Sunfish Fishing in Arkansas for Flier Sunfish, Green Sunfish, Longear Sunfish, Redear Sunfish, Tilapia, Warmouth, White Bass and Other AR Panfish.

One or more species of sunfish populate virtually all warm water streams, ponds and lakes throughout Arkansas 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.

Lakes In Arkansas For Sunfish

All lakes as well as rivers and streams in Arkansas have one or more species of panfish. The larger lakes like Beaver Lake, Bull Shoals Lake, Lake Conway, Lake Dardanelle, Greers Ferry Lake, Lake Hamilton, Lake Jack Lee, Lake Maumelle, Lake Millwood, Norfolk Lake and Lake Ouachita tend to have quality populations of panfish with little fishing pressure.

The Arkansas state record bluegill was taken from an unknown pond and the state record flier sunfish was caught out of the Saline River. Dierks Pond produced the state record green sunfish and Table Rock Lake was home to the Arkansas state record longear sunfish. Lake Bois dArc produced the Arkansas state record redear sunfish.

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

Check for Arkansas bluegill fishing articles in the articles section.

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

Flier Sunfish
Centrarchus macropterus
World Record: 1.25 lbs

Green Sunfish
Lepomis cyanellus
World Record: 2.1 lbs.

Longear Sunfish
Lepomis megalotis
World Record: 1.75 lbs.
Anglers love the longear sunfish for several reasons. They feed on the surface making them vulnerable to fly fishermen, they are easy for kids to catch on worms or cut baits and they make great bait for larger predator fish. The longear sunfis prefers water temperatures from 75 to 80 degreesand is sometimes called red-belly bream, red perch, blackear and red bream. Use ultralight tackle, they'll eat just about anything edible.

Redear Sunfish
Lepomis microlophus
World Record: 5.4 lbs.

Tilapia
Oreochromis aurea
World Record: 4.4 lbs
Most tilapias are omnivorous with a preference for soft aquatic vegetation. They are typically found in warmer waters in the southern states, both east and west. Prefers water temperatures from 70 degrees and above, and has difficulty surviving water temperatures below 50 degrees. Tilapia are of similar size and shape to crappie. Fish for them like you might for bluegills using worms, crickets and dough balls on a size 12 hook.

Warmouth
Lepomis gulosus
World Record: 2.4 lbs

White Bass
Morone chrysops
World Record: 6.8 lbs.

For general information on local fishing visit the Arkansas 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.

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AR Sunfish Fishing - All About Fishing for Bluegill & Other Panfish in Arkansas.

4 lbs - 12 oz

3 lbs - 4 oz

60 - 85 Degrees

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