| Matt Johnson Outdoors How Does a Sunfish Weigh? |
| Matt Johnson Outdoors |
By: Matt Johnson
How much does a trophy sunfish
weigh? Is there a length-to weight
way to gauge the weight of a trophy
sunfish? What makes a sunfish
weigh-out the way it does? Here are a
few answers or "theories" to those
questions...
The weight of a sunfish can have a pretty big variance depending
on the time of year and body of water. Some bodies of water
grow thicker and taller sunfish. A 10 inch sunfish in one lake
might be a 1/4 pound off from a 10 inch sunfish from another
lake. And when you start getting into the 11-12 inch fish it can be
even more fluctuated. An 11-12 inch sunfish is going to be heavy
no matter the lake, but the weights can still vary quite a bit. I've
seen a 10 1/2 inch sunfish that was thicker than an 11 3/4 inch
sunfish. But I've also seen an 11 1/2 inch sunfish that was
thicker than most 11 1/2 inch bass.
Forage also plays a huge role in this, as does overall quality of
life. Some sunfish, but not all, are reaching the end of their rope
when they get into that 11 inch range, and they will lose weight
and thickness, much like a human does (OK, I'm not comparing a
fish to a human, but you get what I mean). A 12 inch sunfish is a
true monster and regardless of its weight it's a trophy no matter
where it's caught. Most often than not, anything over 10 inches is
going to be a decently thick and hefty fish.
Some lakes and bodies of water also have an outstanding forage
base. Freshwater scuds, insects, minnows, plankton, frogs and
all the other goodies that sunfish favor. Sunfish will rely heavily
on a minnow diet at times, even though many anglers don't
equate minnows with sunfish. Yes, sunfish will also consume a
lot of insects and other organisms too, probably more so than
minnows. Having a strong and available forage base is very
crucial in growing large sunfish. It's no wonder why those
extremely fertile lakes grow monster sunfish, it's because the
food base is exceptional.
Weights can also depend on the sunfish species. Pumkinseeds
are typically very thick fish to begin with. We've all seen those 6-7
inch pumkinseeds that are shaped like footballs, all plump full of
insects and whatnot. And then we've also seen those
potato-chip-thin 6-7 inch bluegills that can't weigh more than 1/4
pound. I think there is definitely something to be said about the
variance in weight depending on sunfish species as well.
I would have to agree that using a length-to-weight measurement
chart of some sort is not always accurate, and in most cases I'd
go as far to say they're not very accurate at all (when it comes to
trophy sunfish). To me, a couple ounces is a big difference when
referring to sunfish, and those charts don't give leeway to the
different factors that can change the weight of a fish. Standard
length-to-weight charts are just that...standard, normal, average,
but when referring to trophy-class sunfish, the term average
shouldn't even be in the same context.
Different regions and climates can play a huge role in sunfish
weight and the amount of time it takes for a sunfish to reach that
weight. As we venture farther south (and also to the west) from
my home state of Minnesota, we'll find more fertile and
"sunfish-rich" ecosystems. The fat lands of Iowa, Nebraska and
the Dakotas are home to many diminutive freshwater gems,
which take the form of farm ponds.
These little 20-50 acre puddles might not look like much to the
aggressive big lake, more horsepower angler of the Northern
states, but what lies beneath the surface will drop the jaw of even
the most emphatic angler. We're talking about plate-size sunfish
that won't fit in an average person's hand. The "bull" sunfish is
what swims these waters. But why do they get so big? What
factors make this incredible feat possible? It comes down to a
few main characteristics...water temperature, lake fertility and
available forage.
Now, I'm not going to say that the fertile areas mentioned above
are the only areas and lakes that produce big sunfish, because
that would be a lie, but they are the areas that produce big
sunfish year after year and they are the areas that grow big
sunfish at a rapid pace. Warm water temperature is a key
ingredient. So, let's look at the lakes more south (excluding the
Dakotas from the list).
