Ever since I began cycling my 75 gallon native tank and stocking it with rocks, driftwood, plants and substrate from my local stream, I have been on the lookout for beautiful pumpkinseeds in Illinois. The problem isn't finding them, it's finding ones that are not hybridized with bluegill or green sunfish.
After finding a sunfish "honey hole" on the Salt Creek in DuPage Illinois, I was finally able to get what appears to be a juvenile Pumpkinseed. I caught 23 sunfish and only 2 appeared to be pumpkinseeds, the rest were Juvenile greens or bluegills. I am not sure if this is a pure Pumpkinseed or a hybrid because it seems a little too fusiform and only has a very faint red portion on it's "ear". I introduced it to my tank with the hopes that I would find one more to keep him company.
It seems that the perfect fish is often caught when you are unprepared. Yesterday I was fishing for trout at Busse North pool in Cook County, Illinois. Nothing was hitting my bobber so I went with a small Carolina-rig. I felt a bite, set the hook and reeled in what I thought was a small trout, but ended up being one of the most beautiful sunfish that I have ever seen. This was a large, pure Pumpkinseed. It's colors were bright and staring at this magnificent fish in the orange tinge of the setting sun was the highlight of my week. I wanted to take this fish home and acclimate it to my aquarium so badly, but I had no bucked to transport it with.
I've learned my lesson and I am never fishing without a bucket and portable aerator again in case I come across a perfect fish. Lost opportunity, but still an awesome experience.
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Edited by DissidentMantis, 21 October 2019 - 04:14 PM.