Pumpkinseed (Lepomis Gibbosus)

Fish image created by Ron Pittard. © Copyright 2010 Windsor Nature Discovery, LLC. All rights reserved. Provided under agreement from Windsor Nature Discovery, LLC.

Pumpkinseed caught by Joe Riddle More Pumpkinseed photos.

Scientific Name: Lepomis Gibbosus

Fish Family: Centrarchidae

Other Names: bream, common sunfish, round sunfish, pond perch, pumpkinseed, punky, speckled perch, sun bass, sunfish, sunny, yellow sunfish

Identification:

Back brown to olive; sides lighter; breast and belly orange to red-orange. Back and sides speckled with orange, yellow, blue, and emerald spots. Sides of body with 7-10 faint vertical bands (especially prominent in female). Several narrow, wavy, emerald or blue lines alternating with orange-brown lines radiate back- ward from snout and eye. Breeding male more brilliantly colored than fe- male; breeding female exhibiting more prominent dark, vertical bands.

Distribution:

The pumpkinseed occurs in all three drainage basins in Wisconsin and in the shallow, protected bays of Lakes Michigan and Superior. It is widely distributed throughout the state except in the unglaciated re- gion, where its populations are disjunct. In Wisconsin, the pumpkinseed was encountered most frequently in cool to moderately warm waters.

Spawning:

Spawning takes place from late May to early August (peaking in June) at water temperatures between 67-80ºF. Males select a sand or gravel bar that can be hollowed out to form a nest. Before and after spawning, the male bluegill defends the nest aainst all species, but most vigorously against other male sunfishes.

State Pumpkinseed Records:

Michigan State Record:
1 lbs 5 ozs caught by Robert Howard caught on Wabasis Lake on January 1, 1993.

Minnesota State Record:
1 lbs 6 ozs caught on Leech Lake, Cass County on June 6, 1999.

Wisconsin State Record:
1 lbs 2 ozs caught on Big Round Lake on May 27, 2003.