My kids get excited about southern panfish. They talk about the brook trout and the largemouth bass, but it is the sunfish, bluegill, and pumpkinseed that they look forward to when we get close to our annual summer trip to Virginia.
We have plenty of panfish in New England. They are as willing to eat flies and lures up here as they are in the Old Dominion. But south of the Mason Dixon Line the panfish are bigger. After spawning in the shallows and leaving pot holes of gravel over large swaths of the ponds and lakes, they hold in massive pods and compete to attack any foreign object that hits the water’s surface. If I’m being honest, I get excited thinking about southern panfish.
Again, the south is not the only place panfish can be found. They’re located coast-to-coast, and include a handful of genera. There are Perca, with perch being the most common examples. Crappie are Pomoxis. But Lepomis are the panfish archetype. These are the “true sunfish.” They are often an important part of the new angler’s fishing journey. Few true anglers ever grow tired of their aggressive strikes and fights. Plus, they are awfully tasty.
Today I’m sharing five interesting facts about panfish. There is plenty more that could be said, but this information should add to your appreciation of this fascinating quarry. Or, at the very least, you’ll be able to impress your kids.
The name that stuck.
In 1796, the first American cookbook was published. Amelia Simmons’ American Cookery blazed an important culinary trail. It suggested serving turkey with cranberries. It used the Dutch term for small sweet biscuits (“Cookey”). It also called small species of highly edible fish “panfish.”
Paterfamilias.
The male panfish make the nest. The males court females as they pass by. The males guard the fertilized eggs. The males will also guard the hatched young for a time. Crayfish, frogs, and your woolly buggers will experience flared gills, audible clicks, and even charges from these protective dads.
Guy on the side.
Male bluegill aren’t just territorial after the spawn. They will chase off any potential competition. That is why smaller, younger males will not take on the spawning coloration and have a chance to slide into the romantic scene. Sneaking onto the nest looking like another female, they have an unobstructed opportunity to fertilize some eggs.
Warning! Warning! Warning!
Some panfish have neurally controlled chromatophores that change when they perceive danger. Often, it means their sides darken significantly. This gives a visual cue to all the surrounding panfish that they need to be alert or even flee the scene.
Eyes in the sky water.
A bluegill might save the city. The IAC 1090 Intelligent Aquatic BioMonitoring System is a technology that monitors the vitals of hand selected specimens. These fish live in small enclosures where muscle activity reflecting variables such as swimming and respiration are constantly analyzed. With their sensitivity to toxins, any spike triggers a warning.