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MBSS Fish Information
BLUEGILL
Lepomis macrochirus

The Bluegill is a member of the Sunfish family (Centrarchidae). This species has been widely introduced throughout the United States, and has flourished as a result of its tolerance to a variety of conditions.

The map below shows presence (green circles) of this species in the 1995-2019 MBSS dataset.
Illustration by Dave Neely

Distribution of Bluegill in Maryland (MBSS data):

The MBSS has collected the following fishes in the family Centrarchidae:

Common Name Genus & species
Black crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus
Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus
Green sunfish Lepomis cyanellus
Largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides
Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus
Redbreast sunfish Lepomis auritus
Rock bass Ambloplites rupestris
Smallmouth bass Miropterus dolomieu
Longear sunfish Lepomis megalotis