Green sunfish world record
CASPER – “Just one more cast, please,” Chris Castleman pleaded several times the evening of June 7. Since his dad relented, it might be fitting to give him an assist for the new Wyoming green sunfish state record his 14-year-old son now holds.
On the very last of the “just one more” casts, Chris hooked a nice fish on his worm and bobber. He and his dad, Allen, knew the fish was much bigger than the panfish they’d been catching the evening of June 7 at Bryan Stock Trail Pond in Casper and thought it might even be a nice bass. Landing it surprisingly revealed the same species of panfish they’d been catching.
“But just about four times bigger,” Allen said.
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Other anglers at the pond suspected the fish was something special and encouraged the duo “to get it checked out.” That not only included weight — but also species. Neither the Castlemans nor their fellow anglers knew if it was a bluegill, green sunfish or pumpkinseed.
Sportsman’s Warehouse didn’t know either, but the father and son were further encouraged by an employee there declaring, “That’s the biggest panfish I’ve ever seen.”
The next morning Ridley’s Market generously w
Green sunfish
The
Green sunfish
(
Lepomis cyanellus
) is a small freshwater sunfish, a type of bream, native to the central United States and found in waterways across Alabama.
The native range of the green sunfish extends from the Apalachicola watershed on the east to the Rio Grande in the west, and as far north as the Great Lakes. They are rapid colonizers of intermittent streams and have also been spread intentionally as well as accidentally along with larger sportfish. They are sometimes disliked by anglers because their aggressive behavior gives them a competitive edge over the larger, more popular bluegill and spotted redfish. Green sunfish have been established in Europe, Asia, South American and Africa as introduced exotics, and are considered an invasive species in the western U.S. and eastern Florida.
The green sunfish is generally blue green on its back and sides with metallic pale bluish streaks near its head and along the lateral line and dusky vertical bars which are most pronounced in females. The scales show varying amounts of yellow or yellow-orange on the ventral sides and the edges of its fins, especially during spawning season. The fish displays pr
Everything You Need to Know About Green Sunfish
Sunfish are a group of fish that anglers love for countless reasons. They come in a variety of colors, habitat preferences and personalities. The Green Sunfish is one of the most popular (and aggressive) fish in this family. Let’s take a closer look at this species!
What is a Green Sunfish?
The Green Sunfish, scientific name
Lepomis cyanellus
, is distributed throughout North America. Often confused for a warmouth, it’s such a fan favorite that some even keep them at home in aquariums. This sunfish (also a panfish) is tiny, but mighty.
Why is it Called a Green Sunfish?
What gives this fish its name? First of all, it belongs to the sunfish family–a group of 38 different species with a few traits in common. Sunfish have “compressed” bodies and anywhere from 6-9 anal spines and two dorsal fins. Dorsal spines can be anywhere from 6-13.
The “green” in Green Sunfish comes from this fish’s coloration, which is a blue-green along the back and sides.
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The Biggest Panfish of All Time
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The term “panfish” dates back 200-plus years and simply refers to any fish that can fit into a pan. Depending on the size of your pan, that could be a pretty big fish. Today, the definition is a bit more specific, usually meaning a small, freshwater fish species cooked whole or filleted in a pan or skillet. Even the largest of some panfish species would still easily fit in the average skillet.
However, the individual fish we’re highlighting below are another story altogether. These are the true giants of the panfish world. So go find the biggest pan around, because we’ve rounded up the biggest panfish of all time, according to the “all-tackle records” recorded by the International Game Fish Association.
Bluegill: 4 pounds, 12 ounces
The current all-tackle bluegill record is held by T. Hudson, who caught a 4-pound 12-ounce fish on April 9, 1950 in Alabama’s Ketona Lakes. No other details about the catch are recorded by the IGFA, but subsequent stories say the fish was 15 inches long and had an incredible 18.25-inch girth.
Bluegills are found throughou