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Scientific Name
Lepomis macrochirus
Other Names
Bream (Brim) Coppernose, Copperhead, Bull bream, Blue sunfish, and Blue joe
Description
Bluegill are deep bodied. They are dark olive green with a distinctive black spot on the dorsal fin and intense colors on breeding males. The sides are a blue or silver color with vertical bars and the belly is yellow, silver, or white. The coppernose bluegill is a Florida subspecies whose fins have whitish margins and whose head displays a copper patch. These bluegill are stocked in smaller impoundments in the southern and central portions of the state. Bluegill usually weigh between 1/2 to 1 pound but some catches have been over 3 pounds. Bluegill can live up to seven years.
Habits and Habitat
These fish prefer vegetated waters of shallow lakes and ponds, feeding on insect larvae. Spawning begins when water temperatures reach around 65°F and these fish often spawn multiple times during the summer. Bluegill are community spawners with nests located close together. Nests are not located in heavily vegetated areas. Males will compete for a site, sweeping away sand and exposing coarse gravel.
State Record
Mississippi's Rod and Reel record is 3.45 pounds, caught by Gerald E. Thurmond in a farm pond in 1995.
Fishing Fact
Even small bluegill can put up a scrappy fight. Crickets, earthworms, and small artificials (spinners and flies) are excellent baits for bluegill.