Green Sunfish Species Breakdown
Scientific Name: Lepomis cyanellus
Also Known As: black perch, green perch and pond perch
Green sunfish are a freshwater fish in the sunfish family. Green sunfish are omnivores that eat insects, larvae, zooplankton, fish eggs, snails, crawfish and other small forage fish.
How to Identify a Green Sunfish
Green sunfish are a brightly colored blue-green with scattered dots of black and a white to yellow belly. They have a dark spot on the soft spiny portion of the dorsal fin and sometimes a spot on the rear part of their anal fin.
Green Sunfish Size
Green sunfish can grow up to 12 inches and weigh up to 2.2 lbs. However, they are more commonly found in the 3-7 inch range. A trophy size green sunfish is 8 inches long and larger.
Green Sunfish Size Chart – Length to Weight Conversion
| Length | 0″ | 1/8″ | 1/4″ | 3/8″ | 1/2″ | 5/8″ | 3/4″ | 7/8″ |
| 3″ | .26 oz | .29 oz | .35 oz | .39 oz | .43 oz | .54 oz | .54 oz | .60 oz |
| 4″ | .68 oz | .75 oz | .83 oz | .90 oz | .99 oz | 1.06 oz | 1.20 oz | 1.31 oz |
| 5″ | 1.41 oz | 1.52 oz | 1.64 oz | 1.81 oz | 1.95 oz | 2.09 oz | 2.24 oz | 2.40 oz |
| 6″ | 2.56 oz | 2.79 oz | 2.97 oz | 3.16 oz | 3.35 oz | 3.57 oz | 3.78 oz | 4.09 oz |
| 7″ | 4.32 oz | 4.57 oz | 4.83 oz | 5.11 oz | 5.46 oz | 5.75 oz | 6.05 oz | 6.35 oz |
| 8″ | 6.70 oz | 7.02 oz | 7.48 oz | 7.83 oz | 8.22 oz | 8.61 oz | 8.99 oz | 9.42 oz |
| 9″ | 9.98 oz | 10.41 oz | 10.86 oz | 11.32 oz | 11.82 oz | 12.31 oz | 12.98 oz | 13.51 oz |
| 10″ | 13.89 oz | 14.53 oz | 15.23 oz | 15.89 oz | 1 lb 1.4 oz | 1 lb 1.9 oz | 1 lb 2.4 oz | 1 lb 2.9 oz |
| 11″ | 1 lb 3.6 oz | 1 lb 4 oz | 1 lb 4.7 oz | 1 lb 5.5 oz | 1 lb 6.2 oz | 1 lb 6.9 oz | 1 lb 7.6 oz | 1 lb 8.3 oz |
| 12″ | 1 lb 10.1 oz | 1 lb 11.3 oz | 1 lb 12.2 oz | 1 lb 13.5 oz | 1 lb 14.7 oz | 1 lb 15.5 oz | 2 lb 2 oz | 2 lb 2.9 oz |
View World & State Green Sunfish Records
Where Green Sunfish Are Found
Green sunfish are native to most of the United States, northeastern Mexico and southern parts of Canada. They are considered invasive in Florida and New Jersey and must be killed if caught.
Green sunfish have also been introduced to Europe, South America, Africa, and Asia.
Green sunfish can be found in lakes, ponds, rivers, creeks, and reservoirs in these locations. They can be found in shallower areas and around cover.
Lifespan of a Green Sunfish
The lifespan of a green sunfish is typically 4 – 6 years. Green sunfish take about 2 years to grow to their full size.
You can tell the general age of green sunfish by referring to the table below.
Green Sunfish Age Chart
| Age | Length |
|---|---|
| 1 Year Old | 3 – 4 inches |
| 2 Years Old | 5 – 6 inches |
| 3 Years Old | 7 – 8 inches |
| 4 Years Old | 9 – 10 inches |
| 5 Years Old | 10 – 11 inches |
| 6 Years Old | 12 inches |
Fishing For Green Sunfish
Are Green Sunfish hard to catch?
Green sunfish are one of the easiest fish to catch. They can be found in shallow water near the bank and docks which makes them very easy to target. All you need to do is drop a small hook with bait on it in front of them.
What size hook do you use for green sunfish?
The #6 size Gamakatsu Octopus is the best hook for catching green sunfish.
What type of bait do you use for green sunfish?
They can be caught with live bait such as nightcrawlers, waxworms, mealworms, bloodworms, and even pieces of hot dog or canned corn. If you are looking for something to keep in your tackle box then Berkley PowerBait is a great options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are green sunfish good eating?
Green sunfish taste great but they don’t have a lot of meat per fish. Many choose not to eat them due to the amount of effort required to fillet them without the reward for a lot of meat. If you are willing to put the effort in they make great fish for a fish fry.
Is corn good for Green Sunfish?
Corn is one of the best baits to use when fishing for green sunfish. A corn kernel is the perfect size for their mouth and they absolutely love it. A can of corn is cheap and will last you an entire day of fishing.
Do green sunfish bite humans?
Green sunfish are not dangerous to humans. They have been know to bite swimmers, but it doesn’t hurt. They are are not poisonous or venomous.
Are green sunfish a carp?
Green sunfish are not carp. Green sunfish are members of the Centrarchidae family, while carp are members of the Cyprinidae family.
Are green sunfish a crappie?
Bluegill are not a crappie, although they are apart of the same Centrarchidae family. Green sunfish are in the Lepomis genus , while carp are members of the Pomoxis genus.
Are green sunfish related to bass?
Green sunfish are not related to bass, although they are apart of the same Centrarchidae family. Green sunfish are in the Lepomis genus , while bass are members of the Micropterus genus.
What fish will eat a green sunfish?
Bass, catfish, muskie, walleye, and pike all eat green sunfish apart from their normal diet.