Author: Darren Enns

Because fish can change their habits at night, it takes a little more skill to fish after dark. After the sun goes down fish rely on their solar senses. This means they count on their nerve endings to pick up on vibrations in the water. These vibrations can be moving bait and the wiggling of artificial lures. 

So yes, you can fish for and catch sunfish (panfish) at night. This includes bluegill, redear sunfish, rock bass, yellow perch, small bass, and small catfish. Predator fish can not see as well in the dark, and some are not active at night, so the above panfish (sunfish) will bite if presented with an enticing bait.

If you can find a dock with fixed lighting, that would be optimal. If there is not one close then grab yourself a floating light. These are specifically designed for nighttime crappie fishing. Work your jig from just outside of the light range towards the inside of the glow. The light will attract small bugs and baitfish, which will bring out the sunfish. You may even catch larger ones than you would during the daytime. 

For the rest of the article we are going to focus more on the bluegill, but everything we talk about will work on any type of sunfish. Bluegill are the most popular sunfish, also referred to as panfish. They are the most talked about and fished for. Bluegill respond best to small slow-moving bait. Worms, shrimp, minnows, and tadpoles. Believe it or not you can also use corn, bread balls, cheese, or cornmeal.

It is debatable whether bluegill bite at night. Some anglers say they do not because they are so active during the day. Despite many variables that have to take place, other fisherman say that they do bite at night. Since bluegill are a popular food source for predatory fish, they prefer to and try to stay hidden at night. But if they feel safe, the bait is appealing enough, and it is close enough to them they will feed. They will not come out into the open.

Minnows, active insects, and freshwater shrimp is the preferred diet for bluegill, and other species of sunfish, at night. Midges, moths, and mosquitoes are over populated after dark and will attract bluegill. Minnows and shiners will school up, to avoid being eaten. They are attracted to the insects on the surface of the water. 

Walleye and catfish come alive at night and bluegill are one of their prey. So, you can understand why they prefer to hide at night. Bluegill are normally hunkered down in a group near dams and tree limbs. Sometimes they hang out around lily pads, waiting for the sun to rise. 

Anglers have suggested that bluegill are more prone to feed at night, in the summer season. When the days get to their hottest temperatures, more of them will try to feed at night because they are trying to avoid the hot sun during the day. 

Top 10 Tips

There is no sure-fire way to catch any species of fish at night. It is trial and error, and sometimes just pure luck. Here are 10 tips that may help you in catching sunfish/bluegill at night.

Live bait: with bluegill it is the preferred option. Because of the predatory fish, as stated above, they will not venture out to chase a lure. You have to place the live bait as close as you can to the safe haven. *Berkley PowerBait (paste) is almost as effective as live bait.*

Fish tight to cover: docks, logs, vegetation, and dams are where you will most likely find bluegill at night. You are going to hav to find a way to get as close as you can to that cover if you want to have any chance of catching sunfish at night. 

Be patient: even during the day, patience is a good tip, but more-so at night. Sometimes it can take a few hours and some luck, just to catch 1 or 2 bluegill. If the bait is exceptional and close, it may make it a little easier. 

Artificial light: as mentioned earlier, light will attract the insects and other bugs that fish feed on, which inturn attracts the sunfish (or other fish) that you are fishing for. Again, floating crappie lights, dock lights, or even boat lights will lure in baitfish. For bluegill, cast our line right outside of the range of light. That is where they will hang out. 

Don’t fish after 10 p.m.: Bluegill seem to be more active after sunset for a few short hours. But after about 10 at night, you will need to pack it in or fish for a completely different species of fish. 

PIck the hottest day: bluegill will be more active after sunset, until dark, on the hottest days. They will be more likely to wait until it cools off a bit to come out and feed. But will not feed for more than a couple hours, because then some predatory fish become very active. 

Burley or attractant: toss cornmeal in at night to attract bait fish and lure out the sunfish. You can also create a burley. This is where you chop up some bait (chum) and randomly throw it overboard to attract the bait fish. But be mindful, without a constant stream fish will lose the trail and then it is not effective. 

Seek water without predators: if this is even possible; try to find areas with only bass and pike. These predators are inactive at night, making it easier to lure bluegill a little further out of hiding. Less danger is more attractive to the bluegill.

Don’t skip deep water: yes, bluegill are deeper during the hottest part of the day but they can also hide in deeper water at night. Behind boulders or other structures.

