Information & facts

Common Name: Pumpkinseed

Scientific Name: Lepomis gibbosus, lepomis meaning "scaled gill" cover, and gibbosus meaning "wide margin."

Distribution: Pumpkinseed sunfish have been introduced everywhere between the Pacific and Atlantic. Given their oftentimes adverse impact on ecosystems they are introduced to, pumpkinseed are considered a nuisance in many areas.

Spawning: Pumpkinseed males will usually begin building their small, circular nests in May or June, in water just 6" to 12" deep (that's inches, not feet). One or several females will then deposit somewhere between 1,000 and 3,000 eggs apiece in a male's nest. After fertilizing the eggs, the male will remain to defend the eggs against any and all predators. Hatching occurs within 3 to 5 days, after which the fry do not take long to begin foraging for food on their own.
Pumpkinseed will often share nests and cross-breed with other sunfish such as bluegills, resulting in myriad hybrids.

How to fish for Pumpkinseed

Pumpkinseed prefer warm, calm, clear, heavily vegetated waters, either in lakes/ponds or in pools along rivers and streams. They usually swim in large schools close to shore, never too far from cover, feeding on insects, larvae, fish eggs, mollusks, and worms (plus the occasional bit of vegetable matter when no other food is available).

As with other small panfish, small hooks, small baits, and light tackle are the proper setup for catching pumpkinseed. Any natural bait of sufficiently small size will trigger a bite, however some small artificial lures have been known to produce results.

Like Bluegill, Pumpkinseed are a great introductory fish for younger anglers, given their taste for worms and tendency to swim close to shore. Although it takes quite a few pumpkinseed to make a meal, they do taste good.

Pumpkinseed Fishing Tips, Tricks and Tactics

• Best Artificial Lures – You are going to have a lot of success with small-scale artificial lures. Specifically, the Berkley’s Micro Power Minnow is ideal for pumkinseeds and other type of panfish. And if you like soft plastics, then be sure to try out this Gulp’s Cricket Bait – some anglers swear by it.
• Best Live Bait – Let’s face it, is there really anything a pumpkinseed won’t eat? While they will strike on anything there are specific types of bait that work better than others. Crickets (while not a traditional bait store bait) are a great weapon when hunting for monster pumkinseed. If you can’t get your hands on any crickets then wax worms and beetles are also very effective.
• Use the Right Equipment – The right rod and fishing line is crucial when fishing for pumpkinseeds. You’ll want to use equipment that is small and lightweight. In most situations an ultra-light spinning fishing rod and reel is the best choice. Unless you have issues with snagging, you’ll want to use a monofilament fishing line that is 3-4 lbs. We highly recommend using Berkley’s Trilene Big Game.
• Catch Pumkinseeds, Don’t Feed Them – Every experienced angler knows that pumkinseeds are bait thieves, especially when they’re not what you’re fishing for. If you’re fishing for pumkinseeds and you’re using worms then you will need to present the bait right on the hook to prevent theft. You don’t want to just thread the worm onto the hook, this will prevent the worm’s ability to move about and attract pumkinseeds. Instead place the worm on the hook in a pleated manner, this will allow the worm to attract pumpkinseeds and provide easy access to the hook.
• Don’t be in a Rush – When using lures to catch pumkinseeds it’s important to retrieve slowly. This is due to the fact that pumpkinseeds mostly eat things that are slow moving. Pumkinseeds, like many other pan fish aren’t used to chasing down food. Remember, just keep it slow and steady when using lures for pumpkinseeds and you’ll start hitting them in no time.
• Size Does Matter – No matter what they say, size does matter when it comes to fishing for pumkinseeds. You’ll want to use jigs that are no bigger than 1/32 ounce. When fishing with live bait you’ll want to use either #8 sized hooks or #12 hooks. Fortunately, both sets of hooks can be found on Amazon for an affordable price. Check out Gamakatsu’s #8 hooks, and Eagle Claw’s #12 hooks.

Pumpkinseed Fishing Resources

Below you’ll find some additional resources to help you catch bigger, better pumkinseeds. We hope the information provided on this page will help improve your pumpkinseed fishing success and your success as an angler overall. Feel free to share this website with your fellow anglers to show your support for our website. I know, who wants to share the fishing secrets but the best way to thank us is to promote our website.

• Catching Panfish - by Shawn Perich is a complete how-to guide with detailed, step-by-step information accompanied by close-up photographs.