I took a small tub of earthworms and went fishing for bluegill. After catching a few keepers, I caught a small one about 4 inches long. The sun lit up the side of its face as I unhooked it.

The fish shown here is a green sunfish. It is similar in size to the bluegill, but much more aggressive and tolerant to bank noise. The 6-year-old boy about to unhook this beautiful fish was very ...