Redear Sunfish in Missouri
Where redear sunfish live in Missouri, with the rules.
- 50 a daylimit
- 2 lb 3 ozrecord
Pick for redear sunfishPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of the species, not a Missouri water: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, CC BY 2.0
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Missouri redear sunfish: rules, record, water
For 2026, the Show-Me booklet carries 14 limit rows for redear sunfish. Nongame status puts it in the pooled limit, 50 a day by pole and line, with 6 further methods printed.
In 2025 Riley Isaacs set the alternative method record with 2 lb 3 oz at Lake Taneycomo. 27 waters with pages list it, including Lake of the Ozarks, Table Rock Lake and Wappapello Lake.
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| Method | Waters | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pole and line, trotline, throwline, limb line, bank line, jug line | 50 a day | All year | |
| Bow | 20 a day | April 1–Jan. 31 | |
| Bow | 20 a day | Feb. 1–March 31 | |
| Bow | 20 a day | All year | |
| Bow | 20 a day | All year | |
| Bow | 20 a day | All year | |
| Crossbow | 20 a day | All year | |
| Gig, atlatl | 20 a day | Sept. 15–Feb. 15 | |
| Gig, atlatl | 20 a day | Feb. 16–Sept. 14 | |
| Gig, atlatl | 20 a day | All year | |
| Snagging, grabbing | 20 a day | March 15–May 15 and Sept. 15–Feb. 15 | |
| Snagging, grabbing | 20 a day | All year | |
| Snaring | 20 a day | March 15–May 15 and Sept. 15–Feb. 15 | |
| Underwater spear | 20 a day | All year |
Limits and seasons as printed in A Summary of Missouri Fishing Regulations 2026 (MDC, effective March 1, 2026), page 21 (booklet PDF); retrieved October 27, 2026.
The largest Missouri redear sunfish on file
| Division | Weight | Angler | Hometown | Water | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alternative Method: Bow | 2 lb 3 oz | Riley Isaacs | Bradleyville, MO | Lake Taneycomo | April 18, 2025 | MDC news release |
MDC State Record Fish list and MDC news releases, read October 27, 2026; a news-release record may since have been beaten.
Lakes and streams in Missouri with redear sunfish
Reservoirs with redear sunfish
- Lake of the Ozarks51,132 acres
- Table Rock Lake49,720 acres
- Wappapello Lake7,680 acres
- Lake Taneycomo2,131 acres
- Fellows Lake800 acres
- August A. Busch Memorial and Weldon Spring Conservation Areas500 acres
- Lake Showme253 acres
- Hunnewell Lake236 acres
- Carl DiSalvo Lake214 acres
- Indian Creek Lake199 acres
- Little Dixie Lake195 acres
- Blind Pony Lake154 acres
- Binder Community Lake142 acres
- Maple Leaf Lake136 acres
- Williams Creek Lake99 acres
- Towell Lake97 acres
- Perry County Community Lake90 acres
- North Bethany City Reservoir76 acres
- Manito Lake75 acres
- Hazel Hill Community Lake63 acres
- Happy Holler Lake58 acres
- Lake Remembrance48 acres
- Sims Valley Community Lake42 acres
- Sterling Price Community Lake26 acres
MDC 2026 Fishing Prospects text, state records, ribbon trout areas, trout parks, winter trout lakes and MDC management areas; biggest waters first.
Relatives of redear sunfish in the rules
Lakes and streams close to Redear Sunfish, pictured
Photo: Jo Naylor, CC BY 2.0
Photo: David Hinkson, Public domain
Photo: Tequask, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Ben Jacobson ( Kranar Drogin ), CC BY-SA 3.0
redear sunfish questions from Show-Me anglers
Is it legal to bag redear sunfish from Missouri water?
Statewide: 50 a day, pooled across nongame fish by pole and line, open all year.
When was the redear sunfish record set in Missouri?
The entry read here: 2 lb 3 oz, Lake Taneycomo, 2025, Riley Isaacs.
What Missouri water is a good bet for redear sunfish?
It is on 27 pages, Lake of the Ozarks, Table Rock Lake and Wappapello Lake first.
Do Missouri hatcheries raise redear sunfish?
Nothing in the MDC stocking notes covers it.
Where are redear sunfish rules different in Missouri?
None of the exceptions name it.
Is redear sunfish open all year in Missouri?
Season on the lead row: All year.
Is a fishing permit enough for redear sunfish?
Missouri anglers 16 through 64 carry a fishing permit: $14 a year for residents, $57 for nonresidents, or $9 for a daily permit.
Does MDC allow other methods for redear sunfish?
Rows exist for bow, crossbow, gig, atlatl, pole and line, trotline, throwline, limb line, bank line, jug line, snagging, grabbing and snaring.
Pick Missouri water for redear sunfish
Every water above has accesses and limits on its own page.