Redbreast Sunfish - Lepomis auritus

Also known as: Longear Sunfish (not To Be Confused With lepomis Megalotis Which Goes By That Name), Redbreast Bream, Sun Perch, Yellowbelly Sunfish

It is native to the east coast of North American from New Brunswick in Canada south along the Atlantic slope, east of the Appalachians, to about central Florida, but only as far as west in the Florida panhandle as the Apalachicola River. It has been introduced into nearby states, and into lakes in northern Italy.

The belly, or ventral surface, ranges in color from yellow to orange-red or crimson red and the ear lobe (a lobe or flat on the gill cover) is usually long and narrow. In adult males of this species the lobe is actually longer than in the longear sunfish (L. megalotis). The two species are readily distinguished by the fact that the gill cover lobe of the redbreast sunfish is completely black (or blue-black) all the way to the tip and is narrower than the eyes. The lobe of the longear sunfish is much wider and is bordered by a thin margin of pale red or yellow around the black. The pectoral fins of both species are short and roundish as compared to the longer, pointed pectoral fins of redear sunfish (L. microlophus), and the opercular flaps are softer and more flexible than the rigid flaps of species such as pumpkinseed sunfish (L. gibbosus).

This is an excellent panfish and a scrappy fighter. It can be caught with baits or lures and it can even be taken at night.