COMMON NAME: PUMPKINSEED
OTHER NAMES: PUNKYS SCIENTIFIC NAME: Lepomis gibbosus RANGE AND HABITAT: Widespread throughout the Lake Erie drainage, only scattered populations in the Ohio River. Prefer still waters with dense submerged vegetation. FOOD: Insects and insect larvae, some snails and fish ADULT SIZE: Normally 5-8 inches IDENTIFICATION: A very colorful, deep-bodied, slab-sided fish with a small mouth. Breast and belly are orange to yellow, with lighter colored sides in a variety of bright colors. The ear flap is black bordered with an orange-red spot. FISHING TIPS: As with other sunfish, a small hook baited with worms or wax worms will catch pumpkinseeds. Small artifical lures and flies also work well.
COMMON NAME: LONGEAR-SUNFISH
OTHER NAMES: NONE SCIENTIFIC NAME: RANGE AND HABITAT: Clear streams and lakes throughout Ohio; common in the Scioto River drainage. Prefer sluggish clear streams of moderate size with beds of aquatic vegetation. FOOD: Insects, insect larvae ADULT SIZE: Seldom exceeds 6 inches IDENTIFICATION: Back is olive-green with blue-green specks on sides; belly is orange or yellow. Ear flaps are longer than those of other sunfish, and are black, occasionally with a white border. FISHING TIPS: Due to their small size, few anglers pursue longear sunfish and most that are caught are accidental. Small hooks baited with red worms or wax worms are effective.
COMMON-NAME: GREEN-SUNFISH
OTHER-NAMES: SUNFISH
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Lepomis cyanellus
SCIENTIFIC-NAME: Lepomis cyanellus RANGE-AND-HABITAT: Most lakes and streams throughout Ohio; tolerant of turbid water unlike other sunfishes. Usually associated with structure such as brush, vegetation, rock piles, etc.
SPAWNING: Similar to other sunfish; eggs laid in a shallow nest near shore. Spawning occurs after the water temperature exceeds 68F.
FOOD: Insects, mollusks, and small fishes. Their relatively large mouth allows them to eat hard-bodied insects and mollusks.
ADULT-SIZE: Normally 3-7 inches
IDENTIFICATION: Moderately compressed body, but not as deep-bodied as other sunfishes. Mouth is relatively large, with the upper jaw reaching back to the middle of the eye; back color is bluish-green with emerald and yellow iridescence and the belly is yellow to white in color. Has short ear flaps with light colored margins. Anal fin has 3 hard spines.
FISHING-TIPS: Most green sunfish are caught accidentally while fishing for other sunfish spe-cies; they are aggressive and bite readily on red worms, wax worms or minnows.