REDEAR SUNFISH

REDEAR SUNFISH

The redear sunfish has been stocked into select lakes and reservoirs. Although the redear resembles the bluegill, it usually prefers deeper water and is more difficult to catch. The redear has a narrow band of red on the gill cover lobe and usually shows vertical barring. Redears are popular locally because of the challenge they provide. The state record weighed 1 pound, 8 ounces. The world record tipped the scales at 5 pounds, 8 ounces.

Fishing Forecast Information

View Fishing Forecast definitions

 

Updated: 01/17/2025

Reservoirs

NAME Density Preferred Lunker Big fish Bio rating
  (>7") (>9") (>11") (lbs.) BR
BIG HILL 0.50 0.07 0.00 0.62 F
CLINTON 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.30 P
LACYGNE 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.22 P
POMONA 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.07 P
Updated: 01/17/2025

Ponds

NAME Density Preferred Lunker Big fish Bio rating
  (>7") (>9") (>11") (lbs.) BR
EMPORIA-JONES PARK NORTH 7.67 0.00 0.00 0.30 G
EMPORIA-JONES PARK EAST POND 2.00 0.00 0.00 0.35 F
OVERBROOK CITY LAKE 2.00 0.33 0.00 0.43 G
EMPORIA-JONES PARK WEST POND 1.00 0.00 0.00 0.30 P
PARKER CITY LAKE 0.50 0.00 0.00 0.32 P
FALL RIVER STATE PARK KIDS POND 0.33 0.00 0.00 0.23 P
OLPE -JONES PARK POND 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.07 P
Updated: 01/17/2025

Lakes

NAME Density Preferred Lunker Big fish Bio rating
  (>7") (>9") (>11") (lbs.) BR
OSAWATOMIE CITY LAKE 22.00 0.00 0.00 0.42 F
DOUGLAS SFL 20.55 1.45 0.00 0.74 G
LYON SFL 15.42 4.50 0.08 1.16 G
SEVERY CITY LAKE 10.33 0.17 0.00 0.52 G
MOLINE OLD CITY LAKE-SOUTH 9.25 1.50 0.00 0.91 G
SHAWNEE SFL 8.83 4.33 0.00 0.92 E
COWLEY SFL 8.63 1.00 0.00 0.65 G
MELVERN RIVER POND 8.40 3.60 0.00 0.74 G
JOHNSON CO-KILL CREEK PARK LAKE 8.33 1.00 0.00 0.52 E
JOHNSON CO-LEXINGTON PARK LAKE 7.00 0.00 0.00 0.45 G
THAYER CITY LAKE-NEW 7.00 0.50 0.00 0.52 G
WOODSON SFL 6.33 0.44 0.00 0.57 G
LEAVENWORTH SFL 4.50 0.13 0.00 0.47 G
GARNETT CITY LAKE-NORTH 3.50 2.00 0.00 1.01 G
BONE CREEK LAKE 3.35 0.38 0.00 0.92 E
JEWELL SFL 3.06 0.35 0.00 0.61 G
NEOSHO SFL 2.75 0.17 0.00 0.57 G
BOURBON SFL 1.83 0.17 0.00 0.45 F
GRIDLEY CITY LAKE 1.67 1.00 0.00 0.85 G
THAYER CITY LAKE-OLD 1.50 0.00 0.00 0.30 F
WILSON SFL 1.50 0.92 0.00 0.73 G
LAKE LENEXA 1.25 0.00 0.00 0.36 E
PLEASANTON EAST LAKE 1.14 0.00 0.00 0.31 P
BUTLER SFL 1.00 0.00 0.00 0.26 P
MOUND CITY LAKE 1.00 0.00 0.00 0.35 F
POTTAWATOMIE SFL #2 0.73 0.00 0.00 0.28 F
YATES CENTER CITY LAKE-NEW 0.55 0.45 0.18 1.15 F
DOUGLAS CO-LONESTAR LAKE 0.50 0.08 0.00 0.46 F
EDNA CITY LAKE 0.50 0.00 0.00 0.24 F
WICHITA-KDOT W. BORROW PIT 0.50 0.33 0.17 1.08 F
MINED LAND PIT 44A 0.50 0.00 0.00 0.28 P
MADISON CITY LAKE 0.50 0.00 0.00 0.40 P
OSAGE SFL 0.50 0.00 0.00 0.42 F
ATCHISON CITY LAKE #23 0.33 0.33 0.00 0.52 P
HOWARD-POLK DANIELS LAKE 0.25 0.25 0.00 0.56 P
CRAWFORD SFL 0.17 0.00 0.00 0.30 F
FORT SCOTT CITY LAKE 0.17 0.00 0.00 0.33 P
MIDDLE CREEK SFL 0.17 0.00 0.00 0.23 P
OLATHE-CEDAR LAKE 0.17 0.00 0.00 0.33 P
YATES CENTER-SOUTH OWL LAKE 0.17 0.00 0.00 0.21 F
MIAMI SFL 0.14 0.00 0.00 0.25 F
MONTGOMERY SFL 0.13 0.00 0.00 0.23 F
LAKE OLATHE 0.08 0.00 0.00 0.24 P
BROWN SFL 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.20 P
BANNER CREEK LAKE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.20 P
JEFFREY ENERGY CENTER-AUXILIARY LAKE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.12 P
Stocking Records Information
REDEAR SUNFISH

