Green Sunfish in Michigan
green sunfish under the 2026 Michigan digest.
- 25 in any combinatiolimit
- 1.53 lbrecord
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A Michigan profile of green sunfish
Green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus) is filed by the Michigan DNR as game fish, found in great lakes and inland. statewide carries 25 in any combination of the listed species under the 2026 rules, season open all year.
The MDNR record table lists 1.53 lb from Kirkwood Lake in 1990 (hook and line). Fish Atlas records from 1970 on show it in 21 lakes with pages.
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| Where | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Statewide | 25 in any combination of the listed species | Open all year |
2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (Michigan DNR; rules run April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027). Retrieved October 22, 2026.
Michigan record green sunfish
| Category | Weight | Length | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| hook and line | 1.53 lb | 10 in | Kirkwood Lake | Oakland | 1990 |
MDNR State Record Fish table, retrieved October 22, 2026; the table prints the year only and no angler names.
Fish Atlas lakes for green sunfish
| Lake | County | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Gull Lake | Kalamazoo | 2,047 |
| Ford Lake, Washtenaw County | Washtenaw | 958 |
| Pine Lake near Martin, Barry County | Barry | 612 |
| Whitmore Lake | Livingston | 577 |
| Long Lake, Ionia County | Ionia | 357 |
| Murray Lake, Kent County | Kent | 313 |
| Maceday Lake | Oakland | 207 |
| Huyck Lake, Branch County | Branch | 193 |
| Hemlock Lake, Hillsdale County | Hillsdale | 150 |
| Hackert Lake | Mason | 120 |
| Bird Lake | Hillsdale | 115 |
| Dewey Lake, Lenawee County | Lenawee | 110 |
| Huron River near Ypsilanti, Washtenaw County, 100 acres | Washtenaw | 100 |
| Maston Lake | Kent | 100 |
| Prairie Lake | Calhoun | 89 |
| Hodunk Pond | Branch | 82 |
MDNR Fish Atlas collection records from 1970 on and Family Friendly Fishing lists; largest lakes first.
Finding green sunfish on Michigan water
Biggest lakes with green sunfish
- Gull Lake2,047 acres
- Ford Lake, Washtenaw County958 acres
- Pine Lake near Martin, Barry County612 acres
- Whitmore Lake577 acres
- Long Lake, Ionia County357 acres
- Murray Lake, Kent County313 acres
- Maceday Lake207 acres
- Huyck Lake, Branch County193 acres
- Hemlock Lake, Hillsdale County150 acres
- Hackert Lake120 acres
- Bird Lake115 acres
- Dewey Lake, Lenawee County110 acres
- Huron River near Ypsilanti, Washtenaw County, 100 acres100 acres
- Maston Lake100 acres
- Prairie Lake89 acres
- Hodunk Pond82 acres
- Round Lake, Hillsdale County78 acres
- St. Clair Lake59 acres
- Harts Lake55 acres
- Fourth Lake, Hillsdale County47 acres
- Girard Lake16 acres
MDNR Fish Atlas and Family Friendly Fishing lists, fishing site lists, trout stream layer, stocking and records; largest waters first.
Other fish near green sunfish in the digest
- Bluegillgame fish
- Pumpkinseedgame fish
- Redear Sunfishgame fish
- Longear Sunfishgame fish
- Warmouthgame fish
- Hybrid Sunfishgame fish
- Black Crappiegame fish
- White Crappiegame fish
- Rock Bassgame fish
- Largemouth Bassgame fish
- Smallmouth Bassgame fish
- Walleyegame fish
Camera views of water by Green Sunfish
Photo: Notorious4life ( Uploads ), CC0 1.0
Photo: starscream1211, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Hgjudd, CC BY-SA 3.0
Michigan green sunfish, the questions that come up
How many green sunfish may I keep in Michigan?
25 in any combination of the listed species on statewide; season open all year. Other waters carry their own rows.
Does the MDNR list a record green sunfish?
1.53 lb from Kirkwood Lake, Oakland County, in 1990 (hook and line).
Which waters name green sunfish?
21 water pages on this site name it, starting with Gull Lake, Ford Lake, Washtenaw County and Pine Lake near Martin, Barry County.
Do Michigan hatcheries raise green sunfish?
The MDNR table lists no plants of it.
How does the MDNR classify green sunfish?
Lepomis cyanellus; game fish in great lakes and inland.
Are green sunfish open to fishing all year in Michigan?
Open all year on statewide.
Which Michigan license covers green sunfish?
Anglers 17 and older carry a Michigan all-species fishing license: $26 a year for residents, $76 for nonresidents, $11 for seniors or $10 for one day.
Do outfitters list green sunfish?
None of the listed charters name it.
Choose a lake for green sunfish
Pick a water above, then read its limits.