Green Sunfish
(also known as Green Perch)
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Lepomis cyanellus
Green Sunfish live in most lakes and streams throughout Ohio. They are tolerant of turbid water, unlike other sunfish. Green sunfish appear to have no preference for a particular bottom type, but they are usually associated with some type of structure such as brush, vegetation, or rocks.
Green sunfish have a moderately compressed body, but are not as deep bodied as other sunfish. The mouth is relatively large and the upper jaw extends back to the middle of the eye. The pectoral fin is short and rounded. Green sunfish are colored a bluish-green with emerald and yellow iridescence. The belly is yellow to white. The ear flap is black with a white to yellow margin. Frequently, green sunfish have a black spot near the end of the dorsal and anal fins.
Most adult green sunfish are between 3 and 7 inches. The largest specimen recorded in Ohio was 10.8 inches in length.