Sunfish Fishing in Idaho for Bluegills, Green Sunfish, Pumpkinseed Sunfish, Warmouth, Yellow Perch and Other ID Panfish.

One or more species of sunfish populate virtually all warm water streams, ponds and lakes throughout Idaho and around the world for that matter. They can survive in waters that provide their natural food source of minnows, crustaceans, insects and worms. Their competitive nature amongst themselves for food, makes them relatively easy to catch.

Sunfish Fishing Lakes In Idaho

Often, small private ponds yield the biggest panfish. Yet day in and day out the larger impoundments tend to produce the bigger stringers. Try your luck for panfish at
American Falls Reservoir, Anderson Ranch Reservoir, Arrowrock Reservoir, Blackfoot Reservoir, Brownlee Reservoir, C J Strike Reservoir, Cascade Reservoir, Coeur D'Alene Lake, Hayden Lake, Hells Canyon Reservoir, Lake Lowell, Lake Pend Oreille, Lake Walcott, Lucky Peak Reservoir, Magic Reservoir, Mormon Reservoir, Mud Lake, Paddock Valley Reservoir, Priest Lake, Ririe Reservoir, Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir or Spirit Lake.

The Idaho state record bluegill sunfish was caught out of C.J. Strike Reservoir. Hauser Lake produced the Idaho state record green sunfish. Chase Lake was home to the ID state record pumpkinseed sunfish. The state record warmouth came out of the Snake River and Wilson Lake yielded the state record yellow perch.

Panfish are prolific spawners and repopulate the waters as fast as they are harvested. A common problem with panfish fishing is that the waters are under-fished causing panfish to overpopulate. As a result they tend to stay small in size due to lack of food source.

The list of panfish is comprised of many fishes each called by a variety of names. The bluegill tops the list and is the most common.

Bluegill
Lepomis macrochirus

Other local jargon names for the bluegill include common yellow perch, sunfish, red-breasted bream, red-spotted sunfish, long-eared sunfish, white bass as well as a host of variations and cross breeds. These fish tend to run in schools and congregate near their food supply. Panfish can be found in depths of 35 feet or more but are more commonly found in one to ten feet depths depending on time of day and weather conditions.

Check for Idaho bluegill fishing articles in the articles section.

Crappie are also considered panfish. For details on crappie visit our crappie fishing section.

Green Sunfish
Lepomis cyanellus
World Record: 2.1 lbs.
A favorite for private and farm ponds, the green sunfish is native to lakes and ponds and prefers heavily vegitated areas. Their diet consists of small invertebrates, insects and larve. Use light line, size 12 hooks and worms, crickets or cut bait. They tend to run in schools so competition for food can make them easy prey for anglers. Prefers water temperatures from 70 to 80 degrees. Also known as a rock bass or goggle-eye.

Pumpkinseed Sunfish
Lepomis gibbosus
World Record: 1.4 lbs
Shaped like a pumpkin seed and often has body coloring similar to a pumpkin color, their favorite habitat is weed-covered lake bottoms in clear water. They prefer water temperatures from 75 to 82 degrees. Also known as punky or common sunfish. Fish for them on light tackle with small hooks using worms, insects, prepared bait and cut bait.

Warmouth
Lepomis gulosus
World Record: 2.4 lbs
The warmouth sunfish has a larger mouth than most sunfish and can eat larger prey. It is rather golden in color overall, darker greenish on the top side and kighter on the underside, with mottled spotting similar to a crappie. Adult warmouths feed on insects, mollusks, minnows and small fish. They prefer snady bottoms of quiet areas in creeks, streams and rivers and look for heavy vegitation for cover. The warmouth prefers water temperatures from 78 to 86 degrees. It is also known as goggle-eye, stumpknocker, mudgapper and warmouth bass. Fin to catch on ultralight tackle and quite a fight when you hook a fat little two-pounder.

Yellow Perch
Perca flavescens
USA Record: 3.75 lbs
Possibly the best tasting of all the panfish, yellow perch are a favorite for fish frys. They are generally yellow, to gold, to brown in color and most often lighter shades of these colors. Dark vertical bands decorate their sides. They average about a third of a pound and 6 inches long, many larger ones are often caught as well. They are often mis-named as perch, rock perch and many others. Their primary diet consists of minnows and other small fish, onsects and worms. Yellow perch prefer water temperatures from 66 to 70 degrees but remain active in temperatures outside this range. They are fun to catch on ultralight tackle and can be caught year round. They are a favorite of many ice fishing enthusiasts. Use worms, minnows, small jigs. spinners or cut bait.

For general information on local fishing visit the Idaho Fishing home page.

If you have information, articles or photos relating to panfish which you would like to see published here, please submit them for consideration. We will gladly give you credit for your contribution. If you have a fishing related business and would like to mention it within the context of the article, we will consider your request. For significant contributions we may offer complimentary display ads, please contact us if you are interested.

If you offer fishing guide services for Panfish in Idaho we would like to include you as a resource for our visitors. We offer a complimentary listing for your guide service on our Idaho Fishing Guides page or you can see other options to promote your panfish fishing guide services in Idaho by visiting our Advertising opportunities section.

How to submit Idaho fishing articles.

ID Sunfish Fishing - All About Fishing for Bluegill & Other Panfish in Idaho.

4 lbs - 12 oz

3 lbs - 8 oz

60 - 85 Degrees

Prefers slightly stained to murky water with little or no current. Survives in most warm bodies of water.