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Great Lakes Water Life Photo GalleryFishSunfish |
Family: Centrarchidae - Sunfishes
Family
ProfileDistribution and Habitat
N = Native, I = Introduced (exotic), X = Extinct, P = Extirpated
Image/Link |
Scientific Name |
Common Name |
Lake Superior |
Lake Michigan |
Lake Huron |
Lake Erie |
Lake Ontario |
Habitat |
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Ambloplites rupestris | rock bass | N | N | N | N | N | stream/creek/river/littoral |
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Enneacanthus gloriosus | bluespotted sunfish | I | stream/creek/littoral, tributaries only | ||||
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Lepomis cyanellus | green sunfish | N | N | N | N | N | stream/creek/river/littoral |
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Lepomis gibbosus | pumpkinseed | N | N | N | N | N | stream/creek/river/littoral |
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Lepomis gulosus | warmouth | N | N | N | stream/creek/river/littoral, tributaries only | ||
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Lepomis humilis | orangespotted sunfish | N | N | stream/creek/littoral | |||
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Lepomis macrochirus | bluegill | N | N | N | N | N | stream/creek/river/littoral |
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Lepomis megalotis | longear sunfish | N | N | N | N | stream/creek/river/littoral | |
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Lepomis microlophus | redear sunfish | I | I | stream/creek/littoral | |||
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Micropterus dolomieu | smallmouth bass | N | N | N | N | N | stream/creek/river/littoral |
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Micropterus salmoides | largemouth bass | N | N | N | N | N | river/littoral |
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Pomoxis annularis | white crappie | N | N | N | N | stream/creek/river/littoral | |
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Pomoxis nigromaculatus | black crappie | N | N | N | N | littoral |
Table modified from "The Life of the Lakes: A Guide to the Great Lakes Fishery" MI Sea Grant Extension, Michigan State University.
Species Profiles
Ambloplites rupestris - rock bass |
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Nocturnal. Feeds on crayfish, fish, and insects. Prefers clear gravelly stream near submerged cover such as rocks, ledges, and drift piles. Also near reefs, boulders and docks. Feeds on aquatic insects, crayfish and small fish. Length to 27 cm. World record is 3 lb. 10 oz | |
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Enneacanthus gloriosus - bluespotted sunfish |
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Found in vegetation and sometimes slightly brackish waters. Eat Insects and other invertebrates. Adults are 40-70 mm standard length | |
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Lepomis cyanellus - green sunfish |
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Hybridizes with other sunfish species. Tolerant of turbidity; known to gather around or in piles of brush in the water and in thick entanglements of floating vegetation. As do all sunfish larvae, larval greens consume copepods and waterfleas. Later in the year they begin to include aquatic insect larvae and small snails. Larger juvenile and adult greens add small crayfish, plant material, and small fish (including their own larvae) to their diet. Length normally to 15 cm but up to 27 cm. The Minnesota state record for this fish is 5.08 kg (11 lbs 3 oz). | |
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Lepomis gibbosus - pumpkinseed |
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They favor clear water 1-2 m (3-6.5 ft) deep in areas with lots of vegetation. Hybridize with other sunfish. Adapted to feed on snails by crushing shells. Pumpkinseed young and adults have similar diets; the main difference is the size of the food they are consuming. Their diet is mostly made up of animals, but they do eat small amounts of vegetation. Items that are common in their diet include aquatic (water) insect larvae, terrestrial (land) insect adults, young snails and clams, leeches, and larval fishes. Length to 20 cm. MN state angling record is 0.63 kg (1 lbs 6 oz). | |
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Lepomis gulosus - warmouth |
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Usually in sluggish, weedy waters, over soft bottom. Tolerant of low oxygen. Hybrids uncommon. Feeds on insects, crayfish, fish. Length to 25 cm. Average length is 5 to 8 inches. | |
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Lepomis humilis - orangespotted sunfish |
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Native to portions of the lower lakes, currently expanding range northward. Siltation of streams is permitting expansion of range. Feed on insects, crustaceans occassional small fish. Length to 8 cm. | |
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Lepomis macrochirus - bluegill |
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In warm weather, found to depths of 20 feet. Found in bays, marinas and rocky bottom areas, especially where vegetation is present. The young bluegill's diet is commonly rotifers and a variety of waterfleas. The adult bluegill's diet is mostly aquatic insect larvae (such as mayflies, caddisflies, and dragonflies), but also includes worms, crayfish, leeches, snails, plants, fish eggs, and sometimes small fish. Length normally to 12 cm, but may reach over 30 cm. The hook and line record for Minnesota is 1.37 kg (2 lb 13 oz). | |
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Lepomis megalotis (alt. peltastes) - longear sunfish |
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Hybridize with other sunfish. Prefers clear, gravel bottom streams and lakes - not tolerant of siltation. Feeds mainly on insects - adapted to grasp snail's foot and snap the shell off the body with a sideways flip of the head; also fish eggs and small crayfish. Formerly much more abundant. Length to 12 cm.Average length is 5-7 inches. | |
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Lepomis microlophus - redear sunfish |
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Introduced in southern Great Lakes drainage; hybridizes with pumpkinseeds. Feeds on snails and insects larvae and cladocerans. Length to 16 cm. | |
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Micropterus dolomieu - smallmouth bass |
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Usually in clear, medium-size rivers and lakes, but prefer temperatures above 20 C in the summer. Thrive in streams with gravel or rock bottoms and a visible current. Often found on reefs in the fall. Smallmouth larvae eat copepods, waterfleas, and other small zooplankton (small floating animals). At about 35 mm (1.5 in) they begin to include aquatic insect larvae and some small fish. At about 80 mm (3 in), they add crayfish to the menu. From 1 year old on, smallmouth bass eat mostly fish (darters, minnows, yellow perch, sunfishes, and others) and crayfish. Length to to 60 cm. Record 9.5 pounds. | ||
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Micropterus salmoides - largemouth bass |
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Commonly inhabit small to medium-sized clear lakes that have warm waters, sandy shorelines, and numerous weed beds. In the Great Lakes commonly in weedy bays and around docks as well as aound marinas and rip-rap. Rarely in the open lake. Young school together for at least 1 month. Largemouth bass are carnivores. As larvae, they eat copepods and waterfleas but soon add seed clams (ostracods) and small insect larvae. Before the end of their first growing season, they add small fishes to their diet. Adult largemouth consume many species of fishes (including sunfishes, yellow perch, and minnows), crayfish, surface insects, and frogs. Length to 60 cm. Length of life to at least 13 years. Record 15.31 pounds. |
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Pomoxis annularis - white crappie |
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Prefers clear water with aquatic vegetation, will tolerate some muddy water. Found especially along underwater structures (docks, piers, trees, stumps, rocks) at Secchi depth. Nest in large colonies near plants. Feed on insects, crustaceans, fishes. Length to 40 cm. |
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Pomoxis nigromaculatus - black crappie |
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Chiefly in rather clear, weedy lakes, usually in larger streams, lakes, and impoundments. Found especially along underwater structures (docks, piers, timber) at Secchi depth. Black crappies are carnivores. As larvae, they consume mostly copepods and waterfleas, but they begin to include tiny insect larvae when they get to be about 25 mm (1 in) long. As they grow they add more and larger insect larvae, amphipods, and finally small fishes. Full-grown black crappies continue to consume insect larvae, but minnows, small bluegill, and small yellow perch become their major prey. Length to 40 cm. The Minnesota record weighed 2.27 kg (5 lbs). |
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