PANFISH
(See here for top
panfish fishing sites, and here for
top crappie sites)
WARMOUTH
(Chaenobryttus gulosus)
Common Names - warmouth bass, warmouth perch, goggle-eye,
redeye and goggle-eyed perch.
Description - The warmouth closely resembles a bass or a
bream. It has a stout, deep body similar to that of a bluegill or
redear sunfish, yet has a large bass-like mouth. The red eye and
large mouth are the first conspicuous field marks of mature warmouth.
They vary from brassy to dark-olive green and often have a purple
tint overall. Broad, irregular dark bars give it a mottled
appearance. The soft-rayed portions of the dorsal and anal fins are
marked with rows of dark spots. Three or four conspicuous dark
stripes radiate back from the eye across to the cheek and gill cover.
Subspecies - There are no recognized subspecies. However,
warmouths readily hybridize with other members of the sunfish family.
Range - Found throughout Florida.
Habitat - Warmouths inhabit swamps, marshes, shallow
lakes, slow-moving streams and canals with soft, muddy bottoms. They
prefer to stay around aquatic vegetation, stumps, and snags and under
the banks of streams and ponds. They have more tolerance for muddy
water than most species.
Spawning Habits - Warmouths are solitary nesters that
prefer to build their nest adjacent to some submerged object. Nests
are found over a wide range of water depths. They often spawn more
than once a year usually between April and August. Females may
produce 3,000 to 23,000 eggs.
Feeding Habits - Warmouths are carnivorous. Crayfish,
shrimp, insects and small fishes make up the bulk of its diet. Most
of its feeding is done in the morning, as it seems to sleep at night.
Age and Growth - Warmouths are capable of living up to
eight years and may reach a length of 12 inches and a weight of
approximately one pound.
Sporting Qualities - The warmouth is one of the more
easily caught sunfish by anglers using cane poles and natural baits,
spinning tackle with small topwater lures and shallow-running
spinners. They strike hard, frequently breaking the surface of the
water. The best place to catch warmouths is shallow water around
trees, stumps, or vegetation. As a sport fish, specific bag and size
limit regulations
apply, and you can register a qualifying catch as part of the Florida
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's "Big
Catch" program.
Eating Quality - The warmouth are good to eat when caught from clean water. Like
other panfish they are relatively small and bony. The flesh is usually prepared
by deep-frying after rolling it in seasoned cornmeal.
State
and World Records - 2 pounds, 7 ounces, caught in Guess Lake
(Yellow River), Florida, in 1985. (Please check link for updates)
BLUEGILL
(Lepomis macrochirus)
Common Names - bream, blue bream, sun perch, blue sunfish,
copperhead, copperbelly, roach.
Description - Bluegills have small mouths and oval-shaped,
almost rounded, bodies. Body coloration is highly variable with size,
sex, spawning, water color, bottom type, and amount of cover. In
general, they are somewhat lavender and bronze with about six dark
bars on their sides. Males tend to have a copper-colored bar over the
top of the head behind the eyes. The breast is silver to slightly
blue most of the year, with some yellow or orange during spawning
season. Females are generally lighter colored than males. Two
distinctive characteristics are the prominent black spot on the rear
edge of the gill-cover and a black spot at the base of the posterior
portion of the dorsal fin.
Subspecies - Two are recognized: the northern bluegill (Lepomis
macrochirus macrochirus), found in northwest Florida;
and the Florida bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus mystacalis),
found throughout Florida except the panhandle. The bluegill also
hybridizes with other members of the sunfish family.
Range - Found naturally throughout Florida, and across the United States
because of widespread stocking.
Habitat - Bluegills prefer the quiet, weedy waters where
they can hide and feed. They inhabit lakes and ponds, slow-flowing
rivers and streams with sand, mud, or gravel bottoms, near aquatic
vegetation.
Spawning Habits - Bluegills are well known for
"bedding" in large groups, with their circular beds
touching one another. Bedding occurs in water two to six feet deep
over sand, shell or gravel, and often among plant roots when the
bottom is soft. Spawning
occurs from April through October with the peak in May and June, when
water temperature rises to about 78-80 degrees. A female may lay 2,000
to 63,000 eggs, which hatch 30 to 35 hours after fertilization.
Feeding Habits - Insects, insect larvae and crustaceans
are the dominant foods of bluegills, with vegetation, fish eggs,
small fish, mollusks, and snails being of secondary importance,
although they may dominate their diet during certain times of the
year.
Age and Growth - Growth is rapid in Florida. A
one-year-old fish may be four inches long. Spawning may occur the
first year. Bluegills can live up to 11 years, but most are less than
7 years old. The rate of growth
varies considerably in different bodies of water. However, a six-inch
bluegill in Florida is typically two to four years old.
