In praise of pumpkinseeds—the cheerful-looking, always-hungry sunfish that can inspire a lifetime of angling

I’ve never understood why more anglers don’t spend more time pursuing pumpkinseeds. After all, they’re the only fish native to Canadian waters with an exotic appearance worthy of the finest aquariums. Better yet, they possess every quality necessary to be deemed worthy of year-round angling along much of the country’s southern stretches.

Those who think there’s no challenge in catching pumpkinseeds have never targeted them in the dead of winter—it can be a serious struggle. And anyone who’s kept a few meatier specimens for the skillet knows there’s another tasty world beyond the realm of perch and walleye fillets.

My favourite thing about these feisty members of the sunfish family is they’re accessible to all anglers, young and old, no matter their skill level. All you need is a slip float, some splitshot and a hook to dip a worm below the surface near a dock. Or, you can take things up a notch and target them with flies or poppers on light tackle. Whatever the case, pumpkinseeds are sure to bring an ear-to-ear smile to a new angler’s face, providing the gateway to a lifetime of angling wonder in the process.

Even if you ignore them now, you’re bound to have loved pumpkinseeds at one point or another in your angling career. No matter how many hooks they swallowed, worms they stole, or times they poked your hand with their spiny dorsal fins, they were always willing to ensure you didn’t go home skunked. And the good news is, it’s never too late to once again cash in on an afternoon of chasing Lepomis gibbosus. From April straight through to the end of October, the fishing can be equated to the likes of pizza—when it’s good, it’s great, but when it’s bad, it’s still pretty good.