Calm nights: no wind, and calm waters are more likely to produce bluegill/sunfish after dark. 

Best Time of Day/Night 

During sunset and a couple hours before is the optimum time for bluegill. The bluegill are beginning to cool down, the insects are becoming more active, and the direct rays of the sun are diminishing. The bluegill do not like the bright sun so they will stay hidden in the shade (under docks) or deeper in the water. *Sunrise is the best time to catch them as well. Before it gets too warm out, they will be feeding. IF you can find a nice shady spot, then you will have great catching at anytime during the day*

Other information 

As we know, bluegill are part of the sunfish family and they are also referred to as panfish. A lot of anglers believe that bluegill are present for their value & as forage fish for bass and pike. Some even believe that without bluegill a lake can not produce trophy sized largemouth bass, as bluegill/sunfish are their main prey.

Bluegill are a vital food source for many predatory fish. An average adult bluegill is about 6-8 inches long and can get up to as big as 2 pounds. If you are looking to catch large bluegill, your best option is minnows. Even though bluegill are not very big, they can be fairly aggressive towards other fish. 

Final Thoughts

With a little extra luck, and changing up the bait and presentation, you can catch many species of fish at night. Some later than others. Sunfish are best tried a couple of hours before sunset, and an hour or so after and then they are going to go into hiding. There are many species of sunfish (panfish) that this article applies to, but we chose to focus on the most popular bluegill.

Some last minute reminders:

If you find shade on sunny days, you will have a better chance of catching bluegill, during the day and especially at night you will need to fish close to the cover that bluegills choose. Docks can be a goldmine, as bluegill can hang out underneath in the shade during the day and use it for cover after sunset. Make sure you go light. You do not need a lot of equipment to fish for bluegill. A lightweight spinning or spincast rod/reel combo is perfect. 

You are never too old to use a bobber. Sunfish (panfish) have small mouths and usually bite at the bait lightly, a bobber is extremely handy to detect these bites no matter what age you are. Also because of their small mouths, it is recommended that you use small hooks when fishing for sunfish/bluegill. This will also, almost always, guarantee that you will not tear the fish up when removing the hook. Most importantly, use live bait!! 1-2 inch minnows, mealworm, wax worms, night crawlers, red worms, grasshoppers, and crickets are just a few of the live bait choices. Sweet corn and small bread balls will work well too. 

Adding a small split shot to your hook will get you to 2-3 feet off of the bottom, which is the prime spot for sunfish/bluegill. This also keeps smaller fish from snagging your bait before a sunfish can see it. So, with the fishing season fastly approaching it is time to get all of our equipment rounded up and ready to go. Bluegill are a great sport fish for any age, so make sure you take the kids out and form some great outdoor memories. They will have a blast catching bluegill after bluegill and you can get some great video and pictures of the pure joy and excitement on their faces. Until next time, Happy Fishing!

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Sunfish have many different species, the most popular being the bluegill. They live in streams, lakes, and ponds. Some sunfish are better suited for ponds (and small lakes) than others. Please see our previous article on sunfish living in ponds. It explains which sunfish thrive in ponds, and which sunfish (and other fish) should not be put into a pond. Sunfish eat basically the same foods whether you have them in a pond or they are living in a lake. 

Sunfish eat: Insects, mosquito larvae, crustaceans, and crickets are favored by the sunfish with smaller mouths; like the pumpkinseed sunfish and the bluegill. The members of the sunfish family with the larger mouths prefer frogs, crayfish, minnows, and snails. 

Sunfish, also called bream, are considered panfish. As mentioned above they are found in clear water, streams, ponds, small and large lakes. They can range in size from just a couple of inches up to a foot in length. Despite some of them having a smaller mouth, they do have a full set of sharp teeth. 

Like a lot of fish, the sunfish will slow down considerably, in the winter months. But, they will eat when the food is available and presented enticingly. Their diets may change with the seasons and it may stay the same. Part of that will be determined by their environment. As the temperatures begin to rise they will feed more heavily. By May, the bluegills are spawning, which they do frequently.

As with many other species of fish, they eat the most in the early morning and later in the afternoon/early evening. They are not very active during the heat of the day. The spring rain or an early winter snow fall will provide an outstanding food source. It washes insects and other food into the water. In the summertime the thunder will fluch insects from trees and other vegetation.

