Bluegill vs Sunfish - What's the difference?
We hear anglers asking this once in a while, "Are bluegills and sunfish the same thing?" It can be confusing but really it's simple.
In short, all Bluegills are Sunfish but not all Sunfish are Bluegills.
A Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) is a species of the Sunfish Family (Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes).
There are over 25 species comprising the Sunfish Family. Some of the most common to North America are:
- Black Crappie
- Bluegill
- Bluespotted Sunfish
- Flier
- Green Sunfish
- Largemouth Bass
- Longear Sunfish
- Mud Sunfish
- Orangespotted Sunfish
- Pumpkinseed
- Redear
- Rock Bass
- Smallmouth Bass
- Spotted Bass
- Warmouth
- White Crappie
So there you have it! A bluegill is a sunfish. And one of many species in the Sunfish Family is the Bluegill.
