for topwater panfish a couple of times in July and noticed that sometimes, when I am holding a sunfish to remove the hook, a stream of liquid will shoot out of its cloaca.

I have never noticed this with any other species. Occasionally, some species will defecate while the hook is being removed, or if they are spawning either eggs or sperm will come out.

Are these sunfish just urinating?

 

[cokeh21]

I went fly fishing for topwater panfish a couple of times in July and noticed that sometimes, when I am holding a sunfish to remove the hook, a stream of liquid will shoot out of its cloaca.

I have never noticed this with any other species. Occasionally, some species will defecate while the hook is being removed, or if they are spawning either eggs or sperm will come out.

Are these sunfish just urinating?

no, indeed, it is sperm