Sunfish vs Bluegill ID

[TubeDude]

LINK TO ARTICLE

We have had some discussions on the board about the differences between various species of "sunfish".  Thought I would share this article from Outdoor Life that pictorially helps explain those differences.

Just for the record, the primary sunfish species we have in Utah is the bluegill.  But there are also quite a few green sunfish in some waters.  Only rarely will someone catch a "pumpkinseed" or even rarer a redear sunfish.  None of these are native to Utah and some occur only as accidental or illegal transplants.

The article also mentions the Sacramento perch as being a sunfish...the only member of its genus.  And those seem to only be found in Garrison Reservoir in far western Utah...no longer in great numbers.

[Therapist]

For some reason DWR is dragging their feet on stocking Redear's ( Shell Crackers) at Powell to help control the mussels there. Havasue has them and they have done extremely well and helped with the mussel problem. Not sure why they are not moving forward on this !! Sunnies on a Fly rod w/poppers are FANTASTIC!!!

[gofish435]

Thanks for helping to educate us anglers, Pat.  

As you know I have always had a hard time telling a green sunfish from a bluegill and there are some hybrids in Huntington North that make it even tougher on me.

[TubeDude]

For some reason DWR is dragging their feet on stocking Redear's ( Shell Crackers) at Powell to help control the mussels there.  Havasue has them and they have done extremely well and helped with the mussel problem.  Not sure why they are not moving forward on this !! Sunnies on a Fly rod w/poppers are FANTASTIC!!!

Agreed.  I had access to lots of redears in the lakes of Arizona while I lived there.  They are more solitary than bluegills...but they hit hard, fight hard and are great eating (like all sunfish).  In most of the lakes I fished a 2 pound redear was a biggun.  But in Havasu they get over 4#.   Here's a pic of an "average" size redear from Patagonia Lake...in southern Arizona.


I'm betting they would do as well in Powell.  Why doesn't DWR go ahead and put them in Powell?  That is a "why" question.  My philosophy is that any question that begins with the word "why"...and has to do with the actions of people...probably does not have a good answer.

[RockyRaab2]

I have caught and released more than a few greens at Willard. The most obvious difference between them and bluegill is the mouth. It's noticeably larger on a green.

[TubeDude]

Thanks for helping to educate us anglers, Pat.  

As you know I have always had a hard time telling a green sunfish from a bluegill and there are some hybrids in Huntington North that make it even tougher on me.

Wherever there are two or more species of sunfish present, there is an opportunity for hybridization.,  Most of them have similar spawning habits in terms of water temp, bottom conditions, etc.  So they often set up nests in the same areas...at the same time.  Very easy for a wandering sperm cell to cruise over and fertilize an egg from a different species.  And the genetics are usually close enough that the hybrids can often also reproduce...further "muddying" the waters. 

Howsomever, there can also be color variations in the same species...at different times of the year, at different depths, in different water clarity situations, etc.  For example, many sunfish have a pale washed-out appearance when caught in deep water and/or under the ice...or in murky water conditions.  But catch them in warm, sunny conditions...in clear shallow water...and they are liable to be a lot brighter and more colorful.  Just something else to confuse us poor fisherfolks.

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I have caught and released more than a few greens at Willard. The most obvious difference between them and bluegill is the mouth. It's noticeably larger on a green.

Pineview also has a lot of greenies.  Ditto for Deer Creek.   But wherever you find them you seldom find schools...as with bluegills.  Greens tend to be more solitary.  And at least in Utah, they seldom grow as large as the bluegills. 

Those green sunfish DO have proportionately larger mouths...and larger attitudes too.  They will sometimes smack a large lure meant for larger fish.  Bass tanglers often find themselves setting the hook (or trying to) on these small fish while fishing for smallies or largies.

[RockyRaab2]

That's exactly how I've caught 'em: casting small cranks or paddletail minnows for smallies along the dikes at Willard. Feisty little boogers.

[doggonefishin]

Those green sunfish DO have proportionately larger mouths...and larger attitudes too. They will sometimes smack a large lure meant for larger fish. Bass tanglers often find themselves setting the hook (or trying to) on these small fish while fishing for smallies or largies.

One evening while fishing for smallies at Deer Creek, I kept catching green sunfish managing to get a 3 inch stick bait/senko in their mouth. Large attitudes indeed.

Another fishery that has a lot of the green sunfish/bluegill hybrids is Utah Lake. (and a healthy number of each progenitor species.)

[MWScott72]

For some reason DWR is dragging their feet on stocking Redear's ( Shell Crackers) at Powell to help control the mussels there.  Havasue has them and they have done extremely well and helped with the mussel problem.  Not sure why they are not moving forward on this !! Sunnies on a Fly rod w/poppers are FANTASTIC!!!

I agree 100% on this! Mucho fun on a fly Rod!!