CHARLESTON, W.Va. — It took West Virginia anglers more than a year to establish the state’s first official pumpkinseed sunfish record, and it took less than three weeks to break it.
The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources has confirmed that two anglers made fishing history after landing back-to-back state-record pumpkinseed sunfish, one of the state’s most brilliantly colored native panfish.
The first record was set June 25 by Morgantown angler Ken Neer, who caught a pumpkinseed measuring 9.09 inches and weighing 0.60 pounds at Fairfax Pond in Rehe Wildlife Management Area in Preston County. Using a simple red worm on four-pound test line, he became the first person to establish an official state record for the species.
Just 19 days later, that mark was eclipsed. On July 14, Sierra Adamson of Beverly caught a slightly larger pumpkinseed from the Tygart Valley River in Randolph County. Her fish measured 9.13 inches and weighed 0.62 pounds, edging Neer’s record by fractions of both an inch and a pound. Adamson caught the fish on a nightcrawler using 10-pound test line.
Both catches were certified by state fisheries biologists, according to Paul Johansen, chief of the division’s wildlife resources section.
“This year, a record pumpkinseed sunfish hadn’t been caught. Now we’ve had two in the last few weeks,” Johansen said. “Fishing in West Virginia is the place to be in the East.”
Read more: Here’s why fishing records are broken more often now in West Virginia
One of North America’s most colorful freshwater fish
Although pumpkinseed sunfish rarely receive the attention given to bass or trout, many anglers consider them among the most beautiful freshwater fish in North America. Adults display vivid oranges, reds, turquoise blues and emerald greens, highlighted by distinctive wavy blue markings across the cheeks and an orange-red spot on the edge of the gill flap that gives the species its name.
Native to the Appalachian region and much of the northeastern United States, pumpkinseed sunfish thrive in clear ponds, lakes and slow-moving rivers where they feed on aquatic insects, snails and other small invertebrates. In West Virginia, they are one of several native sunfish species that inhabit warm-water streams and lakes alongside bluegill, redbreast and longear sunfish.
While many pumpkinseeds caught by anglers measure between four and eight inches, fish exceeding nine inches are uncommon, making both record catches exceptional specimens.
A new opportunity for West Virginia anglers
The pumpkinseed category was added to West Virginia’s official state fish record program in 2025 along with several other species, including redear sunfish, redbreast sunfish, black crappie and redhorse sucker, giving anglers new opportunities to establish records. Until Neer’s June catch, no official pumpkinseed record existed.
Information about state fish records can be found in the West Virginia Fishing Regulations Summary. Anglers 15 and older must possess a valid West Virginia fishing license, and anyone fishing for trout must also have a trout stamp.
About the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources fishing program
The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources manages one of the most diverse freshwater fishing programs in the Appalachian region, maintaining hundreds of lakes, rivers and streams that support both native and stocked fish populations.
Each year, the agency stocks millions of trout while also managing warm-water fisheries for bass, walleye, muskellunge, catfish and numerous panfish species. Fisheries biologists monitor fish populations, improve habitat, conduct scientific surveys and certify state-record catches.
Through its fishing license, trophy fish and Master Angler programs, the division also encourages anglers of all ages to explore West Virginia’s waterways while helping conserve the state’s aquatic resources for future generations.