Green sunfish across Minnesota
Where green sunfish live in Minnesota, with limits.
- 20 combined totallimit
- 1 lb 4 ozrecord
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green sunfish in the state
In DNR terms, Green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus) is part of the sunfish family. Limit (inland waters (statewide)): 20 combined total; season Continuous.
A 1 lb 4 oz fish from North Arbor Lake in 2005 holds the record. 959 lakes carry it on their DNR survey list, 1,067 with pages on this site. The highest gill net catch rate on a lake with a page here is 133.5 per net at Johannes Lake.
For the sunfish herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 The DNR on green sunfish
“What is a sunfish? Sunfish is a generic name for a group fish that includes bluegill, pumpkinseed, green sunfish, orange-spotted sunfish, longear, warmouth and their hybrids.”
- Sunfish is a generic name for a group fish that includes bluegill, pumpkinseed, green sunfish, orange-spotted sunfish, longear, warmouth and their hybrids.identification
Quoted from the DNR fish page and the 2026 regulations identification guide, checked October 2026.
Minnesota limits for green sunfish
| Where | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Inland waters (statewide) | 20 combined total | Continuous |
2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations. All Minnesota limits.
Record green sunfish from Minnesota
| Category | Weight | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| certified weight | 1 lb 4 oz | North Arbor Lake | Hennepin | 2005 |
Minnesota DNR state records; angler names left out.
Lakes where DNR gill nets caught the most green sunfish
| Lake | Per gill net | Normal range | Avg lb | Survey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johannes Lake | 133.5 | 0.4-0.8 | 0.07 | 1975 |
| White Lake, Freeborn County | 133 | 0.02 | 2015 | |
| Round Grove Lake | 89.67 | 0.4-6.5 | 0.07 | 1987 |
| Hernando DeSoto Lake | 34 | 0.06 | 1988 | |
| Island Lake, Clearwater County | 33.33 | 0.3 | 0.12 | 2022 |
| Willow Lake, Ramsey County | 24.5 | 0.8-13.0 | 0.27 | 1981 |
| Smith Lake, Wright County | 22 | 0.4-6.5 | 0.09 | 1980 |
| Hanrahan Lake | 17 | 0.8-13.0 | 0.1 | 1976 |
| Fault Lake | 14.5 | 8.8 | 0.1 | 1980 |
| Curtis Lake | 12.67 | 0.4-6.5 | 0.16 | 1987 |
| Leo Lake | 12.5 | 0.4-7.0 | 0.09 | 2025 |
| Pierz Lake, Cook County | 10.5 | 0.4-7.0 | 0.07 | 2013 |
DNR LakeFinder latest survey per lake; standard and special gill nets.
Waters holding green sunfish
Lakes for green sunfish
- Mille Lacs Lake128,250 acres
- Vermilion Lake39,272 acres
- Lake Minnetonka14,206 acres
- Lake Pepin12,299 acres
- Big Stone Lake11,984 acres
- Traverse Lake10,849 acres
- Gull Lake, Cass County10,010 acres
- Sand Point Lake8,527 acres
- Pelican Lake, Crow Wing County8,367 acres
- Lake Minnewaska8,050 acres
- Whitefish Lake near Manhattan Beach, Crow Wing County7,714 acres
- Dead Lake, Otter Tail County7,546 acres
- Burntside Lake7,314 acres
- Pokegama Lake, Itasca County6,721 acres
- Lake Osakis6,389 acres
- North Long Lake, Crow Wing County6,190 acres
- Lac qui Parle5,741 acres
- Miltona Lake5,731 acres
- West Battle Lake5,615 acres
- Green Lake, Kandiyohi County5,569 acres
- North Lida Lake5,523 acres
- Rush Lake near Ottertail, Otter Tail County5,276 acres
- Pike Bay, Cass County4,756 acres
- Star Lake, Otter Tail County4,486 acres
Creeks for green sunfish
- Mississippi RiverAitkin
- Vermilion RiverSt. Louis
DNR LakeFinder survey lists; largest lakes first.
More fish near green sunfish on the list
- Largemouth basssunfish family
- Smallmouth basssunfish family
- Rock basssunfish family
- Black crappiesunfish family
- White crappiesunfish family
- Bluegillsunfish family
- Pumpkinseedsunfish family
- Hybrid sunfishsunfish family
- Warmouthsunfish family
Lakes and rivers near Green sunfish in photos
Photo: Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Lorne Sunley, CC BY 3.0
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Photo: Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0
green sunfish questions with short answers
What is the daily Minnesota limit for green sunfish?
20 combined total (Inland waters (statewide)), season Continuous.
How heavy is the record green sunfish?
1 lb 4 oz from North Arbor Lake (2005).
Which lakes are best for green sunfish?
Johannes Lake leads the DNR gill net catch at 133.5 per net; 1,069 waters on this site list it.
Are green sunfish stocked in Minnesota?
No DNR stocking row covers it.
How can I tell a green sunfish when I land one?
Sunfish is a generic name for a group fish that includes bluegill, pumpkinseed, green sunfish, orange-spotted sunfish, longear, warmouth and their hybrids.
When is green sunfish season in Minnesota?
Continuous
What does a license for green sunfish cost?
Minnesota residents 16 to 89 need an angling license ($25 for the year); nonresidents 16 and older pay $51.
Do outfitters target green sunfish?
No listing names it.
Go fishing for green sunfish
Open a lake above for accesses and limits.