REDEAR SUNFISH

REDEAR SUNFISH

The redear sunfish has been stocked into select lakes and reservoirs. Although the redear resembles the bluegill, it usually prefers deeper water and is more difficult to catch. The redear has a narrow band of red on the gill cover lobe and usually shows vertical barring. Redears are popular locally because of the challenge they provide. The state record weighed 1 pound, 8 ounces. The world record tipped the scales at 5 pounds, 8 ounces.

Fishing Forecast Information

View Fishing Forecast definitions

 

Updated: 01/14/2026

Reservoirs

REDEAR SUNFISH (>7") (>9") (>11") (lbs.) Fishing Rating
RESERVOIR          
BIG HILL 0.50 0.07 0.00 0.62 F
CLINTON 0.05 0.03 0.00 0.55 P
LACYGNE 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.22 P
POMONA 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.07 P
Updated: 01/14/2026

Ponds

REDEAR SUNFISH (>7") (>9") (>11") (lbs.) Fishing Rating
POND          
EMPORIA - JONES PARK W POND 7.33 0.00 0.00 0.30 F
FALL RIVER SP KIDS POND 4.33 0.00 0.00 0.38 F
EMPORIA - JONES PARK N POND 2.67 0.00 0.00 0.31 F
EMPORIA - JONES PARK E POND 2.00 0.00 0.00 0.35 P
PARKER CITY LAKE 0.50 0.00 0.00 0.32 P
OVERBROOK CITY LAKE 0.25 0.25 0.00 0.43 F
Updated: 01/14/2026

Lakes

REDEAR SUNFISH (>7") (>9") (>11") (lbs.) Fishing Rating
LAKE          
DOUGLAS SFL 10.82 0.09 0.00 0.50 F
SHAWNEE SFL 10.42 5.75 0.08 1.21 E
JOHNSON CO - KILL CREEK PARK LAKE 9.33 0.67 0.00 0.52 E
COWLEY SFL 8.75 1.00 0.00 0.65 G
MELVERN RIVER POND 7.80 3.60 0.00 0.74 G
MOLINE OLD CITY LAKE - S 7.25 0.75 0.00 0.70 G
LEAVENWORTH SFL 7.00 0.25 0.00 0.68 G
THAYER CITY LAKE - NEW 7.00 0.50 0.00 0.52 G
JOHNSON CO - LEXINGTON PARK LAKE 5.83 0.17 0.00 0.54 G
BONE CREEK LAKE 5.06 0.56 0.00 0.92 G
WOODSON SFL 4.67 0.33 0.00 0.50 G
LYON SFL 4.33 1.92 0.08 1.16 G
SEVERY CITY LAKE 3.33 0.00 0.00 0.43 G
GARNETT CITY LAKE - N 3.33 0.67 0.00 0.65 F
GRIDLEY CITY LAKE 3.17 1.00 0.00 0.85 F
YATES CENTER - S OWL LAKE 3.17 0.08 0.00 0.56 F
BOURBON SFL 2.50 0.25 0.00 0.45 F
JEWELL SFL 2.31 0.38 0.00 0.61 G
THAYER CITY LAKE - OLD 1.50 0.00 0.00 0.30 F
LAKE LENEXA 1.25 0.00 0.00 0.36 G
PLEASANTON E LAKE 1.14 0.00 0.00 0.31 P
BUTLER SFL 1.00 0.00 0.00 0.26 P
WILSON SFL 1.00 0.50 0.00 0.73 G
OSAWATOMIE CITY LAKE 1.00 0.00 0.00 0.26 G
POTTAWATOMIE SFL #2 1.00 0.00 0.00 0.28 F
NEOSHO SFL 0.88 0.00 0.00 0.40 F
YATES CENTER CITY LAKE - NEW 0.55 0.36 0.18 1.15 F
JETMORE CITY LAKE 0.50 0.00 0.00 0.57 F
MADISON CITY LAKE 0.50 0.00 0.00 0.40 P
EDNA CITY LAKE 0.50 0.00 0.00 0.24 F
MOUND CITY LAKE 0.50 0.25 0.00 0.59 F
MINED LAND PIT #44A 0.50 0.00 0.00 0.28 F
HOWARD - POLK DANIELS LAKE 0.33 0.25 0.00 0.56 P
MIDDLE CREEK SFL 0.25 0.00 0.00 0.33 F
CRAWFORD SFL 0.25 0.00 0.00 0.30 F
ATCHISON CITY LAKE #23 0.20 0.20 0.00 0.52 P
MIAMI SFL 0.10 0.00 0.00 0.25 P
BANNER CREEK LAKE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.20 P
MONTGOMERY SFL 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.22 G
DOUGLAS CO - LONESTAR LAKE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.22 F
PAOLA CITY LAKE - LAKE MIOLA 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.05 P
FORT SCOTT CITY LAKE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.09 P
OSAGE SFL 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.18 P
Stocking Records Information
REDEAR SUNFISH

The redear sunfish has been stocked into select lakes and reservoirs. Although the redear resembles the bluegill, it usually prefers deeper water and is more difficult to catch. The redear has a narrow band of red on the gill cover lobe and usually shows vertical barring. Redears are popular locally because of the challenge they provide. The state record weighed 1 pound, 8 ounces. The world record tipped the scales at 5 pounds, 8 ounces.

