Five Types of Sunnies

in Minnesota Waters

contributed by Lenise “...The most popular Sunnies with anglers are Bluegill and Pumpkinseeds, two of Minnesota's four species of sunfish...” email: MsAventure@abzorba.com

Identifying those little panfish

that are so much fun to catch

I started fishing when I was four years old, when my father took my brother and me fishing. The first time I plopped my line into the water from the shore, I wasn't sure what to expect. I only had to wait a short moment and the bobber disappeared with a sudden ploop. I jerked my cane pole straight up over my head. The line, the bobber and a fish burst out of the water. "I caught a fish!" I squealed with delight. "What kind of fish is it?" "A Sunnie." My father said throwing the Sunnie back into the lake. “A Sunnie, huh...?”, I thought. As I caught more fish, my father called them all Sunnies, but they couldn't all be Sunnies, some looked different from the others. As a small child, I counted five different types of "Sunnies", and a few weeks later I got to know them as, Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, Green, Hybrid and Rock Bass. Knowing and Being Able to Tell the Difference Today, a few decades later, I'm able to easily identify the different Sunnies. Here are some observations and images on how you can tell the differences between Sunnies. The most popular Sunnies with anglers are Bluegill and Pumpkinseeds, two of Minnesota's four species of sunfish. Both these species of sunfish are found in most lakes and streams around the state and spawn from late May to mid-summer. The Bluegill tends to grow larger than the Pumpkinseed. The Pumpkinseed has some bright orange at the very edge of the flap and both have a blue spot on the ear-flap. Pumpkinseeds are more orange colored, while Bluegills tend to be mostly olive colored. A mouth larger than most Sunnies distinguishes the Green sunfish. The ear lobe is black and has a pale margin. The Green sunfish is common in many lakes throughout Minnesota and flourishes in creeks. The Green sunfish usually is quite a bit smaller than Pumpkinseeds or Bluegills, although hybridization with larger Sunnies produces larger Green Sunnies. This brings us to another species of Sunnies, Hybrids. Hybrids are combinations of Bluegill, Pumpkinseed and Green Sunnies. These are the hardest to identify, because they have combinations of colors and features of all three Sunnies. So, if you catch a Sunnie that doesn't quite look like any particular Sunnie, it's probably a Hybrid. And the last Sunnie isn't even really a Sunnie at all; it is a bass, a Rock Bass. Fairly plump and hefty in comparison to Sunnies, the Rock Bass has red eyes and brassy flanks with black spots, and they tend to fight more like a bass. A large Rock Bass measures close to ten inches and weighs about one pound. I continue to enjoy catching Sunnies and occasionally squeal with delight when I catch a nice sized one. Minnesota States Records For Sunnies

[Statistics from MN DNR updated 3/9/2020]

Bluegill: 2 pounds, 13 ounces, length not available, Alice Lake (Hubbard County), 01/09/1984. Pumpkinseed: 1 pound, 5 ounces, 10.1 inches, Leech Lake (Cass County), 06/06/1999. Green: 1 pound, 4 ounces, 10.25 inches, North Arbor Lake (Hennepin County), 6/14/2005. Hybrid: 1 pound, 12 ounces, 11.5 inches, Zumbro River (Olmsted County), 07/09/1994. Rock Bass (tie): 2.0 pounds, 13.5(12.5)inches,  Osakis & Winnibigoshish Lakes (Todd & Cass County), 1998 and 2004 Other Minnesota Fish Facts