Mouth is very large and the jaw extends to the rear of the eye or beyond. The works-canepoles, light and ultralight spinning outfits, and fly rods. Not so choosy about surroundings as some of the other bream. Despite a huge variation in color, the Bluegill is not difficult to identify. It has a rounder shape than other Bream, and a gill flap of solid black with no colored margin.
Small individuals are often silvery with a bluish sheen, but the color darkens with growth.
Adult females are predominantly bluish with light patches. Adult males are purplish, with rust-colored fins and an irridescent patch of coppery scales on the head. WVertical bars of varying shade may be visible at any age. Commonly caught in all sizes, from a couple of ounces to half a pound. Specimens running 8-12 ounces are very common at times, especially when bedding, and fish exceeding 1 pound are not rare.