Having year-round heat is important in sustaining higher than
adequate growth rates. No need for a metabolic slowdown and
the nutrient bloom is running on all cylinders and it's running all
the time. The harsh Minnesota and Northern conditions are not
playing a toll on these lakes. These shallow lakes won't
experience winter-kill and activity levels are at a constant high.
This is a very crucial part in the rapid growth-rate that the sunfish
experience.
Lake fertility will go hand-in-hand with temperature, but it's not
always concrete. Fertile waters do need sunlight and other
natural powers that allow them to become rich in what causes
these exceptional growth-rates. So, given the fact that lakes
farther south experience warmer year-round temperatures, it only
seems right that fertility levels increase as well. Some of the
better sunfish lakes are shallow and stained. Sunlight is soaked
up and the underwater world is constantly being flourished.
If these same bodies of water experience natural run-off, then
you can expect the effects to increase. Farm ponds are a prime
example of fertile lakes with natural run-off, and farm ponds are
one of the top bodies of water that I look for when searching for
trophy sunfish. They are nutrient-rich environments that cater to
the demands of the "bull" sunfish.
A strong forage base is something important for all freshwater
species, and more available forage means the better chance of
growing big fish. Fish need to eat, and fish need to eat a lot in
order to reach trophy class. Much of a fish's life (and sunfish are
no different) consists of looking for, and devouring, its next meal.
Certain types of forage will help in the growth process, but the
amount a fish eats can be even more important. A minnow diet
will help provide solid levels of protein, as will as diet rich in
scuds, bloodworm and other protein-packed organisms. But, a
diet rich in plankton, zooplankton and other micro-organisms is
important as well.
Most lakes will have adequate levels of micro-organisms, and
usually there is a decent supply of a protein-rich meal too, but
often times the areas where the "growth-food" is located are not
the areas where sunfish would prefer to be (in reference to large
lakes). For example, in some of our large Northern Minnesotan
lakes, the large schools of baitfish will roam the open spaces,
and sunfish are not always accustom to those areas, especially
when these same lakes are stocked full of hungry pike and
muskie. Sunfish will hold in the weeds and scrounge up what is
left behind, or they will dabble with the minnows that hold tight to
the weeds, but more often than not they will resort to a
micro-organism diet.
The problem with this is that the protein and other nutrients
needed for exponential growth are not there, and the rapid
growth-rates will fall short as well. Now, sunfish can and will get
big on a micro-organism diet, but it will just take a longer period
of time. This is not a universal law and there are exceptions to
every "rule," but in large systems like that, it will take sunfish a lot
longer to reach trophy status. An 11 inch sunfish in those larger
lakes is going to be much older than an 11 inch sunfish of one of
the southern area farm ponds. Having the right available forage
right in front of their face is a key factor in achieving trophy
sunfish status.
And like mentioned earlier, there are always exceptions and lakes
that defy the odds. Some farm ponds will grow monster sunfish
and you might not even see a single minnow swimming around,
which would lean towards the assumption that those sunfish got
that way on a micro-organism diet, which could be the case, I'm
not going to argue that. Every body of water is a different playing
field, and every body of water has something unique which
allows it to produce the size of fish it does. There is no uniform
rule to why or how a sunfish gets to be the size it does. Yes, there
are theories and studies that can show ways and different paths
a sunfish can take to reach a trophy size, but there are lakes
where those paths are not available and trophy sunfish still exist.
The simple mention that lakes experience change can play a role
as well. What used to hold true for a body of water might not be
the case anymore. A lake which once used to be a trophy sunfish
mecca might now be home to bullheads and turtles, or just small
sunfish. No matter the argument, water temperature, lake fertility
and a strong, available forage base will most definitely up the
ante in pinpointing what bodies of water will have the possibility
of growing trophy-class sunfish.
Sunfish are a lot of fun on light tackle, and trophy sunfish will
push the limits of any ultra-lite rod. Catching a big sunfish is
exciting for an angler of any level and it seems to always have
that knack for bringing out the kid in you!!!
Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson
How much does a trophy sunfish
weigh? Is there a length-to weight
way to gauge the weight of a trophy
sunfish? What makes a sunfish
weigh-out the way it does? Here are a
few answers or "theories" to those
questions...
The weight of a sunfish can have a pretty big variance depending
on the time of year and body of water. Some bodies of water
grow thicker and taller sunfish. A 10 inch sunfish in one lake
might be a 1/4 pound off from a 10 inch sunfish from another
lake. And when you start getting into the 11-12 inch fish it can be
even more fluctuated. An 11-12 inch sunfish is going to be heavy
no matter the lake, but the weights can still vary quite a bit. I've
seen a 10 1/2 inch sunfish that was thicker than an 11 3/4 inch
sunfish. But I've also seen an 11 1/2 inch sunfish that was
thicker than most 11 1/2 inch bass.
Forage also plays a huge role in this, as does overall quality of
life. Some sunfish, but not all, are reaching the end of their rope
when they get into that 11 inch range, and they will lose weight
and thickness, much like a human does (OK, I'm not comparing a
fish to a human, but you get what I mean). A 12 inch sunfish is a
true monster and regardless of its weight it's a trophy no matter
where it's caught. Most often than not, anything over 10 inches is
going to be a decently thick and hefty fish.
Some lakes and bodies of water also have an outstanding forage
base. Freshwater scuds, insects, minnows, plankton, frogs and
all the other goodies that sunfish favor. Sunfish will rely heavily
on a minnow diet at times, even though many anglers don't
equate minnows with sunfish. Yes, sunfish will also consume a
lot of insects and other organisms too, probably more so than
minnows. Having a strong and available forage base is very
crucial in growing large sunfish. It's no wonder why those
extremely fertile lakes grow monster sunfish, it's because the
food base is exceptional.
Weights can also depend on the sunfish species. Pumkinseeds
are typically very thick fish to begin with. We've all seen those 6-7
inch pumkinseeds that are shaped like footballs, all plump full of
insects and whatnot. And then we've also seen those
potato-chip-thin 6-7 inch bluegills that can't weigh more than 1/4
pound. I think there is definitely something to be said about the
variance in weight depending on sunfish species as well.
I would have to agree that using a length-to-weight measurement
chart of some sort is not always accurate, and in most cases I'd
go as far to say they're not very accurate at all (when it comes to
trophy sunfish). To me, a couple ounces is a big difference when
referring to sunfish, and those charts don't give leeway to the
different factors that can change the weight of a fish. Standard
length-to-weight charts are just that...standard, normal, average,
but when referring to trophy-class sunfish, the term average
shouldn't even be in the same context.
Different regions and climates can play a huge role in sunfish
weight and the amount of time it takes for a sunfish to reach that
weight. As we venture farther south (and also to the west) from
my home state of Minnesota, we'll find more fertile and
"sunfish-rich" ecosystems. The fat lands of Iowa, Nebraska and
the Dakotas are home to many diminutive freshwater gems,
which take the form of farm ponds.
These little 20-50 acre puddles might not look like much to the
aggressive big lake, more horsepower angler of the Northern
states, but what lies beneath the surface will drop the jaw of even
the most emphatic angler. We're talking about plate-size sunfish
that won't fit in an average person's hand. The "bull" sunfish is
what swims these waters. But why do they get so big? What
factors make this incredible feat possible? It comes down to a
few main characteristics...water temperature, lake fertility and
available forage.
Now, I'm not going to say that the fertile areas mentioned above
are the only areas and lakes that produce big sunfish, because
that would be a lie, but they are the areas that produce big
sunfish year after year and they are the areas that grow big
sunfish at a rapid pace. Warm water temperature is a key
ingredient. So, let's look at the lakes more south (excluding the
Dakotas from the list).