Forage, other young fish, and minnows are the main source of food for sunfish in farm ponds and small lakes. The sunfish that are along the edges of farm ponds or creeks will feast on crickets and grasshoppers, especially in grassy areas. Many crayfish are too large for sunfish, with smaller mouths, to eat. Their young are the perfect size for the sunfish with the smaller mouths. Sunfish will also feed on molting crayfish. 

It is not recommended that you do it very often, but if you have a pond with bluegill you can feed them human food scraps; such as small balls of bread, corn, and crackers. But remember, they prefer worms, insects, and zooplankton. Also keep in mind that some sunfish are also used as bait to catch the much bigger fish; such as walleye, catfish, and trout. 

With the many species of sunfish, did you know that the largemouth bass and crappie are part of the sunfish species? Along with green sunish, small mouth bass, rock bass, and black bass. I didn’t know that either. As far as how many species o sunish, it depends on your location. In North America living in freshwater are 28 species. 

How do you know if you have a sunfish

There are 7 ways to determine whether you have caught a sunfish or something else. Most adults learned to catch sunfish as children, especially bluegill. But, sunish are often identified incorrectly.

Here are 7 external parts of the anatomy that will help you determine and confirm that you have a sunfish.

1. Mouth size compared to body size
2. Upper jaw length compared to eye
3. Opercular flap length
4. Opercular flap color and margin colors
5. Opercular flap flexibility
6. Pectoral fin length
7. Body coloration

You can get a more detailed list online, that gives you specifics for 9 species of sunfish, particularly the colors to look for.

If that all sounds like too much to try to figure out on your own, you can get the sunfish for your pond (or small lake) from a fish hatchery. But make sure you have researched and have decided on what type of sunfish you want to keep in your pond. Because with certain spawning habits you may need to add a largemouth bass or other predatory fish.

This will keep the number of malnourished pond fish down. 

Here are the top 6 most popular and largely found sunfish:

• Green sunfish – 2 to 8 inches long and up to 2 pounds. They like warm still water such as backwaters of sluggish streams, small shallow lakes, and ponds. Favorite food: dragonfly, midges, beetles, and freshwater shrimp.

• Longear sunfish – up to 9 ½  inches long and 1 pound. You can find this species in rocky and sand pools of creeks, rivers, lakes, bays, and ponds. These sufish primarily eat aquatic insects, crayfish, worms, and fish eggs. 

• Mud sunfish – not actually a member of the sunfish family, but uses their name. They are a maximum 6 ½ inches long. The mud sunfish prefer sluggish weedy water that is 50 to 72 degrees. There is a recorded mud sunfish that was 8.3 inches long. 

• Pumpkinseed sunfish – these are normally 4-6 inches in length but can reach up to 12 inches, and weigh up to 1 pound. They prefer vegetated and quiet small rivers, ponds, and pools of creeks. Their diet consists of crustaceans, ants, small salamanders, small fish, and water beetles. 

• Redbreast sunfish – most abundant in the Atlantic Coastal Plain streams. These are 6-8 inches average length, but 10-12 inches is possible . They can weigh close to 2 pounds. These sunfish prefer deeper stream sections and vegetated lake margins. They eat aquatic insects, snails, crayfish, and small fish. 

• Redear sunfish – these have white flakey meat and they fry up very nicely. The average size of a redear is 9 ½ inches and ½ a pound. But they can reach a whopping 4 ½ pounds. They love lakes, swamps, vegetated pools of small to medium rivers, and ponds. Their food choices are aquatic snails, amphipods, dragonflies, clams, fish eggs, and crayfish.

There you have the 6 most popular sunfish (besides the bluegill) and their information to help you determine if any of them are what you are interested in stocking your pond or small lake with. Depending on the species, you have quite a few options on what you are going to be able to feed them.

Best Areas for Ponds/Small Lakes

If you are going to have a pond (or a small lake) the optimum temperature in the fall is going to be 68 to 74 degrees. The pond water will lose the ability to contain dissolved oxygen if the temperature reaches 85 degrees or above. The higher temperatures will also cause your fish to be more active which in turn uses up more oxygen. Be extremely careful if you live somewhere that gets extremely cold in the winter, as the pond can freeze and kill your pond fish. 

You also need to know that many times plants will grow all the way across a shallow pond, which a lot of pond fish will enjoy. There, of course, will be little wave action and the bottom of ponds are usually covered with mud. During the colder months, the fish will usually hibernate down in the mud, coming up to feed occasionally.

