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Warmouth

🔬 Lepomis gulosus

A large-mouthed, aggressive sunfish found in warm, weedy lakes and slow rivers in southern Michigan. Warmouth are often mistaken for Rock Bass but have a distinctive red eye and more mottled coloring.

6–10", 0.5–1 lb
Typical size
1 lb 6 oz
Michigan record
Late spring through summer
Best season
55
Listed lakes
🏆 Michigan record 1 lb 6 oz · Great Bear Lake · Van Buren County · 2001 All records →

📅 Best Times to Fish

Jan
None
Feb
None
Mar
Fair
Apr
Good
May
Excellent
Jun
Excellent
Jul
Excellent
Aug
Excellent
Sep
Good
Oct
Fair
Nov
Fair
Dec
None

🌿 Habitat & Behavior

Warm, weedy, slow-moving water with heavy cover — lily pads, submerged logs, and dense vegetation. More tolerant of low-oxygen, murky water than most sunfish.

🎣 Best Techniques

Small jigs, spinners, or live bait worked through heavy cover — similar to Largemouth Bass fishing on a smaller scale

🪱 Best Baits

Crayfish, wax worms, small minnows, crickets, tiny spinners

📋 Michigan Fishing Regulations

25 (combined sunfish)
Daily limit
50 (combined sunfish)
Possession limit
Year-round
Season

Counted in the combined sunfish limit on most waters.

⚠️ Regulations shown are general statewide guidelines for 2025. Rules vary by water body and change annually. Always verify current regulations in the official Michigan DNR Fishing Guide before you fish.

🌊 Where to Catch in Michigan

📦 DNR Stocking History

No stocking records are on file for Warmouth.

This is common for several reasons: this species may reproduce naturally and not require stocking (e.g. Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike), it may be managed under a different program not tracked here, or records may predate our database. For the most current data, check the Michigan DNR Stocking Database directly.

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📋 Quick Facts