Far too many anglers look down their noses at bluegills, thinking of them as kids’ fish, since bream are the first species most of them caught as young children. As they grow older and become more interested in catching larger, more glamorous fish, they seemingly forget what it’s like to be sitting on top of a hot bream bed. Fortunately, however, some of those folks later rediscover the sport.

The bluegill is known by many different names. In Mississippi, it’s called everything from “bluegill” and “sunfish” to “bream” and “pond perch.” Bluegills are without a doubt the most popular sportfish in the Magnolia State, and definitely one of the most abundant.

The fish came by its common name thanks to the iridescent blue color on the lower portion of its jaw and gill cover. The other two distinctive markings of the fish are the prominent black spot on the rear edge of the gill cover and the black spot at the base of the posterior portion of the dorsal fin. The rest of a bluegill’s body coloration is highly variable, depending on size, sex, time of year, water clarity, bottom type, and the amount of cover in the water. Clear water yields bluegills with blue-green backs that give way to white bellies; darker water produces darker fish with olive to black backs that lighten towards a yellowish belly.

The males of the species exhibit much brighter colors than do the females, especially during breeding. That’s when they may have orange to rusty-red breasts. Bluegills also have five to nine dark vertical bands running down their sides. These bands get lighter in color as they go down the side, disappearing near the belly area.

Bluegills are found in quiet, warm waters with an abundance of vegetation. While they prefer water temperatures in the 85-to-88 degree range, these bream can tolerate temperatures upwards of 95 degrees. Their preference for warm water allows them to thrive in shallow lakes and small farm ponds, but they tend to avoid direct sunlight, preferring the cover of aquatic vegetation and submerged brush.

Bluegills feed on aquatic and terrestrial insects, mollusks, small fish and small pieces of aquatic vegetation. Although they eat throughout the day, bluegills feed primarily at dawn and dusk. Since these panfish eat whatever’s available, their feeding patterns vary greatly with the season of the year. For instance, during the summer, when food is plentiful, bluegills often consume up to 35 percent of their own body weight on a weekly basis.

Bluegills spawn several times a year, when water temperatures get in the 65-degree range. In South Mississippi, the first round of spawning takes place in March or April. While females leave the nest soon after spawning, the males guard the eggs, fanning them with the caudal fins to keep them aerated and free of debris. Often the males stay with the young fry, guarding them for several days after they hatch.