Prettiest sunfish

[gillbum]

gillbum here,

John Gierach, one of our best contemporary fly/trout fishing writers, said in one of his 16 books, "the brook trout is prettier than it has to be." At least I think it was him who said it, and if it wasn't it should have been. John is also an ardent bluegill fisherman and writes about his pursuit of gills on a number of occasions. I've always felt that a statement like that could be said, and a case made, for several members of the sunfish family, too, in particular the bluegill and the pumpkinseed. Setting aside size and perhaps popularity, what say our little fly fishing group? Which is the prettiest sunfish, a male gill or a male seed, both in full spawning colors?

After decades of fishing for both, I personally, would give the edge to the pumpkinseed for color,with the gill running an extremely close second. I wonder how our little group would answer this? Remember, nothing counts in this little poll but prettiness or handsomeness, however you want to define it.

gb

[Bruce Condello]

In my humble opinion, the pumpkinseed has more vivid coloration, but the bluegill has a very special ability to create individual and group variations. It's kinda like Forrest Gump when he said "Life is like a nest of male bluegills. You never know what you're gonna get".

[Keith Owen]

Here in Oklahoma we have a little sunfish that rarely gets more than 3 inches long. A 4 incher is a "Wall Hanger" so to speak. It is the Orange Spotted Sunfish. In breeding colors it rivals what is generally thought of as the most colorful sunfish in these parts, the Long-eared Sunfish.

I don't know if any of you have these little guys around your fishing holes, but they can be shy at times. I usually catch them around large, stacked rocks, where they like to dart out and nab a small fly, then dash back into their hidey hole. They seem to hang around (under) boat ramps quite a bit as well.

They are rarely caught, and I think most anglers believe them to be small versions of better known fish.

They are great in an aquarium, and keep their colors well.

OkKeith

[Bruce Condello]

Dang, Keith! That's a beautiful fish! Can we get a bigger shot of that?

[Jeremy R. Mayo]

By far the pertiest fish I ever caught. Normaly though. These fish are very bland. Kinda brown in color.

With a gill I think the beauty comes in catching it. The time spent with the kids, Parents, Friends, Family or just by yourself for a moment of peace and quite. Just like old married people most of us have spent better than 25years with em. No matter how they act or look they are still just like our spouse what has given us some of our best and worst memories over the years. But nomatter what people say about em.....We smile and keep on fishin em. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Ive never seen anyone not smile that was holdin a bluegill.

Lovin ole faithful,
Mayo

[Bruce Condello]

Mayo! You said it all, friend.

We've had a lot of amazing and beautiful sunfish photos on this site, but that picture of yours is the most remarkable. I've looked all over the internet for a similar photo and I can't find one.