Sporting Qualities - Because of its willingness to take a
variety of natural baits (e.g., crickets, grass shrimp, worms) and
artificial lures (e.g., small spinners or popping bugs) during the
entire year, its gameness when hooked, and its excellent food
qualities, the bluegill is one of the more important sport fish in
Florida and the eastern United States. As a sport fish, specific bag
and size limit regulations
apply, and you can register a qualifying catch as part of the Florida
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's "Big
Catch" program.
Eating Quality - Excellent; the flesh is white, flaky,
firm and sweet. They are generally rolled in cornmeal or dipped in
pancake batter before frying. Many rank the bluegill as the most
delicious of all freshwater fish.
World Record - 4 pounds, 12 ounces, caught in Ketona Lake,
Alabama, in 1950.
State
record - 2 pounds 15.25 ounces, caught in Crystal Lake,
Washington County, Florida, in 1989. (Please check link for updates)
REDEAR SUNFISH
(Lepomis microlophus)
Common Names - Widely known as shellcracker because of its
fondness for snails. Also called bream, yellow bream.
Description - The redear is similar in shape to the
bluegill, but lacks the dark spot at the base of the posterior
portion of the dorsal fin and has a red or orange border around the
"ear" flap. The body coloration is light olive-green to
gold, with red or orange flecks on the breast. The breast of a mature
redear is typically a rather bright yellow. The body is heavily
spotted and they have long, pointed pectoral fins. Five to 10
vertical bars are more or less evident on the sides, depending on the
size of the fish. Males and females are similar in appearance,
although the male is generally more colorful.
Subspecies - There are no recognized subspecies. Known to
hybridize with other members of the sunfish family.
Range - Found throughout Florida and the southeastern
United States. They are also one of the dominant sport fish in the
vast Everglades marshes.
Habitat - Redear are found in almost every freshwater
aquatic system in Florida. They are typically found on sandy or
shell-covered areas of ponds and lakes, and are often located near
grasses. Redear spend a great deal of time offshore in open
water, particularly in the winter. Other redear found in rivers
prefer, quiet waters and have a tendency to congregate around stumps,
roots and logs. They are common in lower, more slowly flowing reaches
of rivers. They tolerate brackish water better than other
sunfish. Like black bass and spotted sunfish, they may be abundant in
tidal areas near the mouths of rivers.
Spawning Habits - Spawning occurs during May, June and
July (March through August in central Florida) when water
temperatures reach 70 degrees. They prefer water three to four feet
deep, and a firm, shelly bottom, often near a dropoff. Nesting sites are often near aquatic
vegetation such as water lilies, cattails, lizardtails, and
maidencane. Breeding behavior is similar to other sunfish, with the
males doing the nest building and guarding the young. A female may
lay between 15,000 to 30,000 eggs during a spawn.
Feeding Habits - Redears are opportunistic bottom feeders,
foraging mainly during daylight hours on a variety of invertebrates.
Important food items include snails and clams which are crushed by
grinding teeth in the throat; larval insects, fish eggs, small fish,
and crustaceans. In some areas snails may be secondary to insects as
a food preference.
Age and Growth - Redears grow faster than any other true
sunfish. The maximum age is about eight years old. Nine- to 10-inch redears are common throughout Florida.
Sporting Quality - Strong fighters, but more difficult to
catch than most other sunfish. The redear does not readily take
artificial lures but is easily taken on natural baits. Most fish are
taken on cane poles with small hooks, corks, and split shot for
weight. Favorite baits are worms, crickets, grubs, and shrimp fished
in the spring and summer during the bedding season. Later in the
season they move to much deeper water or into heavy cover, where they
are difficult to locate. As a sport fish, specific bag and size limit
regulations
apply, and you can register a qualifying catch as part of the Florida
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's "Big
Catch" program.
Eating Quality - Similar to that of bluegill, with white,
flaky, sweet-tasting meat. Prepared the same as bluegill.
State
and World Records - 4 pounds, 13 ounces, caught in Merritt's Mill
Pond, Florida, in 1986. (Please check link for updates). World
record is 5 pounds, 3 ounces.
REDBREAST SUNFISH
(Lepomis auritus)
Common Names - redbelly, robin, yellowbelly sunfish,
bream, river bream, longear sunfish, sun perch and redbreast bream.
Description - The redbreast is one of the brightest
colored sunfishes. Males have yellow, orange or red breast, olive
upper sides, blending into blue-tinged bronze on the lower sides and
blue streaks on the cheek. Females are less colorful; their breasts
are yellowish or pale red. The most distinguishing characteristic of
this species is a long, narrow (no wider than the eye) extension of
the gill cover. These flaps, which may reach a length of one inch or
more, are entirely black.
Subspecies - There are no recognized subspecies. They are
known to hybridize with other members of the sunfish family.
