Longear Sunfish

[FishnDave]

Iowa doesn't have Longear Sunfish...I think a few were captured below a hatchery outlet near the Mississippi River a few years back...but that was an anomaly.

Missouri doesn't seem to have a shortage of them, sounds like nearly EVERYONE here has already caught them. They are beautiful fish,  I wanted to catch some.

I received some tips from some of the anglers here on OA, on where I might get some of these Longear Sunfish not too far from where I live.  It was VERY kind of these guys to share some places with me, I can't begin to express have grateful I am.

 I fished 2 creeks, and a river, caught Longear from all 3 places.  I also caught a LOT of Green Sunfish, a few bluegills, a largemouth bass, and a common shiner.  Saw some smallmouth, but they did not strike the fly I was using.  The Longears are gorgeous fish...they don't get very big.  I caught @ 30-some, they are fairly aggressive and typically would hit the fly and run at full-speed...almost like a miniature Hybrid Striped Bass.  Very miniature. ;o)

Common Shiner below, right?

[tjm]

Longear are common over most of Mo, but they shouldn't very far north of a line straight west from where you are. I think they are the most aggressive fish we have, they will hit a fly almost as long as they are sometimes, I've caught 2 1/2" LE on bass flies. In my creek it's just the opposite for me, I catch lots of small mouth and the large mouth ignore my flies 

[Johnsfolly]

@FishnDave congrats on those longears! Pretty fish! I agree with @tjm on those guys being ultra aggressive. A fun way to get some fish while wading the creeks. I haven't looked really closely, but knowing where you were fishing that is likely a common shiner.

 

[FishnDave]

2 hours ago, tjm said:

Longear are common over most of Mo, but they shouldn't very far north of a line straight west from where you are. I think they are the most aggressive fish we have, they will hit a fly almost as long as they are sometimes, I've caught 2 1/2" LE on bass flies. In my creek it's just the opposite for me, I catch lots of small mouth and the large mouth ignore my flies 

Lets switch creeks for a day. 😁  

 

[tjm]

Well, you can come on down, but I don't travel that far just to fish. By the time I stopped to try  every stream on the way  there, it would take  4-6 weeks travel time. We're at I49 & the Ar. state line.