If you are looking for something besides a few sunfish, and a predatory fish to have in your pond you can check into Koi fish. Most of the sunfish can be in the pond with the Koi fish with no issues at all. This will give your friends, and family a variety of fish to admire when they come over to check out your pond. 

When you decide to build your pond, there is one essential factor that we have not discussed, in any of our articles. Ponds can be freshwater, saltwater, or brackish. The type of water is going to determine what types of fish you can have in your pond. Most sun fish are freshwater fish, so if you choose to have a saltwater pond, you are going to have to do some extra research on the types of fish for that particular water choice. 

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Final Thoughts

Whether you choose freshwater, or saltwater make sure to do the research and talk to the local hatchery to determine which sunfish is going to be the best fit for you and for your pond. But no matter what type of sunfish you choose, we have given you plenty of options as far as what their diets could consist of. 

If you decide to construct a pond on your land, or you already have a pond with some sunfish, Koi fish, or other fish please send us a picture. We would love to see what you have done and how you have it set up. 

Until next time, we hope you are keeping safe in this crazy world of chaos, and as always, since fishing season is upon us (time to get that gear and that boat ready to go) Happy Fishing.

Here are some Human Foods that fish eat.

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Here are some size 8 hooks that should be just right for sunfish.

When buying fishing hooks you need to remember that they are referred to by number. The smallest fish hook size is a 32 and the largest is a 19/0. Hook sizes range from 32 to 1, the larger the number the smaller the hook. For hook sizes 1/0 (called a one aught) to 19/0, the larger the number the larger the hook. 

What size fish hook do you use to catch sunfish? Depending on the species of sunfish will determine the size of hook that you are going to need. Rock bass, redear sunfish, green sunfish, and others have a larger mouth than bluegill; therefore you can choose a bigger hook. For bluegill (and pumpkinseed) you will want a size 8-12. 

To keep the little kids interested you have to help them reach almost instant results. To do this you need to keep it simple; bobber and bait. The perfect fish for them to catch is the bluegill. THey are usually hanging around the end or edges of the dock. The biggest issue is unhooking and releasing the little fish. 

Some of them may swallow the hook. Instead of using pliers and wrenching the hook out of its stomach, try using a circle hook. More specific; an Eagle Claw “Circle Bait” size 12. These circle hooks will hook the jaw of the sunfish/bluegill. Making them easy to remove from the fish. Pair this with a live worm and a slip-bobber rig and the ids will be occupied for hours. FYI: make sure the circle hooks are non-offset. The hooks with off-set points will gut hook a fish every time. 

Bluegills seem to get more attention than any other sunfish. But there are redear, green sunfish, blue sunfish, longear sunfish, and many many others. In most of the lakes you can find a variety of sunfish species. In the South there are redear (shellcracker), bluegill, green sunfish, and redbreast sunfish. All but the bluegill will take a larger fishing hook. Usually a size 6 to a size 8 is the best for the larger mouthed sunfish. 

Look for sunfish in rock cover, weeds, and brush in shallow water. In the winter they will suspend in warmer deeper water. Bluegill spawn many times between June and October. Most other sunfish only breed/spawn once a year. They usually make their spawning beds in shallow water. The spawning beds can be easily seen in clear environments. The beds are normally on hard bottoms like sand or gravel and in the back of protected pockets or coves. 

Best Baits to Use for sunfish / Bluegill

Depending on the bait you are using there are a variety of baits that you can use to catch sunfish/bluegill. Earthworm and nightcrawlers are the traditional bait and most popular with anglers. Sunfish/bluegill are not picky, they will nibble on just about anything. Grubs, crickets, and even small balls of bread can catch them. Yes, I said balls of bread! There are a few artificial lures that will work on sunfish too. Dry flies, and small spinners, spinner-bait and jig-spinner combinations. The larger the sunfish species, you can use lures that are meant for bass. Although it will be hit and miss on catching the bigger sunfish species. 

Important Tackle for Sunfish

Ultralight spinning, fly casting, cane poles, and certain long fiberglass poles are all tackle that will work for catching most any sunfish species. You can keep it simple. There is no need to get extravagant equipment. 4-pound test line on a 12-13 foot pole with a split-shot, hook, and bait is all you need. IF preferred, you can also add a bobber, especially for the kids. 

Places to find Sunfish Species

Look to the border of California and Arizona for approximately 40 miles of perfect redear sunfish that top out at 3-5 pounds. Lake Havasu is home to many fish, including; striped bass, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and world record redear sunfish (shellcracker).

