Bluegills (Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque) from two central Tennessee lakes revealed monthly and seasonal variations of liver RNA-DNA ratios (liver RNA/DNA) and liver-somatic indexes (LSI's) that were associated with gonad maturation, spawning, and temperature. Liver RNA/DNA indicated a longer summer growth depression in fish collected from the smaller, shallower lake. Although LSI's were consistently higher in the smaller, shallower lake, liver RNA/DNA and scale analyses showed faster growth rate in the larger, deeper lake. Thus the LSI may be a useful indicator of relative food intake-energy storage levels within a single lake, but it does not necessarily reflect absolute growth rate of the fish. Liver RNA/DNA provided an indication of immediate or short-term growth rates.