Huge Sunfish?? where to buy?

[teleost]

Most of what we call "bass" are sunfish and not "true bass". They include:
Micropterus salmoides Largemouth Bass
Micropterus salmoides floridanus Florida Bass
Micropterus dolomieu Smallmouth Bass
Micropterus cataractae Shoal Bass
Micropterus coosae Coosa Bass
Micropterus notius Suwannee Bass
Micropterus treculii Guadalupe Bass

Oddly the temperate basses (or true bass) are the Moronidae family. Sorry to bust the bubble fobrinkle but common names really don't work in the pet trade or in native fish discussion. This is why you see more and more people calling tropical fishes by their scientific names these days. It just works better.

 

[andyjs]

All the Micropterus species that teleost mentioned are together referred to as the "black bass." While I guess these aren't technically sunfish, they are from the family Centrarchidae which also includes the sunfishes. So even if you don't believe bass=sunfish, bass=centrarchid and sunfish=centrarchid, so they're very closely related.

 

[IITUFFTOBEATII]

I've heard of hybrid bluegill (normally w/ green sunfish, but there are others) getting over 5 lbs in southern states (warmer water, longer growing season), but most don't get that big.

do you have any reference for this hybrid? Bluegills rarely get over lbs, the state record in CA is 3.5 lbs, and greens are even smaller, rarely getting over 2 lbs. I know hybrids can be bigger than either parent, but 5 lbs, I am not buying it.

Also its not the warmer water and seasons alone that contribute to those areas producing larger fish, but that is a different topic altogether.

 

[andyjs]

Nope, I worked at a fish hatchery, I heard plenty of crazier fish stories. 3 lbs is much more likely for a monster bluegill

 

[IITUFFTOBEATII]

Nope, I worked at a fish hatchery, I heard plenty of crazier fish stories. 3 lbs is much more likely for a monster bluegill

I will refrain from making a joke about fish stories atm, i am not that clever..... I respect your honesty

So basically the OP is looking for bass, or a handful of record holding redear sunfish.....