Bluegill

freshwater fish · North America · colorful

Blue chin fish. Bluegill get their name from the bright blue color on their chin and gill covers. This blue marking makes them easy to spot in the water and helps identify males during breeding season.

Lives everywhere locally. Bluegill are native to streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands east of the Rocky Mountains. They're so common in North America that many kids catch them as their first fish.

Sunfish family member. Bluegill belong to the Centrarchidae family, which includes other freshwater fish like largemouth bass and pumpkinseeds. They're part of a group called sunfish because many of them love sunny, shallow waters.

Popular with fishers. People call bluegill by many nicknames including bream, brim, sunny, and copper nose in Texas. They're favorite fish for beginners because they're fun to catch and found in so many places.