Where to find Orange Spotted Sunfish - Lepomis Humilis in Kansas

Good afternoon Craig,

I posted a thread in the main Kansas board, but I have a feeling you would be able to help me directly, below is the info from the post

"I am new to this forum and was looking for some information on where to catch Orange Spotted Sunfish (Lepomis humilis) in Kansas.


I live in Salina but am willing to drive anywhere in Kansas these fish are known to be in dense populations

I found a collection report from 1997 that suggests they can be found at Dragoon Creek and Mission Creek. But I was looking for more recent reports.

I am trying to collect them for a 135 gallon native Kansas aquarium that I am in the process of setting up."

Another question I have, is what would you recommend in terms of collecting, do I need a special permit to collect for home aquaria? I reached out the KS Dept of Wildlife and was told "A bluegill or sunfish sunfish legally taken from a public water could be kept in a home aquarium because there is no minimum length limit or creel limit"

Is legally taken considered rod and reel only? Can I follow the Kansas guidelines for collecting bait fish and have it apply to Bluegill/Sunfish or are they considered sport fish? Specifically with a cast net or seine?

The last thing I want to do is be unlawful, I have tremendous respect for the work the KDWPT does and have been keeping non-native aquarium fish for over 15 years, and look forward to responsibly keeping a native tank.

Thanks!

Sorry for the delay in my reply! It's been a busy 2018!

See below for Kansas regulations on baitfish. This info can be found in the 2018 Kansas Fishing Regulations Summary on pages 6 and 8 or online at Fishing Regulations / Fishing / KDWPT - KDWPT .

It looks like you've done your homework already and have most everything figured out. You are correct in that you CANNOT transport live fish from a designated ANS water.

Orangespotted sunfish are common in Kansas, but "dense populations" may be a bit harder to find! Seining smaller creeks would probably be your best bet in quickly finding orangespots.

Hope this helps!

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BAIT FISH

Bait fish (as defined) may be taken for noncommercial purposes. Baitfish: Minnow or carp family (Cyprinidae), sucker family (Catostomidae), top minnows or killifish family (Cyprinodontidae), shad family (Clupeidae), sunfish family (Centrarchidae), excluding black basses and crappie, which may be used only if caught by hook and line. Bait fish exclude any of those fishes specifically named by regulation as Kansas threatened or endangered species.

Methods:

Methods: seine not larger than 15 feet long and four feet deep, with mesh not larger than 1/4 inch; fish trap with mesh not larger than 1/4 inch and throat no larger than 1 inch in diameter (must be tagged with fisherman's name and address); fishing line; or a dip or cast net with mesh no larger than 1/2 inch.

Size: bait fish may not exceed 12 inches.


Limit: 500 per person.


Legal waters: statewide, except that seining is prohibited on department-owned waters.


License requirement: unless exempt by law, a fishing license is required.


Wild-caught baitfish may be used as live bait only within the common drainage where caught and shall not be transported upstream across any dam or barrier that prohibits the normal passage of fish. Bluegill and green sunfish collected from non-designated aquatic nuisance waters may be possessed or used as live bait anywhere in the state. No person may possess any live fish upon departure from any designated aquatic nuisance species water