Longear Sunfish

Longear Sunfish, Longear Sunfish ID, Longear Sunfish Identification, Sunfish ID, Sunfish Identification, Longear Sunfish on the Fly, Fly Fishing for Longear Sunfish, Sunfish on the Fly, Sunfish of Texas, Texas Sunfish Identification, Texas Fly Fishing, Fly Fishing Texas, Texas Freshwater Fly Fishing, Pat Kellner
Longear Sunfish
San Gabriel River, Williamson County, May 2021, Pat Kellner

Common Name: Longear Sunfish
Species Name: Lepomis megalotis

Texas Distribution: State Wide 

Characteristics:
  • White edges to the "ear" (Opercal Flap)
  • Often Very colorful
  • Breeding males can be bright orange or maroon
  • Turquoise spots on head and body
  • Shorter/Rounded Pectoral Fins
  • Small Mouth
  • 5-7 Cheek scales (to distinguish vs. Dollar Sunfish)
  • 3 Anal Spines
  • 6-13 Dorsal Fin Spines
  • 10-11 Dorsal Rays
  • 8-10 Anal Rays
World Record: 1 lbs, 12 oz, 15 inches; Elephant Butte Lake, New Mexico; Patricia Stout
Texas State Record: .84 lbs, 9.25 inches; San Marcos River; John Brownlee; Plastic Crawfish
State Fly Fishing Record: none listed

Info: Longear sunfish are very colorful and fairly easily recognizable, however they are similar in appearance to the Dollar Sunfish.  They are distributed throughout Texas, whereas the Dollar Sunfish is restricted to the eastern portions of the State.  Also, the Longear Sunfish perfers cleaner, clearer water to the slower water of the Dollar Sunfish.

Spawning occurs in late spring and early summer, preferably on gravel bottoms.

Their diet consists of small insects, both aquatic and terrestrial and small fish.  Small "buggy" looking flies (like Pat's Hot Tail Mini-Craw, Rio Poquito, and Deer Hair Ants) are typically very effective, as well as smaller patterns of Wooly Buggers, and Mini-Minnows.  

Longear Sunfish Identification Images from Texas

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Longear Sunfish
California Creek, Jones County, July 2019, Lucky Davis

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Longear Sunfish
Bee Creek, Brazos County, May 2021, Xavier Armando

Longear Sunfish, Longear Sunfish ID, Longear Sunfish Identification, Sunfish ID, Sunfish Identification, Longear Sunfish on the Fly, Fly Fishing for Longear Sunfish, Sunfish on the Fly, Sunfish of Texas, Texas Sunfish Identification, Texas Fly Fishing, Fly Fishing Texas, Texas Freshwater Fly Fishing, Pat Kellner
Longear Sunfish
Joshua Creek, Kendall County, July 2019, Bryan Fontana Scarberry

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Longear Sunfish
Las Moras Creek, Kinney County, July 2012, Pat Kellner

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Longear Sunfish
Llano River, Kimble County, May 2021, Paul Robertson

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Longear Sunfish
Nueces River, Real County, March, Mike Schlimgen

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Longear Sunfish
Nueces River, Real County, May, Mike Schlimgen

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Longear Sunfish
Onion Creek, Travis County, May 2021, Solomon Carl

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Longear Sunfish
Pedernales River, Travis County, March 2021, Pat Kellner

Longear Sunfish, Longear Sunfish ID, Longear Sunfish Identification, Sunfish ID, Sunfish Identification, Longear Sunfish on the Fly, Fly Fishing for Longear Sunfish, Sunfish on the Fly, Sunfish of Texas, Texas Sunfish Identification, Texas Fly Fishing, Fly Fishing Texas, Texas Freshwater Fly Fishing, Pat Kellner
Longear Sunfish
San Gabriel River, Williamson County, May 2021, Pat Kellner

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Longear Sunfish
San Gabriel River, Williamson County, May 2021, Pat Kellner

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Longear Sunfish
San Gabriel River, Williamson County, May 2021, Pat Kellner

Longear Sunfish, Longear Sunfish ID, Longear Sunfish Identification, Sunfish ID, Sunfish Identification, Longear Sunfish on the Fly, Fly Fishing for Longear Sunfish, Sunfish on the Fly, Sunfish of Texas, Texas Sunfish Identification, Texas Fly Fishing, Fly Fishing Texas, Texas Freshwater Fly Fishing, Pat Kellner
Longear Sunfish
San Gabriel River, Williamson County, May 2021, Pat Kellner

Longear Sunfish, Longear Sunfish ID, Longear Sunfish Identification, Sunfish ID, Sunfish Identification, Longear Sunfish on the Fly, Fly Fishing for Longear Sunfish, Sunfish on the Fly, Sunfish of Texas, Texas Sunfish Identification, Texas Fly Fishing, Fly Fishing Texas, Texas Freshwater Fly Fishing, Pat Kellner
Longear Sunfish
San Gabriel River, Williamson County, May 2021, Pat Kellner

Longear Sunfish, Longear Sunfish ID, Longear Sunfish Identification, Sunfish ID, Sunfish Identification, Longear Sunfish on the Fly, Fly Fishing for Longear Sunfish, Sunfish on the Fly, Sunfish of Texas, Texas Sunfish Identification, Texas Fly Fishing, Fly Fishing Texas, Texas Freshwater Fly Fishing, Pat Kellner
Longear Sunfish
San Gabriel River, Williamson County, May 2021, Pat Kellner

Longear Sunfish, Longear Sunfish ID, Longear Sunfish Identification, Sunfish ID, Sunfish Identification, Longear Sunfish on the Fly, Fly Fishing for Longear Sunfish, Sunfish on the Fly, Sunfish of Texas, Texas Sunfish Identification, Texas Fly Fishing, Fly Fishing Texas, Texas Freshwater Fly Fishing, Pat Kellner
Longear Sunfish
South Llano River, Kimble County, May 2021, John Guerrero

Longear Sunfish, Longear Sunfish ID, Longear Sunfish Identification, Sunfish ID, Sunfish Identification, Longear Sunfish on the Fly, Fly Fishing for Longear Sunfish, Sunfish on the Fly, Sunfish of Texas, Texas Sunfish Identification, Texas Fly Fishing, Fly Fishing Texas, Texas Freshwater Fly Fishing, Pat Kellner
Longear Sunfish
San Marcos River, Hays County, April, Mike Schlimgen

Longear Sunfish, Longear Sunfish ID, Longear Sunfish Identification, Sunfish ID, Sunfish Identification, Longear Sunfish on the Fly, Fly Fishing for Longear Sunfish, Sunfish on the Fly, Sunfish of Texas, Texas Sunfish Identification, Texas Fly Fishing, Fly Fishing Texas, Texas Freshwater Fly Fishing, Pat Kellner
Longear Sunfish
Wolfpen Creek, Brazos County, June 2021, Xavier Armando

For more information on Sunfish Identification: Texas Sunfish Identification Guide


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