- Perch are among the more common as well as most sought-after panfish in Canada. Catchable from coast to coast across the southern part of the country, these brightly colored fish are relatives of the walleye. Sometimes reaching 15 inches and weighing well over 1 lb., perch are routinely caught on minnows and worms, and can be caught in open water in summer and through the ice in winter. Lake Simcoe and Lake of the Woods are top spots.
- The largest of Canadian panfish, crappie can reach lengths of 18 inches and several pounds, though fish of 12 inches and about 1 lb. are more common. The crappies' range in Canada is limited, with most of the fish being caught around the Great Lakes. Their range extends to lower northwestern Ontario, however, and is expanding, according to Nature & Outdoor Tourism Ontario. Crappie can be caught on minnows and minnow-imitating lures and jigs. Mist crappie are caught in the spring, when they move shallow to spawn, and in winter, when they congregate around still-green vegetation under the ice.
- Bluegill can be considered the quintessential panfish. Many a fisherman have early memories involve dunking a worm and bobber for this fish from a dock or grassy shoreline. Bluegill can be found in just about any lake in the southern half of Canada and some scattered northern waters as well. Catchable with live nightcrawlers, wax worms and other live bait, these fish can be found in shallow water from spring to fall, though the biggest specimens often hang out slightly deeper. Ice fishing is also productive, and bluegills often co-habitate with crappie during the cold months.
- Looking like a slightly smaller and more colorful bluegill, pumpkinseed share many of the same waters. Like bluegill, they are round in appearance, but can be differentiated by the red spot on their gill flaps, which bluegill lack. Pumpkinseed fall for live bait under bobbers or near bottom. Like bluegill, they spawn in vast shallow colonies. Across most of their Canadian range, the spawn takes place from June into early July, depending on latitude.
- Rock bass are sometimes considered a nuisance by anglers because they frequently take bait intended for walleye or smallmouth bass. They often share habitat with smallmouths, preferring rocky areas as their name suggests. They resemble a stubby, rounded bass, albeit with red goggle-like eyes. Rock bass are limited in range, extending as far north as Lake Abitibi in Ontario. Rock bass are common in the Great Lakes, often congregating around piers and man-made rocky shorelines. They can be taken on jigs and a variety of live bait.
Perch
Crappie
Bluegill
Pumpkinseed
Rock Bass
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