Range - The redbreast is found throughout central and northern
Florida. It is the most dominant sunfish in such streams as the Oklawaha, Ochlockonee, Suwannee, and Santa Fe rivers. This species
has been introduced into the Blackwater and Yellow rivers in
northwestern Florida. They are also common in some lakes such as the
Harris Chain and Starke Lake in Ocoee.
Habitat - Redbreasts inhabit sand-bottom areas as well as
rocky areas of coastal-plain streams, rivers, and lakes. They
frequently concentrate around boulders, limestone outcroppings, logs,
aquatic vegetation, or in undercut tree roots.
Spawning Habits - They reproduce in typical sunfish
fashion by constructing circular beds; but not clustered like
bluegills, in water from one to three feet deep usually adjacent
underwater objects such as stumps and snags. They often occupy beds
that have been abandoned by other sunfishes. Spawning occurs from May
through August when water temperatures range from 68 to 82 degrees.
Males are the nest builders and guard the eggs and larvae for a
short period after hatching. The number of eggs laid in a season
ranges from about 1,000 to 10,000, varying with the age and size of
the female.
Feeding Habits - The redbreast's diet is probably the most
varied of any of the sunfishes. Principal food organisms are
bottom-dwelling insect larvae, snails, clams, shrimp, crayfish, and
small fish.
Age and Growth - Compared to some sunfish,
redbreasts grow slowly. Redbreast reach six-inches in about two to
three years. They seldom live beyond seven years and
commonly reach a length of eight inches.
Sporting Qualities - Redbreasts are prized game fish and
are caught on natural baits and artificial lures. They a good
fighters and will bite on flies and small spinners, as well as worms,
crickets, grasshoppers and small minnows. Unlike most sunfishes,
redbreasts bite well at night. Fishing from a drifting or slowly
powered boat is the best way to catch redbreasts, although angling
from the bank can be productive. As a sport fish, specific bag and
size limit regulations
apply, and you can register a qualifying catch as part of the Florida
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's "Big
Catch" program.
Eating Quality - The sweet, flaky, white flesh is
excellent eating. They are most often fried after dipping them in
seasoned cornmeal or pancake batter.
World Record - 1 pound, 12 ounces, caught in the Suwannee
River, Florida, in 1984.
State
Record - 2 pounds, 1.25 ounces, caught in the Suwannee River, in
1988. (Please check link for updates)
SPOTTED SUNFISH
(Lepomis punctatus)
Common Names - stumpknocker and bream.
Description - Spotted sunfish tend to be olive-green to
brown in color, with black or reddish spots on the base of each scale
to form rows of dots on its sides. On some fish there is a red bar in
front of many of the black spots, particularly below the lateral
line. These bars give the fish a reddish hue. Body shape is thick and
ovate, with the length about twice the depth. Some fish have blue on
the lower portion of the eye.
Subspecies - Two were previously recognized, but now represent
distinct species. The other closely related species is L. miniatus,
which
is found in Mississippi and in Gulf coast drainages. Intergrades may be
found in northwest Florida.
Range - It is found throughout the Florida peninsula and
west to the Perdido River.
Habitat - The preferred habitat is slow-moving, heavily
vegetated streams and rivers with limestone, sand, or gravel
substrates. They are virtually ubiquitous inhabiting large rivers to
very small creeks.
Spawning Habits - A nest-building sunfish that tends to be
more solitary than some of the other members of the sunfish family.
Males are very aggressive and antagonistic toward other fish in its
nesting area. The beds are about one foot in diameter and are fanned
out by the male, who also stands guard over the eggs and larvae.
Concentrations of beds are found where suitable habitat is limited.
Spawning takes place from May through November.
Feeding Habits - This species is very aggressive and will
take almost anything they can attack and catch. They generally feed
on the bottom, but sometimes it will rise to the surface to take
food. Spotted sunfish will feed on invertebrates, insects and small
fishes when they are easy to catch. The bulk of their diet consist of
a variety of plants and animals that are usually associated with
aquatic vegetation, brush, or rubble.
Age and Growth - Very little information is available on
age and growth. A four year old fish average about six inches long.
Sporting Qualities - Because of its small size the spotted
sunfish has limited value to the angler, but it is an active and
fiesty panfish. The same methods of fishing discussed for the
redbreast sunfish apply for the spotted sunfish. As a sport fish,
specific bag and size limit regulations
apply, and you can register a qualifying catch as part of the Florida
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's "Big
Catch" program.
Eating Quality - The flesh is excellent. Preparation is
the same as the redbreast sunfish.
World Record - None exists due to its small size.
State
Record - 13.25 ounces, caught in the Suwannee River, in 1984.
(Please check link for updates)
BLACK CRAPPIE
(Pomoxis nigromaculatus)
Common Names - speckled perch, specks, papermouth,
bachelor perch, calico bass, strawberry bass, or white perch.
