Guide To Panfish Fishing Options In Wyoming
All about fishing for sunfish in WY lakes and ponds.

Throughout the state of Wyoming you can find waters with populations of sunfish, including bluegill, green sunfish, rock bass and yellow perch. The major lakes hold the larger schools of sunfish. These lakes include Bighorn Lake, Boysen Lake, Buffalo Bill Lake, Glendo Reservoir, Grayrocks Reservoir, Guernsey Reservoir, Keyhole Reservoir, Lake DeSmet, Lake Hattie Reservoir, Lewis Lake, and Ocean Lake. Panfish are also found in most ponds, rivers and small lakes in the warmer sections of the state.
Top Producing Panfish Lures & Bait
Check out the top producing lures and bait for bluegill, redear sunfish, rock bass and warmouth, as well as other smaller sunfish. Click here for the best lures for white bass, yellow bass, white perch and yellow perch.
In-state panfish, sunfish and perch
Bluegill
World record: 4 lbs 12 oz
State Record: 1.92 lbs
Green sunfish
World record: 2.2 lbs
State Record: 1 lbs 4 oz
Pumpkinseed sunfish
World record: 2 lbs 4 oz
State Record: 0.62 lbs
Rock bass
World record: 3.0 lbs
State Record: 1.76 lbs
Yellow perch
World record: 4 lbs 3 oz
State Record: 2.28 lbs 4 oz
Click the images and links above for species details.
Wyoming State Record Sunfish
The state record bluegill was caught from a stock pond.
The state record green sunfish came from a Lake McKenzie.
The state record pumpkinseed sunfish came out of a farm pond.
The state record rockbass was caught in a Sheridan County Pond.
The state record yellow perch was caught from Boysen Reservoir.

The term "panfish" comprises many species, each called by a variety of names. The bluegill tops the list and is the most common.
One or more species of sunfish populate virtually all warm water streams, ponds and lakes throughout Wyoming, and around the world for that matter. They can survive in waters that provide their natural food source of minnows, insects, crustaceans and worms. Their competitive nature amongst themselves, for food, makes them relatively easy to catch.
Bluegill Fishing Basics Video
The core principles shown in this video will work for most sunfish, perch and other panfish.
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.
Sunfish information in other states.
Learn the lifecycle of a panfish
There is a host of panfish anglers can pursue. Visit the panfish fishing page for details on many of these sunfish you might encounter in Wyoming fishing waters.
WYOMING

