9" is a big sunfish . A lot of places even bluegill and redear are so overfished or the habitat does not permit them to get bigger anymore. A lot of places I use to catch 9" plus fish just don't exist anymore. I think the biggest Redear I have caught are in the 12" range and they are known for being one of the bigger sunfish species. Some parts of the country they are still probably a dime a dozen...but you have to look at the region sometimes because what's plentiful or big in one place is not in another. That's why people travel far and wide to fish and hunt.