In the US, Panfish are fish that are small enough to fit whole into a skillet for cooking. Panfish are usually caught by sportsman rather than purchased at a market. That is, they are not caught by professional fishing, nor raised on a fish farms . The term may not refer to any species caught by an angler that just happens to be small enough to fit into the cooking pan, but to several distinct species.

In spite of the definition, panfish are frequently filleted for cooking.

Species of fish commonly referred to as Panfish

• Bluegill (Lepomis machrochiris)
• Crappie (Proxomis species) -- Some sportsmen claim this is not a true panfish.
• Perch (Perca flavescens)
• Porgy or Scup (Stenotomus species) -- Salt water species.
• Redear sunfish (Lepomis microlophus)
• Redbreast sunfish (Lepomis auritus)
• Spotted sunfish (Lepomis punctatus)