A new species of fish has been discovered in Nebraska after an angler caught the vividly-colored specimen.
“While we often hear about new species in Nebraska, they typically turn out to be invasive and undesirable,” said Daryl Bauer, Fisheries Outreach program manager at the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission, in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“Every year, I receive reports about aquarium fish released into our waters that often end up dead or are caught by anglers.”
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However, last week Bauer received an unexpected call from his friend Scott Buss, a dedicated angler, who caught a 5¼-inch, 2-ounce longear sunfish.
This vibrant orange fish with striking turquoise patterns is indigenous to Kansas.
This longear sunfish was caught by Scott Buss in the Little Blue River in Nebraska. (Nebraska Game & Parks Commission)
“This was the first instance in my entire career of encountering a longear sunfish in Nebraska,” Bauer expressed delightedly.
“They are stunning fish, and I was overjoyed to receive Scott Buss’s message and then view his photograph. My excitement peaked when he brought the fish to show me in person.”
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The fish was caught using a rod and reel paired with a nightcrawler.
“I engage in a lot of fishing, and I enjoy targeting multiple species, so I like to catch a diverse assortment,” Buss, from Norfolk, Nebraska, shared with Fox News Digital.
Scott Buss, shown here, recognized he had caught something unique when he pulled the strikingly colorful sunfish from the water. (Scott Buss)
“I wasn’t specifically trying to catch the sunfish, but I was equipped with a small hook and bait which allows for a broader range of catches, rather than just the usual catfish.”
Buss explained he was using a piece of worm on a small hook with a bobber when he felt a tug and caught the fish from the river.
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“At once, I exclaimed, ‘Wow, that’s different!'” Buss recounted.
“It’s an incredibly interesting fish. I examined it closely and said, ‘That’s a longear,’ immediately realizing it hadn’t been formally recorded here. I was unsure how to proceed.”
Buss became the first individual to capture this species of fish in Nebraska. (iStock)
Buss kept the potentially record-breaking fish in a specialized aerated bait cooler and brought it to the commission office where it was officially recorded as the first state record for the species in Nebraska.
“The most thrilling aspect of this fish is that none have ever been caught in Nebraska until now, along with its stunning appearance,” Bauer noted.
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“You can never predict what you’re going to catch,” Buss added regarding his fishing adventures.
“A massive 50-inch muskie, a 10-pound walleye, or a 2-ounce sunfish—the thrill is universal.”
Daryl Bauer, Fisheries Outreach program manager for the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission (not shown with longear sunfish), shared that this was the first time he has encountered a longear sunfish in his career. (Nebraska Game & Parks Commission)
Buss caught his longear in the Little Blue River, a typical eastern Nebraska prairie stream, as Bauer described.
“[It’s a] fairly shallow waterway with a sandy, muddy bottom, along with some rock and gravel, featuring plenty of woody debris,” Bauer noted.
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“Currently, in mid-summer, the flow levels are low,” he added. “Common fish found in the Little Blue include channel and flathead catfish, a variety of minnows and suckers, as well as some sunfish types like bluegills, green sunfish, and orange spotted sunfish, but no longear species.”
Longear sunfish resemble typical sunfish but were not previously recorded in Nebraska. Bauer believes the longear swam up from Kansas during a period of high water flow in the Little Blue River. (Scott Buss; Nebraska Game & Parks Commission)
Bauer indicated that earlier this year, the Little Blue River experienced some high water flow conditions, creating a potential pathway for a longear sunfish to migrate up from Kansas.
Longears are a common type of sunfish, similar to bluegills found throughout Nebraska, often being the first catch for young anglers, Bauer explained.
They are readily caught using small hooks, bobbers, and worms.
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In the spirit of his favorite sport, Buss shared some simple advice.
“Just go fishing,” he advised. “Get outdoors and enjoy, because you never know what you might catch.”