Impoundment Size Stocking Date Quantity Species Stocking Year
Haysville-Dorner Park Fingerlings 2023-09-26 1301 Redear Sunfish 2023
Wichita - Emery Park Lake Fingerlings 2023-09-26 1375 Redear Sunfish 2023
Jeffrey Eng. Ctr.-Aux. Makeup Lake Fingerlings 2021-03-17 27188 Redear Sunfish 2022
Baxter Springs-Riverside Park Pond Adult 2022-03-16 590 Redear Sunfish 2022
Iola-Cedarbrook Ponds Fingerlings 2022-03-16 836 Redear Sunfish 2022
Madison City Lake Intermediates 2022-03-16 11518 Redear Sunfish 2022
Mined Land Wa-Ck/Cr Co Adult 2022-03-16 9495 Redear Sunfish 2022
Jeffrey Eng. Ctr.-Aux. Makeup Lake Fingerlings 2022-03-17 8887 Redear Sunfish 2022
Jetmore City Lake Fingerlings 2022-03-17 10611 Redear Sunfish 2022
Glen Elder State Park Pond Adult 2022-05-14 200 Redear Sunfish 2022
Jewell City Lake - Emerson Lake Adult 2022-05-14 500 Redear Sunfish 2022
Cherryvale City Lake-Tanko Fingerlings 2022-10-25 2698 Redear Sunfish 2022
Graham Co-Antelope Lake Fingerlings 2022-10-25 24941 Redear Sunfish 2022
Scott State Fishing Lake Fingerlings 2022-10-25 31713 Redear Sunfish 2022
Madison City Lake Intermediates 2021-03-29 11493 Redear Sunfish 2021
Woodson State Fishing Lake Adult 2021-03-29 10147 Redear Sunfish 2021
Crawford State Fishing Lake Adult 2021-10-04 8693 Redear Sunfish 2021
Mined Land Wa-Ck/Cr Co Adult 2021-10-04 12714 Redear Sunfish 2021
Woodson State Fishing Lake Adult 2020-03-17 1868 Redear Sunfish 2020
Lyon State Fishing Lake Fingerlings 2020-03-18 3415 Redear Sunfish 2020
Jetmore City Lake Fingerlings 2019-04-02 2594 Redear Sunfish 2019
Meade State Fishing Lake Fingerlings 2019-04-02 8671 Redear Sunfish 2019
Crawford State Fishing Lake Fingerlings 2019-04-08 28805 Redear Sunfish 2019
Gridley City Lake Fingerlings 2019-04-08 1034 Redear Sunfish 2019
Thayer City Lake Fingerlings 2019-04-08 6060 Redear Sunfish 2019
Thayer City Lake (New) Fingerlings 2019-04-08 9258 Redear Sunfish 2019
Mined Land Wa-Ck/Cr Co Fingerlings 2019-04-09 25118 Redear Sunfish 2019
Madison City Lake Mixed Sizes 2019-09-05 2302 Redear Sunfish 2019
Graham Co-Antelope Lake Fingerlings 2024-09-10 16412 Redear Sunfish 2024
Cherryvale City Lake - Tanko Fingerlings 0025-03-18 1997 Redear Sunfish 2025
Elk City State Park - Kids Pond Fingerlings 2025-03-18 100 Redear Sunfish 2025
Gardner City Lake Fingerlings 2025-03-18 12706 Redear Sunfish 2025
Jetmore City Lake Fingerlings 2025-09-30 10172 Redear Sunfish 2025
Johnson Co-Heritage Park Lake Fingerlings 2025-03-18 7055 Redear Sunfish 2025
Kiowa State Fishing Lake Fingerlings 2025-09-30 10827 Redear Sunfish 2025
Middle Creek State Fishing Lake Fingerlings 2025-03-18 13830 Redear Sunfish 2025
Overland Park-Wilderness Lake Fingerlings 2025-03-18 653 Redear Sunfish 2025
Prairie Center Pond Fingerlings 2025-03-18 835 Redear Sunfish 2025