Bluegill

Lepomis macrochirus

The bluegill is a bright, beautiful sunfish with a compressed, olive green, saucer-shaped body. Adults have:

• Bluish-purple iridescence on cheeks.
• An orange to yellowish belly.
• Black earflaps.
• Faint vertical bars on sides.
• A slightly forked tail fin with rounded lobes.
• Front portion of dorsal fin has about 10 spines; back portion is rounded with a dark-colored smudge at the base.
• Can grow to about a foot long, but are typically 4 to 6 inches long.

Where does the bluegill live?

Bluegills are freshwater fish but can also tolerate brackish waters.

• They are common in the quiet, slow-moving waters of the Bay watershed's lakes, ponds, rivers and streams.
• Bluegills prefer areas with a sand, mud or gravel bottom and lots of aquatic vegetation.
• Found in shallow, protected areas in the summer; in the winter they often school in deeper river channels.

What does the bluegill eat?

Bluegills eat a wide variety of organisms, including:

• Insects
• Crayfishes
• Bits of vegetation

How does the bluegill reproduce?

Bluegills spawn from April through September, once water temperatures warm to about 54 degrees.

• It is common for bluegills to spawn more than once per season.
• Males build nests in shallow-water areas by making a round hole in the sand or gravel at the bottom. Bluegills will often build nests close to one another, creating colonies.
• The male fiercely guards the nest from predators before and after spawning. He uses his tail fin to fan away any particles or detritus that could smother the eggs.

Other facts about the bluegill:

• Can be confused with the pumpkinseed, another sunfish. You can distinguish a bluegill by its black earflap and the dark-colored smudge on the back of its dorsal fin. However, bluegills and pumpkinseeds are able to interbreed, resulting in some confusing hybrids.
• Bluegills can live as long as 11 years.
• A favorite of young anglers because it is playful and very easy to catch. It will eagerly bite onto nearly any small natural or artificial bait.
• Well-known for being a delicious fish to eat!