In 2011 there was a mammoth 5 pound 8.8 ounce shellcracker snagged. In 2014 it was knocked off the top by a 5 pound 12.4 ounce shellcracker, holding the current record. Many anglers believe there are redears in Lake Havasu that are over 6 pounds. 

What about giant bluegill? Is it possible to find them? To catch them? It can be done, with a different approach/technique than what you use to catch the smaller version. Here are some tips to help you find and catch the trophy-sized bluegill.

The first thing you need to do is look deep. The trophy sized bluegill remain deep, except to spawn. When they stay deep they are safe. You will need to focus on outside weed edges and areas that provide transitions in bottom composition. It is recommended you use slender, heavier spoons to reach the bottom quickly.

The second best thing you can do is go off of the beaten path. Explore where boats with outboard motors can not go. A good tip is to use Google Earth and locate the waterways that no other anglers are fishing. Use a kayak or a canoe to get to these areas. The fish will be less cautious about approaching your bait, as they don’t get many visitors in these areas. 

The third and final tip is to keep it fresh. No matter what type of live bait you are using, keep it fresh. If your nightcrawlers, leeches, and minnows are healthy and active they will attract the bigger bluegill. During the summer months you need to keep your bait cool. Use aerators or insulated coolers to maintain a healthy oxygen level. 

Where to fish for Sunfish

Keep in mind the time of year. Early to late spring and early summer sunfish will be getting ready to spawn. When the temperature reaches the mid-60s the sunfish will build their nests. When it hits 70 degrees, spawning will begin.

During spawning large fish are easy to find. Search for the spawning beds, easier to find in clear water. In the south, some of the sunfish will spawn all summer, but it will still peak in the late spring/early summer. Finding small sunfish is pretty easy. Most underwater structures near the shore are where they will be hiding. 

Larger fish are typically 8-12 feet deep. They will feed in the shallows 1-2 hours before sunset and after sunrise. Sunfish prefer to feed in areas such as; underwater grass beds, fallen logs or branches, and weeds. 

In order to maximize your chances of catching sunfish try to hit the lake in the early morning or late afternoon. Use cricket when the fish are feeding in the shallows. Be mindful of the fact that redear do not come to the hallows as often as other sunfish. They tend to stick around in deeper water. These types of sunfish prefer underwater snails and mollusks. That is how they got the nickname ‘shellcracker.’

You can also try fishing under dock lights at night. This may result in some of the best and biggest bluegills. Please be sure to make sure that fishing with dock lights is not prohibited in the area. Also check for the daily limit on bluegill (or any other species you will be fishing for). 

Final Thoughts

Always remember that the biggest hooks have the smallest numbers. If you use dull hooks or do not match the hook size to the species that you are fishing for, it can cost you countless catches. Use smaller, circle hooks for fish that have smaller mouths. This will prevent the hook from getting wedged in the fish’s gut. Use the bigger hooks for the bigger mouthed fish (catfish, small and largemouth bass, swordfish, etc..). 

Always have a pair of pliers in your tackle box, because there is a chance that a fish can swallow a hook, whether it matches the catch or not. Never forget to check all rules and regulations for the area you are going to be fishing. Make sure you also check the daily limit for catch and keep. 

The smaller sunfish, especially the bluegill, are the most fun to catch especially for children. Keep it simple, there is no need to have complicated and expensive equipment. 

Let’s go buy some hooks, in different sizes, and head to our favorite fishing spot in search of some sunfish big or small. Remember, 10 to 20 sunfish of 7.5 to 9 inches makes for a perfect fish fry or meal for 4. Happy fishing everyone!

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Sunfish; they are a family of freshwater fish. Sunfish are not an actual species of fish, but an entire group of fish that are found all over the continent. There are many many sunfish species and hybrids that are spread all over North America. Sunfish are extremely popular and are one of the most loved species by anglers. 

The big question that we are going to answer for you today; are sunfish good for a pond? Essentially sunfish are perfect in ponds and small lakes. But if you are going to put sunfish in your pond there are 2 things that you need to do: 1. You will have to have 1 predatory fish, like a largemouth bass, in the pond. 2. Make sure you are stocking the species of sunfish that you desire.

Having a predatory fish in your pond, alongside your sunfish, ensures that you will not end up with an overpopulation of malnourished fish. When there are no predatory fish around, the sunfish will reproduce quickly. Having the predatory fish will guarantee that you have good quality healthy fish. 

