Longear Sunfish

Small poppers with rubber legs, foam ants, micro Chubby Chernobyls, pheasant tail nymphs, midges, small woolly buggers, and terrestrial patterns like beetles and ants in hook sizes #8-#12.

Mid-May through August when they're active in shallow waters. Adult longears are absent from shallow waters after ice-out until aquatic plant regrowth begins, remaining in shallows from mid-May through August before disappearing when vegetation dies back in late summer/fall. Avoid June spawning periods.

Microjigs dapped to visible fish. Move flies just enough to make rubber legs wiggle rather than aggressive action. Fish near docks and structures only where submerged vegetation remains intact.

Feed primarily on amphipods (scuds), caddisfly larvae, midge larvae, aquatic insects, microcrustaceans, fish e.g.gs, terrestrial insects, and small fish. Adults compose their diet of terrestrial insects (37%), fish (31%), aquatic insects (21%), and fish e.g.gs (7%).

Lake-dwelling populations concentrated in a triangular area from northern border lakes near Voyageurs National Park and Superior National Forest, southwest to the Whitefish Chain area, and northwest to the Becker/Mahnomen/Clearwater County junction including the Chippewa National Forest.