Having year-round heat is important in sustaining higher than
adequate growth rates. No need for a metabolic slowdown and
the nutrient bloom is running on all cylinders and it's running all
the time. The harsh Minnesota and Northern conditions are not
playing a toll on these lakes. These shallow lakes won't
experience winter-kill and activity levels are at a constant high.
This is a very crucial part in the rapid growth-rate that the sunfish
experience.
Lake fertility will go hand-in-hand with temperature, but it's not
always concrete. Fertile waters do need sunlight and other
natural powers that allow them to become rich in what causes
these exceptional growth-rates. So, given the fact that lakes
farther south experience warmer year-round temperatures, it only
seems right that fertility levels increase as well. Some of the
better sunfish lakes are shallow and stained. Sunlight is soaked
up and the underwater world is constantly being flourished.
If these same bodies of water experience natural run-off, then
you can expect the effects to increase. Farm ponds are a prime
example of fertile lakes with natural run-off, and farm ponds are
one of the top bodies of water that I look for when searching for
trophy sunfish. They are nutrient-rich environments that cater to
the demands of the "bull" sunfish.
A strong forage base is something important for all freshwater
species, and more available forage means the better chance of
growing big fish. Fish need to eat, and fish need to eat a lot in
order to reach trophy class. Much of a fish's life (and sunfish are
no different) consists of looking for, and devouring, its next meal.
Certain types of forage will help in the growth process, but the
amount a fish eats can be even more important. A minnow diet
will help provide solid levels of protein, as will as diet rich in
scuds, bloodworm and other protein-packed organisms. But, a
diet rich in plankton, zooplankton and other micro-organisms is
important as well.
Most lakes will have adequate levels of micro-organisms, and
usually there is a decent supply of a protein-rich meal too, but
often times the areas where the "growth-food" is located are not
the areas where sunfish would prefer to be (in reference to large
lakes). For example, in some of our large Northern Minnesotan
lakes, the large schools of baitfish will roam the open spaces,
and sunfish are not always accustom to those areas, especially
when these same lakes are stocked full of hungry pike and
muskie. Sunfish will hold in the weeds and scrounge up what is
left behind, or they will dabble with the minnows that hold tight to
the weeds, but more often than not they will resort to a
micro-organism diet.
The problem with this is that the protein and other nutrients
needed for exponential growth are not there, and the rapid
growth-rates will fall short as well. Now, sunfish can and will get
big on a micro-organism diet, but it will just take a longer period
of time. This is not a universal law and there are exceptions to
every "rule," but in large systems like that, it will take sunfish a lot
longer to reach trophy status. An 11 inch sunfish in those larger
lakes is going to be much older than an 11 inch sunfish of one of
the southern area farm ponds. Having the right available forage
right in front of their face is a key factor in achieving trophy
sunfish status.
And like mentioned earlier, there are always exceptions and lakes
that defy the odds. Some farm ponds will grow monster sunfish
and you might not even see a single minnow swimming around,
which would lean towards the assumption that those sunfish got
that way on a micro-organism diet, which could be the case, I'm
not going to argue that. Every body of water is a different playing
field, and every body of water has something unique which
allows it to produce the size of fish it does. There is no uniform
rule to why or how a sunfish gets to be the size it does. Yes, there
are theories and studies that can show ways and different paths
a sunfish can take to reach a trophy size, but there are lakes
where those paths are not available and trophy sunfish still exist.
The simple mention that lakes experience change can play a role
as well. What used to hold true for a body of water might not be
the case anymore. A lake which once used to be a trophy sunfish
mecca might now be home to bullheads and turtles, or just small
sunfish. No matter the argument, water temperature, lake fertility
and a strong, available forage base will most definitely up the
ante in pinpointing what bodies of water will have the possibility
of growing trophy-class sunfish.
Sunfish are a lot of fun on light tackle, and trophy sunfish will
push the limits of any ultra-lite rod. Catching a big sunfish is
exciting for an angler of any level and it seems to always have
that knack for bringing out the kid in you!!!
Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson
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