Picking the Species for your Pond

We are going to provide you with an overview of some of the species of sunfish. But remember, there are many species and hybrids. These are 4 of the top species. If you do not want what we have researched, or if you want something a little more rare, then you can look up species of sunfish and find all the information you need on most species. 

1. Bluegill: the most popular and best suited species for a pond. Adult bluegill will be between 3.5 and 10 inches long. Bluegill prefer to spawn where the bottom of the pond (or lake) has gravel, sand, or muck. Bluegill thrive on vegetation. They will spawn several times over the course of the summer months, hence the need for a predatory fish. You do not want your pond filled with malnourished bluegill.

1. Redear Sunfish: also known as shellcrackers, are similar in size and shape. They are also related to the bluegill. The redear is also an excellent choice to have in your pond. These fish are most recognizable by the red spot on the back side of the gill cover, on the male. The female has an orange spot. The adult redear will be between 3.5 and 9 inches long. 

Here are a few differences (and similarities) between the bluegill and the shellcracker.

• Shellcrackers are structure oriented and bluegill will frequent open waters
• They both will consume small aquatic insects and other similar bait
• Shellcracker prefer snails or mollusks
• Shellcracker only reproduce once per season, less likely to have overpopulation in a pond, with a predatory fish
• Both fish like to reproduce among sand and gravel beach areas
• They can both be stock in the same pond, together and can even reproduce to create a hybrid. 

1. Pumpkinseed Sunfish: these can be found in Central and Northwestern USA, but are also suitable for small lakes and ponds. They will grow to approximately 8 inches long. Pumpkinseeds are typically found in warm, calm ponds and lakes with plenty of vegetation. They will feed at all water levels, with the heaviest feeding happening in the mid-afternoon. Pumpkinseeds prefer insects, mosquito larvae, small mollusks, and crustaceans. 

1. Longear Sunfish: adults can reach 9.5 inches long and 1.2 pounds. Their habitat consists of densely vegetated shallow waters in lakes, ponds, and streams. They feed on small fish, insects, and aquatic invertebrates.  Although you can keep them in a pnd, most longear sunfish are found in streams as they prefer and are better at catching their food in moving waters. Females can produce up to 4,000 eggs at a time, in which the males will then tend to the eggs until they hatch. 

For New (and existing) Ponds

It is suggested to avoid stocking diseased fish or fish not suitable for a pond. The best way to avoid these situations is to buy your fish from a reputable hatchery. Some sunfish, such as the green sunfish, do not belong or do well in ponds or small lakes. 

When buying fish for your pond, your largemouth bass should be 2-3 years old and about 12 inches long. Bluegills will spawn several times between May and October, which will be the main food source for the largemouth bass. Within 3 years your bluegill should be approximately 5 inches long. 

Redear sunfish grow faster than bluegill, usually reaching 6-7 inches in 3 years time. Redear, as stated before, do not spawn as often as bluegill. So if you are only going to house redear sunfish it is not necessary to have a predatory fish. You will be less likely to have overpopulation with redear sunfish. If you do decide to get the predatory fish, you will need to keep extra food on hand for it. 

It is recommended that you stock sunfish in late summer to early fall. This allows the fish to grow enough to spawn in the spring of the following year. You can harvest the sunfish after 1 year, but it is suggested that you wait 2 years to harvest the bass (or other predatory fish).

Fish that are NOT good for a Pond

Some fish that you definitely NOT stock in your pond or small lake; crappie, green sunfish, bullheads, and yellow perch. This is because they usually become overpopulated and stunted. Plus, they don’t do well if you have kids/grandkids that like to play in the water. The green sunfish have a tendency to bite. 

Other fish that you want to avoid putting in your pond or small lake;

• Carp and suckers, they stir up the bottom of the pond keeping it mucky
• Flathead and blue catfish because they will consume your sunfish population
• Threadfin shad and gizzard are also not recommended for a pond because they become severely overpopulated.

Final Thoughts

One final suggestion: after you purchase the fish for your pond you will need to gradually introduce them to the pond water. This is because the pond water and the hatchery water are different. If you just dump the fish from the hatchery storage container into the pond, they are likely to die.  Just like when you buy fish from the pet store, and you take it home, you have to put the bag that the fish came in down into the fish tank water to get it the same temperature. That way the fish are less likely to die. 