The redear sunfish has been stocked into select lakes and reservoirs. Although the redear resembles the bluegill, it usually prefers deeper water and is more difficult to catch. The redear has a narrow band of red on the gill cover lobe and usually shows vertical barring. Redears are popular locally because of the challenge they provide. The state record weighed 1 pound, 8 ounces. The world record tipped the scales at 5 pounds, 8 ounces.

Impoundment Size Stocking Date Quantity Species Stocking Year
Haysville-Dorner Park Fingerlings 2023-09-26 1301 Redear Sunfish 2023
Wichita - Emery Park Lake Fingerlings 2023-09-26 1375 Redear Sunfish 2023
Jeffrey Eng. Ctr.-Aux. Makeup Lake Fingerlings 2021-03-17 27188 Redear Sunfish 2022
Baxter Springs-Riverside Park Pond Adult 2022-03-16 590 Redear Sunfish 2022
Iola-Cedarbrook Ponds Fingerlings 2022-03-16 836 Redear Sunfish 2022
Madison City Lake Intermediates 2022-03-16 11518 Redear Sunfish 2022
Mined Land Wa-Ck/Cr Co Adult 2022-03-16 9495 Redear Sunfish 2022
Jeffrey Eng. Ctr.-Aux. Makeup Lake Fingerlings 2022-03-17 8887 Redear Sunfish 2022
Jetmore City Lake Fingerlings 2022-03-17 10611 Redear Sunfish 2022
Glen Elder State Park Pond Adult 2022-05-14 200 Redear Sunfish 2022
Jewell City Lake - Emerson Lake Adult 2022-05-14 500 Redear Sunfish 2022
Cherryvale City Lake-Tanko Fingerlings 2022-10-25 2698 Redear Sunfish 2022
Graham Co-Antelope Lake Fingerlings 2022-10-25 24941 Redear Sunfish 2022
Scott State Fishing Lake Fingerlings 2022-10-25 31713 Redear Sunfish 2022
Madison City Lake Intermediates 2021-03-29 11493 Redear Sunfish 2021
Woodson State Fishing Lake Adult 2021-03-29 10147 Redear Sunfish 2021
Crawford State Fishing Lake Adult 2021-10-04 8693 Redear Sunfish 2021
Mined Land Wa-Ck/Cr Co Adult 2021-10-04 12714 Redear Sunfish 2021
Woodson State Fishing Lake Adult 2020-03-17 1868 Redear Sunfish 2020
Lyon State Fishing Lake Fingerlings 2020-03-18 3415 Redear Sunfish 2020
Jetmore City Lake Fingerlings 2019-04-02 2594 Redear Sunfish 2019
Meade State Fishing Lake Fingerlings 2019-04-02 8671 Redear Sunfish 2019
Crawford State Fishing Lake Fingerlings 2019-04-08 28805 Redear Sunfish 2019
Gridley City Lake Fingerlings 2019-04-08 1034 Redear Sunfish 2019
Thayer City Lake Fingerlings 2019-04-08 6060 Redear Sunfish 2019
Thayer City Lake (New) Fingerlings 2019-04-08 9258 Redear Sunfish 2019
Mined Land Wa-Ck/Cr Co Fingerlings 2019-04-09 25118 Redear Sunfish 2019
Madison City Lake Mixed Sizes 2019-09-05 2302 Redear Sunfish 2019
Graham Co-Antelope Lake Fingerlings 2024-09-10 16412 Redear Sunfish 2024