Redear Sunfish | Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

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.

2026 Redear Sunfish Fishing Forecast

Lakes

BIOLOGIST'S RATING: P=Poor, F=Fair, G=Good, E=Excellent
Updated 01/14/26

Location	(>7")	(>9")	(>11")	(lbs.)	Fishing Rating
ATCHISON CITY LAKE #23	0.2	0.2	0	0.52	P
BANNER CREEK LAKE	0	0	0	0.2	P
BONE CREEK LAKE	5.06	0.56	0	0.92	G
BOURBON STATE FISHING LAKE	2.5	0.25	0	0.45	F
BUTLER STATE FISHING LAKE	1	0	0	0.26	P
COWLEY STATE FISHING LAKE	8.75	1	0	0.65	G
CRAWFORD STATE FISHING LAKE	0.25	0	0	0.3	F
DOUGLAS CO - LONESTAR LAKE	0	0	0	0.22	F
DOUGLAS STATE FISHING LAKE	10.82	0.09	0	0.5	F
EDNA CITY LAKE	0.5	0	0	0.24	F
FORT SCOTT CITY LAKE	0	0	0	0.09	P
GARNETT CITY LAKE - N	3.33	0.67	0	0.65	F
GRIDLEY CITY LAKE	3.17	1	0	0.85	F
HOWARD - POLK DANIELS LAKE	0.33	0.25	0	0.56	P
JETMORE CITY LAKE	0.5	0	0	0.57	F
JEWELL STATE FISHING LAKE	2.31	0.38	0	0.61	G
JOHNSON CO - KILL CREEK PARK LAKE	9.33	0.67	0	0.52	E
JOHNSON CO - LEXINGTON PARK LAKE	5.83	0.17	0	0.54	G
LAKE LENEXA	1.25	0	0	0.36	G
LEAVENWORTH STATE FISHING LAKE	7	0.25	0	0.68	G
LYON STATE FISHING LAKE	4.33	1.92	0.08	1.16	G
MADISON CITY LAKE	0.5	0	0	0.4	P
MELVERN RIVER POND	7.8	3.6	0	0.74	G
MIAMI STATE FISHING LAKE	0.1	0	0	0.25	P
MIDDLE CREEK STATE FISHING LAKE	0.25	0	0	0.33	F
MINED LAND PIT #44A	0.5	0	0	0.28	F
MOLINE OLD CITY LAKE - S	7.25	0.75	0	0.7	G
MONTGOMERY STATE FISHING LAKE	0	0	0	0.22	G
MOUND CITY LAKE	0.5	0.25	0	0.59	F
NEOSHO STATE FISHING LAKE	0.88	0	0	0.4	F
OSAGE STATE FISHING LAKE	0	0	0	0.18	P
OSAWATOMIE CITY LAKE	1	0	0	0.26	G
PAOLA CITY LAKE - LAKE MIOLA	0	0	0	0.05	P
PLEASANTON E LAKE	1.14	0	0	0.31	P
POTTAWATOMIE STATE FISHING LAKE #2	1	0	0	0.28	F
SEVERY CITY LAKE	3.33	0	0	0.43	G
SHAWNEE STATE FISHING LAKE	10.42	5.75	0.08	1.21	E
THAYER CITY LAKE - NEW	7	0.5	0	0.52	G
THAYER CITY LAKE - OLD	1.5	0	0	0.3	F
WILSON STATE FISHING LAKE	1	0.5	0	0.73	G
WOODSON STATE FISHING LAKE	4.67	0.33	0	0.5	G
YATES CENTER - S OWL LAKE	3.17	0.08	0	0.56	F
YATES CENTER CITY LAKE - NEW	0.55	0.36	0.18	1.15	F

Ponds

BIOLOGIST'S RATING: P=Poor, F=Fair, G=Good, E=Excellent
Updated 01/14/26

Location	(>7")	(>9")	(lbs.)	Fishing Rating
EMPORIA - JONES PARK E POND	2	0	0.35	P
EMPORIA - JONES PARK N POND	2.67	0	0.31	F
EMPORIA - JONES PARK W POND	7.33	0	0.3	F
FALL RIVER SP KIDS POND	4.33	0	0.38	F
OVERBROOK CITY LAKE	0.25	0.25	0.43	F
PARKER CITY LAKE	0.5	0	0.32	P

Reservoirs

BIOLOGIST'S RATING: P=Poor, F=Fair, G=Good, E=Excellent
Updated 01/14/26

Location	(>7")	(>9")	(lbs)	Fishing Rating
BIG HILL	0.5	0.07	0.62	F
CLINTON	0.05	0.03	0.55	P
LACYGNE	0.02	0	0.22	P
POMONA	0	0	0.07	P