Greenbrier State Park

Type: Nontidal
Region: Western
Location: Greenbrier State Park

This morning I spent some time on the lake at Greenbrier State Park, paddling around casting a small tube as well as a small 1 .5 inch soft plastic shad. I ended up catching close to a dozen fish total, with a nice mix of black crappie and sunfish.

I�d like some help. The �sunfish� I caught all resembled the one in the picture. I was wondering - were they redbreast sunfish? Being a fish nerd, I�d like to make sure.

DNR RESPONSE: This is a green sunfish. Bluegillfishing.us says, "They are smaller than bluegill, and can be identified by their black ear lobe with a pale margin surrounding it. Their bodies are not quite as rounded as other bluegills, or other sunfish. They also have much larger mouths than most sunfish. Dark olive in color, these sunfish are also easily identifiable by the blue line on their cheeks. All of the fins are also outlined in either yellow, white, or orange. Whether in the wild or in an aquarium, green sunfish stand out."

For more information about kayaking and canoeing in Maryland, visit our Kayak and Canoe Fishing page.