Green Sunfish and Warmouth's New Jerseys 'Potentially Dangerous' Sunfish

[John Sheehan]

Hey People -Wanted to tell you all that the Green Sunfish and the Warmouth are both considered 'potentially dangerous' species in New Jersey.Was reading through the 2010 New Jersey Fish and Wildlife Digest and these two'criminals' were listed along with 8 others.According to the state because of their bigmouths they are too competitive to the other smaller mouthed native Sunfishes like Blue gills and Sunfish.The state wants anglers to kill these fish and send specimens into their department.
Curious if those more learned than me agree to the states thinking on this. I was looking forward to catching and releasing both these species.Never caught a Green Sunfish and only one Warmouth in my life I think.

 

UPDATE 8/21/12 : I have since caught a few Greenies in NJ but still haven't seen Warmouths.

[bluegillboogieman]

OK Mayo. My experience with warmouths is almost always under logs or around tree trunks that grow in water. Where is your target?

[Jeremy R. Mayo]

I agree with Jen. Warmouth to me have sweeter tasting flesh if you cook them whole. Done properly I hate to say Id take a batch of warmouth over gills any day. Stumpnockers or redspotted sunfish are even better. There tiny and the majority of people thow them back. There overpopulated here so if he aint eatin size its up to him to flop back in the water or fight the coons. They all go on the bank when caught in my boat. This year will be the year Im targeting the warmouth or as we call em goggle eye in alabama for a state record. I hope I get it soon Cause im sure ready to start hammering the elusive BIG BLUE GILL!

[Jen Nayfly]

A few years ago in drought conditions I got into a mess of warmouths in a brush pile, kept them and ate them. My suggestion is if New Jersey wants them gone is to cook them, eat them and enjoy. You might go ahead and send the carcasses to the state so they'll know you did your part.

[John Sheehan]

Hey Michael -How did they get there? Native or introduced?

[Bama Bream Buster]

Good morning John
I’m from the Southern part of Alabama and have caught many Warmouth or Goggle-eye as they are called here.
Not only are they fun to catch, they are also very good to eat. I don’t see them as a threat in streams or rivers, but
they can be very harmful in ponds and lakes. There is a small pond near my home that use to produce nice bluegills,
but the only thing you can catch now is warmouths. They will take over small ponds for sure. I was bass fishing last
weekend using live shiners and the first two fish I caught were warmouths. They are vicious fish and should be removed
from lakes and ponds.