So, when you bring home the shipping container with your pond fish, put a little bit of the pond water into the shipping container. Do this a couple of times over the next half an hour. This will get your sunfish adapted to the pond water, slowly. Then you can lower the shipping container down into the pond and allow the fish to swim out into the pond on their own. 

There you have it! The information that you need, if you are wanting to add sunfish/bluegill to your pond or small private lake. Again, if the sunfish we mentioned isn’t quite what you are looking for, you can do some extra research on your own or even contact a local hatchery to see what they have and what they recommend. 

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One thing that I did forget to mention is that you CAN put sunfish in with your Koi fish. So if you have a gorgeous Koi pond and you are wanting to add a little something to it, why not a couple little sunfish/bluegill or even a shellcracker? I didn’t look, so you may want to. Can you have a predatory fish in with your Koi fish? That may be another topic for another day! 

What are you waiting for? Go out and pick out some fish for your new pond or your private lake. Something that you and the family can enjoy and something that you can show off to your fishing buddies (because they aren’t allowed to fish for them).  Wouldn’t it be awesome, and kind of comical, to be the envy of your fishing buddies? The kids’ friends would want to come over to the house all of the time to look at (and try to play with) your sunfish. 

Happy pond building everyone. We will be back soon with some more amazing articles on sunfish, so keep your eyes open!  

Las Vegas is located in the southern tip of the state of Nevada. It is a city known for its gambling, neon lights, and vacationing tourists visiting hotels and trade shows. 

Get live Striper and bass bait HERE – worms too.

All of the fun in the sun in Las Vegas can be quite exciting, quite exhilarating, but what if you are the type of person that just wants to get away from it all and relax? Las Vegas is located in the desert right? That’s right it is located in the desert. Don’t let that stop you from getting away though. I have lived in Las Vegas all my life and I have no problem staying away from the glitz of the downtown casinos or the lights up and down the Las Vegas strip. Some of us just like the solitude and the fun of getting away and experiencing nature. 

I have heard people ask the question, is there anywhere to go fishing in and around Las Vegas? I suppose that’s a good question if you don’t know anything about the area especially considering that the idea of that much water being anywhere around in the desert seems quite unlikely. The answer, however, is yes. 

There are plenty of places around Las Vegas to go fishing. This article is going to cover only one of those places although I have other articles and videos that I have made that answer the more broad question.

Can you fish on lake Las Vegas Nevada?

The place we are going to focus on today is lake Las Vegas Nevada. Believe it or not, as long as Lake Las Vegas has been around, it still remains a mystery to most people even those who live in Las Vegas whether or not you can fish At Lake Las Vegas. 

The answer to that question is yes you can if you live there, or if you are staying at one of the hotels on the lake, or if you know someone who lives there who will fish with you or allow you to fish there.

Lake Las Vegas is a private lake surrounded by private homes and casinos as well as commercial buildings.

It is a 320 acre lake privately built and finished in 1991. Las Vegas wash runs underneath it and if you want a nice place to visit there are many casinos and amenities around the lake including golf, boat rentals, a 4 mile walking trail, concerts by the lake, and other activities. You are not allowed to put a personal boat in the lake but you can rent one of the boats on the lake and fish from that if you’re staying at one of the hotels or if you know somebody.

You will find that the lake is mostly filled with Carp and Bass. Most people who have fished there say that they have the best luck fishing with black, purple, and watermelon colored worms and jigs. Heres a little fishing kit to get you started.

As with all places in Nevada, you must have a fishing license to fish there. And the lake is a catch and release lake only.  https://nevada.licensing.kalkomey.com/

Hilton lake Las Vegas https://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/nevada/hilton-lake-las-vegas-resort-and-spa-LASLKHF/index.html?SEO_id=GMB-HI-LASLKHF

Westin lake Las Vegas https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/laswi-the-westin-lake-las-vegas-resort-and-spa/?scid=bb1a189a-fec3-4d19-a255-54ba596febe2

And The Village at Lake Las Vegas  https://thevillagelakelasvegas.com/(by the way I worked on that as a Plasterer back in the 90s) 

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Are the casinos you will find near the lake. I will leave a link so that you can contact them if you would like to schedule a reservation so that you can fish on the lake.

If you don’t know anybody that lives at Lake Las Vegas or if you do not want to stay at the casinos, just keep in mind that Lake Mead is only 10 minutes away and you can fish there even if you don’t know anybody. Lol. 

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