Has anyone caught a flier pan fish in southern NE. Caught two fish that I thought were rock bass, but just seen a picture of the flier and now think I caught them. They had the yellowish to orange eyes that were large for the fish size and the dorsal fin and pictorial fins were both the same size and large, almost reaching to the end of the tail. The fins were too large for crappie but the body shape was the same as a crappie. About 11 inches long. They were in a small stream below a damn. Every day I have my phone with me but this day left it in the house so I could not get a picture. What I have found so far, was this is a southern fish. So was just wondering if some one else has caught one this far north.

I'm not sure if this helps, but there are some fabulous pictures in this link and a picture of a flier if that helps your memory!


A skilled fisherman! Flier panfish and others

That has some good pictures and yes that sure looks like the fish I caught, but they are not suppose to be this fare north in Nebraska. Thanks

http://www.web1.cnre.vt.edu/efish/families/flier.html




distribution - http://fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?ID=3363&AT=flier

We caught a few at Richmond Mill a few years back, but that's the only place I've seen them myself. Your description sounds spot on though.

I can't imagine that a flier would be found that far north. They live in Indiana, but only in a southern most county or two. A flier holds the distinction of being Indiana's lightest fish to attain state record status, or at least that was true a few years back. Haven't checked in awhile.

Not only at extreme north, but 11 inches would be extreme size. Hard to believe one could get this big in such a cold climate.

I did not get an actual measurement. Just when they were in a bucket they were almost from end to end. May only been 10+ inches long, did not want to leave them out of the water for long. I did what you should not do. Put them in my pond with out knowing what they are. If I would have caught 10 or more of them they would of been in the fryer. They could of been state record fish.

Nehunter, I didn't see a Nebraska state record category for fliers, but if they did I bet your fish would be number one. A Florida woman just caught a world record flier of 12 inches, 1.5 pounds, so your fish was very exceptional.

No chance they were misidentified?

On a quick glance they look a little like a crappie.

My thought also.

They very easily could be misidentify. When I said a body like a crappie I meant their head is kind of pointed like a crappie head then the body gets rounder with the upper and lower fins were both the same size (maybe 1 1/2") wide going back close to the tail. What stood out the most was the large yellow almost orange eyes with a black center.
What they are I have no idea but the pictures of the flier panfish looks like what I caught. I take tons of pic's with my phone but forgot it at home that day. I did catch some small 4 to 5 inch crappie and they did not look alike.

Short clips showing small adult Fliers feeding on zooplankton in an aquarium. The color is less that typical you see in "perfect" images you see in photographs and fish guides.

like your fish tank. What I remember the most was the orange eye color and the upper and lower fins looked alike and were long almost to the middle of the tail fin when in a five gal. bucket. I probably have looked at too may fish on line now to be accurate on my ID. If you look at too many then your eyes make you think what you saw is the latest picture you looked at. They were a very aggressive fish did not catch many green sun fish before these 2 fish were taken.

White Crappie can have that fin look because dorsal fin is so short. Next time pictures. This round is like chasing Big Foot.


I am familiar with Fliers, both crappie and four types of goggle-eye at that loos somewhat like you describe. I will rule nothing out based on distribution maps.

Over the years we've had some discussions about fliers here on the forum. Like Dr. Jim Wetzel says, it is like chasing Big Foot.

If I've ever caught one, I didn't know it. Depending on its size, I probably either threw it back, or I filleted and ate it.


Josh -- did you and the other guys filet them so that FireIsHot (Al) and I fried them up for dinner at Richmond Mill that weekend??? The only special fish I remember cooking was a pickerel that Condello caught.


TJ -- maybe fliers would be easier to find.

You guys ever check out Bruce's site over at BigBluegill.com? Not a lot of science, but a heck of a photo library of most things sunfish, including fliers. I'm not on there as much anymore, but it's still my go to when I'm looking for a photo.

NANFA is also good for images. They are more interested in fishes living natural habitats.

@catmandoo, I prepare them on the round to cut down of waste.