Green Sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus) Please help ID

 

Hello,

 

Was wondering if this is indeed a Green Sunfish. I caught one for the first time this weekend here in New Jersey. The Green Sunfish is listed as an invasive species in NJ.

 

"GREEN SUNFISH - Lepomis cyanellus

Green sunfish and warmouths have a larger mouth than the state's native sunfish, thus have the ability to outcompete native fish.     ....and if these species are encountered while angling they must be destroyed."

 

Thank you.

Looks like a hybrid that is part green.

I agree, looks to be a hybrid but absolutely contains green sunfish. Probably bluegill X green sunfish, but not a once hybrid. Looks to be more green sunfish in that fish than a true bluegill X greeny. We have a lot of bluegill X green sunfish here and they are a little more round and usually lack the orange/red on the fins. 

 

I'd say its an offspring of a greeny X bluegill that bred with a green sunfish. 

Possibly a hybrid, for sure green sunfish involved though....

Thanks everyone.

I must say it fought well, and tasted pretty good too.

Looks like a thick pumpkinseed to me. Only thing I find to be odd is the mouth appears larger than most pumpkinseeds and the body is more oblong but that could be the angle of the picture also.

http://www.hooked-in.com/catches/show/3739