Dollar Sunfish
Lepomis marginatus
Dollar Sunfish (Lepomis marginatus) is a small southeastern North American sunfish that inhabits warm, vegetated waters. It is more often caught incidentally than targeted, but it will take tiny baits and lures near cover.
Identification points
- Small, deep-bodied sunfish with a rounded outline and relatively small mouth
- Distinct orange-red margin on the rear edge of the opercular flap (ear flap)
- Dark vertical bars on the sides, often with yellow to olive body tones and a dusky mottled look
Habitat
Shallow, warm freshwater in ponds, oxbows, swamps, marshes, slow backwaters, and vegetated margins of streams and lakes, usually around heavy aquatic vegetation and submerged cover.
Bait notes
Use tiny hooks with red worms, crickets, mealworms, or small pieces of worm; small grubs, beesmoths, and micro-jigs also work. Live bait fished under a small float is often best.
Behavior
Opportunistic feeder on small aquatic insects, crustaceans, and other tiny invertebrates. It stays close to cover, picks food from vegetation, and is most active in warm calm water.
Caution
Small sunfish like this are usually low risk for consumption, but always follow local harvest regulations and avoid eating fish from polluted waters.
Fishing notes
Fish light tackle and downsize everything: 2-4 lb line, small floats, and size 8-14 hooks. Cast to weed edges, shaded pockets, and lily pads; a slow retrieve or dead-sticked bait works well.