Warmouth sunfish
Type: Panfish
Appearance: It has a stout, deep body similar to other panfish. A red eye and large mouth are conspicuous field marks. Three or four dark stripes radiating back from the eye across the cheek and gill cover like war paint confirm the identity.
State record: 2.44 lbs.
BigCatch: To qualify your catch needs to exceed the listed weight OR length (not necessarily both).
Habitat: Warmouths inhabit swamps, marshes, shallow lakes, slow-moving streams and canals with soft, muddy bottoms. They stay around aquatic vegetation, stumps and snags and under the banks of streams and ponds. They have more tolerance for muddy water than most species.
Behavior: Warmouths are solitary nesters that prefer to nest adjacent to a submerged object. Nests are found over a wide range of water depths. They often spawn more than once a year usually between April and August. Crayfish, shrimp, insects and small fishes make up the bulk of their diet. Most feeding is done in the morning, as it appears to sleep at night.
Tips: Warmouth will actually take a small bass lure, but minnows and worms are the predominant live baits. They are also susceptible to jigs and fly fishers enjoy enticing them with popping bugs.