Lepomis gibbosus
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Pumpkinseed
Above: A Pumpkinseed Sunfish. Photo by Sam Borstein.
Etymology:
Genus- Lepomis= scaled gill (Greek).
Species- gibbosus= wide margin (Greek).
Intro:
The Pumpkinseed, a sunfish related to the bluegill, is a fun fish to
catch. This species, which is extremely colorful, gets its name from
the orange spots on its body.
Habitat:
Pumpkinseeds can be found anywhere, lakes, rivers, ponds, anywhere.
This fish is not picky, but will spend time by weeds and sunken logs.
Spawning:
Pumpkinseeds spawn in mid-May to mid-June in shallow water. Peak spawning is when the water is about 65-75 °F.
Diet:
Pumpkinseeds are not picky eaters. They will eat insects, insect larvae, small fish, and eggs.
Size:
Pumpkinseeds grow larger than bluegills. The average ones I caught on the chain were 8-12 inches, some being about a pound.
Keeping In Aquaria:
Breeding has been achieved in an aquarium. This fish can easily be
kept in a fish tank with minimal issues. The one downside to keeping
this fish in captivity like many other sunfish is they lose a lot of color.
Gaming Qualities:
This fish is fun to catch, especially on ultra light gear. This fish puts up a lot more of a fight than a bluegill.
Fishing Tips:
I use any rod when fishing for Pumpkinseeds. This fish can easily be caught on worms, waxies, and flies.