A bluegill is a common freshwater fish found in ponds, lakes, and slow-moving rivers across North America. It gets its name from the bright blue patch on the lower part of its gill cover, though the rest of the fish is olive-green with dark vertical stripes and an orange or yellow belly.

Bluegills are a favorite catch for young anglers learning to fish because they're plentiful, bite readily on simple bait like worms or crickets, and put up a fun fight despite their small size (most are about the size of your hand, though large ones can reach nearly a foot long). They're also called bream or sunfish in different parts of the country.

These fish travel in schools and feed on insects, tiny fish, and other small creatures. In spring, male bluegills create circular nests in shallow water and guard their eggs fiercely, sometimes nipping at the toes of swimmers who get too close. Many experienced anglers recall catching their first bluegill as a child, that exciting moment when the bobber suddenly dips below the surface and you realize something's tugging at your line.