Description - The black crappie is a silvery-green to
yellowish fish with large dorsal and anal fins of almost identical
shape and size. The sides are marked with black blotches which become
more intense towards the back. The dorsal, anal, and caudal fins also
are marked with rows of dark spots. Crappies have compressed bodies,
small heads and arched backs. It has a large mouth with an upper jaw
extending under the eye.
Subspecies - There are no recognized subspecies. They are
closely related to the white crappie that is found in Alabama and
Georgia. However, the white crappie is not found in Florida.
Range - Found statewide except in the Florida Keys.
Habitat - Black crappies thrive in clear, natural lakes
and reservoirs with moderate vegetation. They are also found in large
slow-moving less turbid rivers, provided the water is not too murky.
Crappies prefer water from 70 to 75 degrees but will tolerate water
over 80 degrees. It is gregarious and often travels in schools.
Spawning Habits - Spawning occurs from February to April
when water temperatures reach 62 to 65 degrees. They nest in
colonies. Circular nest are fanned by males over gravel or soft-muddy
bottoms and frequently around submerged vegetation in waters from
three to eight feet deep. After spawning, males guard the eggs and
fry. Females may produce between 11,000 and 188,000 eggs.
Feeding Habits - Primary food items are crustaceans,
aquatic insects and small fishes. Adults mainly eat small fish,
particularly open-water forage fish, like threadfin shad.
Age and Growth - Sexual maturity is reached in the second
or third year, with few fish surviving beyond their fifth year in
Florida waters. The oldest crappie aged in Florida, to date, has been
11 years old.
Sporting Quality - Black crappies are excellent game fish
and are highly regarded by bait fishermen and artificial-lure anglers
alike. They are easily caught during prespawning periods when the
fish are congregated in large schools. Trolling with small, live
minnows or a spinner-fly combination is very productive. They will
also strike subsurface flies, small spinners, jigs, and tiny
crankbaits. Crappies tend to suspend in midwater, so you may have to
experiment to find the right depth. As a sport fish, specific bag and
size limit regulations
apply, and you can register a qualifying catch as part of the Florida
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's "Big
Catch" program. See the
American Crappie
Association for moe
Eating Quality - Considered to be excellent eating by many
anglers. The meat is prepared by rolling in cornmeal or dipping in
pancake batter and deep frying, and can also be baked or broiled.
World Record - 4 pounds, 8 ounces, caught in Kerr Lake,
Virginia, in 1981.
State
Record - 3 pounds, 13.25 ounces, caught in Lake Talquin, in 1992.
(Please check link for updates)
FLIER
(Centrarchus macropterus)
Common Names - round sunfish and millpond flier.
Description - The flier is a small sunfish that has a
strongly compressed, deep, round body and small mouth. The coloration
is greenish or silver green to brown on back and sides with a cream
or yellowish belly with a brown dot on each scale giving the
appearance of numerous rows of dots. Young fish have a large black
spot surrounded by bright orange in the soft rays of the dorsal fin.
A dark vertical streak is present below the eye and extends to the
lower edge of the operculum. The dorsal and anal fins are nearly
symmetrical.
Subspecies - There are no recognized subspecies. Has been
known to hybridize with other sunfish.
Range - Fliers range from the northern part of the state
southward to central Florida.
Habitat - They inhabit dark, acidic waters of coastal
swamps, creeks, ponds, and canals. They prefer heavily vegetated
water and are often found under mats of floating vegetation. Fliers
can tolerate waters too acidic for other sunfish. They prefer water
temperatures from 75 to 85 degrees.
Spawning Habits - Spawning begins in March when water
temperatures reach 62 to 68 degrees. The male prepares a nest and the
female lays from 5,000 to 50,000 eggs. Nesting may be solitary or in
small colonies. Males continuously guard the eggs and recently
hatched young.
Feeding Habits - Fliers are carnivorous in their feeding
habits. They prefer insects, crustaceans, mollusks, worms, leeches,
and small fish are supplemented with small quantities of
phytoplankton.
Age and Growth - Fliers live as long as eight years but
grow very slowly. They may attain a maximum length of about 10 inches
and a weight of one pound, however most are much smaller. There is no
apparent difference in size or rate of growth between males and
females.
Sporting Qualities - Although fliers fight well for their
size, they are often too small to generate much interest among
anglers. Fliers can be caught on dry flies, tiny poppers, worms,
insect larvae and small minnows. Good fishing locations are around
cypress trees and stumps, near brush piles, and at the mouths of
small creeks and canals. As a sport fish, specific bag and size limit
regulations
apply, and you can register a qualifying catch as part of the Florida
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's "Big
Catch" program.
Eating Qualities - The flesh is sweet and excellent to
eat. The same methods of cooking other sunfish apply for fliers.
World Record - None.
State
record - 1 pound, 1 ounce, caught in Lake Iamonia, in 1985.
(Please check link for updates)
|
Bluegill
