Personal Best Hybrid Sunfish

Type: Nontidal
Region: Central
Location: Small Pond in Carroll Count

On July 15 I had the great fortune to catch and release my personal best hybrid sunfish (green sunfish X bluegill cross) from a small pond in Carroll County. The fish hit a 1/8th ounce gold Kast Master spoon on 2-pound test SOS mono and fought a long and powerful fight. The fish measured 13 inches long and weighed 2.255 pounds on my Mainstays digital kitchen scale.

I was both shocked and delighted that this fish surpassed the 2 pound barrier. I had caught several other hybrids from the same water in recent years that came up just short of that benchmark. This makes it the largest sunfish I have caught, of any species and my largest sunfish taken from 'home' waters.

I know that the DNR does not officially keep records of hybrid sunfish species and that they have been stocked in smaller park and public lakes and ponds for childrens' fishing events. But has anyone working in the department know of or seen any hybrids nearing this size, or even larger, in their work throughout the state?

DNR Response: Congratulations on catching such a whopper of a sunfish; pound for pound they can really give a good fight on light tackle. Bluegill sunfish are crossed with feisty green sunfish in hatchery conditions to create a sunfish that will be very entertaining to fishermen. Because of their aggressive nature bluegill/green sunfish are always looking for something to eat and can grow to large sizes given the right water quality and habitat conditions. Pure strain green sunfish do not grow to be large but are aggressive.The current Freshwater Division state record for bluegill sunfish is 3 lb, 7 oz and was caught in Deep Creek Lake.