Description
Green sunfish are found statewide.
Green sunfish have a large mouth and light green wavy lines on the side of their head. Bluegill, redear, and green sunfish are without a doubt the most common fish in Oklahoma. Just about every lake has a substantial sunfish population, and they are almost always willing to bite.
Facts: Because of its large mouth and voracious appetite it can often be caught on lures intended for bass. Sunfish are the perfect choice for introducing a youngster to the sport of fishing. May and June are top months to fish for spawning sunfish. Try using worms along shallow shorelines in areas protected from wind and boat traffic. If the action turns fast and you suddenly find yourself out of bait, try cutting small pieces of fillet from the back of one of your catches. Sunfish love these. Weedbeds are ideal habitat for really big bluegill and redear sunfish. So for the ones that hide here, try using small minnows throughout the spawning season in June. Stilwell City Lake is a top producer of large sunfish where anglers often latch onto bluegill weighing more than 1/2 pound! Later in the summer, slip-bobber rigs can be used to fish deeper waters. Although sunfish will feed throughout the day, peak activity often occurs early in the morning and later in the evening.
Habitat
Prefer small streams and ponds and can survive in habitats too small or temporary to support most other sunfish.
Food sources: Insects, fish.
Life Cycle
Green sunfish spawn primarily from May through early summer in a shallow nest-like bottom depression formed by the male.
