bluegill v.s. red ears

[Adam Grace]

I have called all bluegill look-a-likes, bluegill, for a long time. I haven't really cared about the differences until now. If you know the differences, please explain.

[Darian]

Hi Adam,..... Not a biologist but a Redear Sunfish has a orange/red border around the black flap at the back of the gill plate and, generally, they are lighter in color than a Bluegill. However, like you, I don't make a lot of effort to determine the difference...... To me, the important part is that they take a fly and "fight good".

And, a mess of 'em makes for a very good fish fry.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

http://www.okiefish.com/TheRedEarPerch.htm

http://www.okiefish.com/TheBluegillPerch.htm

[David Lee]

Quick way to tell -
Bluegills have black "freckles" on the forehead , most also have vertical dark bars ....

Redears (Shellcrackers) have a almost "tube-like" mouth and a lot of thin membrane between the lip and face , bright red/orange flap tip on the gillcover , and an overall "brassy" sheen on the body .

Green Sunfish have large , Bass-like mouths , blue "lightning-bolt" markings on the cheeks , and cream/orange borders on the fins .

Pumpkinseed Sunfish look like VERY colorful Bluegills (colors splashed all over the body) .

Of course , you could allways come out with me to see and collect some in the field . D.J.L.

[Jgoding]

I used to have a couple green sunfish in my tank! Beautiful fish, look much more like a bass though, very colorful. I even rescued one from a drying rice field last year, of course it did kill my resident fish and jump out of the damn tank..... ungrateful I tell ya!!

David, lets go to the Sac, we can catch some sunfish and see if you know what they are, not bluegill, or pumpkin seeds, or red ears, not sure what they are really, very colorful though, greens and blues mostly but shaped like a bluegill.

Jeff

[David Lee]

Hi Jeff - anytime ! If they have a bit of blue , they are probably Pumpkinseeds though .... D.J.L.

[Darian]

Ya know guys,..... There's also Warmouth and stumpknockers to consider. Too much info for me. I love 'em all and will probably continue to call 'em "perch" or "sunfish".

[David Lee]

Darian , point taken !! D.J.L. PS- Stumpknocker=Redear , are there Warmouth in California

[Hairstacker]

Hi guys! Speaking of perch, I read somewhere that there are TONS of yellow perch in Lafayette Reservoir, one of the very few if only places in Northern California that has these fish. Anyone ever catch one on a fly? I haven't but imagine you could probably get 'em with a small yellow woolly bugger....

[Adam Grace]

Wow, I never thought that I would receive so much info. I really like the picture that Bill posted, I like posted pics. I checked the site on Bill's post and it showed pictures of red ears, bluegills and green perch. I thought that the green perch were called pumpkin seeds, I love the blue marking. The green perch is quite possibly the best looking perch. I feel much smarter no about the differences between the perch. Thank you