Name/Relations || Range/Sizes || Habitat & Habits ||  Notes

Note: Green body and large mouth with blueish stripes extending from mouth.

Common Name:  Green Sunfish
Other Common Names:  sunfish, perch
Scientific name:  Lepomis cyanellus
Family:  Centrarchidae (Sunfishes)
Related Species:  Northern Rock Bass, Bluegill, Warmouth

Sizes: Max at  2 lbs, common 3"-6" (1/8lb-3/4lb), anything over a pound is a trophy
 

Habitat:  Almost anywhere the water can reach 75 degrees in some area during the summer.  Swamps, lakes, ponds, ditches, rivers, streams with clear to turbid water.

Spawning Habits:  Almost identical to Bluegill, and readily hybridizes with it and other sunfishes.  The male clears a shall dish shaped nest, usually adjoining the nests of other sunfish, in coarse sand or marble sized gravel, beginning when the water hits 68-72 degrees in spring or early summer (usually around a full moon).  He then entices females one at a time into the nest to spawn.  The male guards the nest until the eggs hatch and the fry loose their yolk sacks.

Feeding Habits:  Heavily omnivorous and agressive.  While usually a solitary ambush predator, where it hides under an object or rock then pounces, it will sometime venture into shallow open water during peak feeding times (sunrise, sunset, +/- 1hour).  Eats insects, rotifers, small crustaceans (freshwater shrimp, crayfish, scuds), minnows, some vegiatble matter, and generally anything that has the misfortune to be around it when it is hungry-including other sunfish! 
 

Notes:  While usually a solitary ambush feeder, it will often share habitat with, and cross breed with, Bluegill and other sunfishes.  A forage species for flathead catfish, smallmouth bass, and largemouth bass.  Can be caught on a variety of methods and light tackle, and on any lure .25"-3" long.   They will take worms, crickets, corn, bread, minnows, etc. fished on a size #10-#4 hook.   They are also easily kept in aquariums (if left lots of room from sunfish or smaller fish which it will attack and eat) and will eat anything fed it (a 'poor-mans' oscar).