Sunfish are the heaviest bony fish in the world. Sunfish are typically very shy but can become accustomed to human interaction. Many sunfish can be seen at public aquariums and zoos.
Sunfish are widespread, but that doesn’t mean they can be found anywhere. Sunfish spend their early lives close to shore in clear water near coral reefs and seagrass meadows but move out into deeper waters as adults. There are ocean and lake sunfish respectively.
The common sunfish is usually brown or gray with dark mottling, though the juveniles have several lighter vertical bars. It has two dorsal fins, one near its head and another at the base of its tail. There are also spines on the gill plates just below the pectoral fin (which looks like a wing). The average size of adults varies depending on location; specimens larger than 1 meter (3 feet) long are rare. The smallest mature sunfish ever caught was just 55 centimeters (22 inches) in length.
Sunfish are found throughout the tropical and temperate waters of the world in both hemispheres. A single species (Mola mola) has been recorded in all of the world’s oceans except the Arctic Ocean, but they are most common in southern Africa, Australia, Japan, and Chile.
The geographical distribution appears to be associated with warm currents including the “El Niño” phenomenon. Sunfish spawn during periods when water temperatures reach at least 24 degrees C (75 degrees F). They can tolerate temperatures as low as 6 degrees C (43 degrees F), though that is only likely over short periods of time.
Sunfish feed on jellyfish and zooplankton. Adults are typically found in deeper coastal waters, while juveniles live primarily in the epipelagic zone at depths of several hundred meters.
Sunfish can be seen basking at the surface with their dorsal fins exposed.
They sometimes even raise their head above water like a sort of primitive periscope to spot food or look around for predators. If you see one, don’t worry; sunfish are harmless filter feeders that pose no danger to humans.
Sunfish prefer temperate waters. Some species live along rocky shores while others live among seaweed or corals. Some species migrate long distances between warm summer feeding areas and cold winter breeding grounds. Schools of juvenile sunfish will settle near beaches or piers where plankton is present in the water column during high tide.
Adult sunfish will also feed on nearby seagrass beds where minnows are found nearby for cover from predators. The lake sunfish mostly live in North America and can be found in most bodies of water.
Best Bait For Sunfish
Often, the fishing trips are pleasantly interrupted by the presence of sunfish (also called “common” or “bream”). These fish are usually not fished for. However, there is nothing wrong with pulling out a small rod and line to catch them while targeting other game fish.
Sunfish seem to eat anything you can float in front of them — worms, minnows, grasshoppers; even crickets. Although they may be caught on almost any hook baited with anything that will fit into their mouth, some things work better than others when targeting sunfish.
The best course of action is to use live bait – either threadfin shad or goldfish. Sunfish have very preferences when it comes to food. They like the immediate gratification of live bait, especially when it is moving in front of them. Threadfin shad are small fish that will stay alive for several hours if kept out of the water by holding their gills.
Goldfish are also very attractive to sunfish and can be found at local pet stores where they are often sold as feeder fish for larger game fish. You need to be aware that these fish are notorious for stealing bait. So in this case you should use something like the red wigglers or angleworms that will probably do the job for you. You should also look into worms that you should definitely cut into more than pieces as if it’s long, the sunfish will probably steal it.
We would also highlight grasshoppers and crickets, but be aware that you will need a large amount of them as they are easily snatched away. Anything live will do for this fish or just some stale bread will get them interested.
Whatever you choose to use, the lures and live baits you’ll require to be smaller if you are hoping to capture a large amount of bluegill. Hook sizes range from No. 6 to No. 10 are the most efficient. Hooks with longer shanks permit you to quickly take them out of the bluegill’s mouth for example. Also, the wire hooks that are thin work best to hold smaller baits.
Reeling in a sunfish after you have cast your line is easy — just use spinning or casting tackle rated at one-half to two ounces, depending on the size of the sunfish you are trying to land. Sunfish will not put up much of a fight compared with largemouth bass or trout, so just about anything will work.
The next time you are looking for an easy way to fill your stringer, consider sunfish. They will get the job done if it is not too complicated.
Article summary:
Sunfish are generally not fished for but they make the good catch and release baitfish live bait such as threadfin shad or goldfish work best reel them in if they bite the line. Sunfish will not put up much of a fight (compared with largemouth bass or trout) so just about anything will work. There are multiple types of sunfish including Bluegills, Pumpkinseed, Warmouth, Redear Sunfish.
If you’re looking to catch lots of fish, no matter how big the majority of lakes and ponds can provide a lot of fish. Even small local ponds can be good hits.
With all that let’s end our short overview of the Sunfish and we hope you learned something new and something that could improve your fishing game next season!
Adelaide Gentry, a seasoned kayaking enthusiast and expert, is the driving force behind KayakPaddling.net. With over a decade of experience navigating the world’s most challenging waterways, Adelaide combines her passion for adventure with a deep knowledge of kayaking to provide insightful and practical guidance for paddlers of all levels.
