Rookie needs advice

[Strip]

Ok, lets say...you are going to a lake you have never seen or heard of, except that it has big red ears. You have not tackle or equipment other than a boat with nice electronics. Surface temp is probably 65 degrees, water color is light stain.

so tell me, what would you buy for equipment/tackle/bait and where and how would you locate them big red ears?

[foul hook]

Find clam beds, use red worms and have a ball. Look for beds in shallow water use red worms. fish the outside of the beds first. Black green jigs or beetle spins will work good. the crappie cranks works wonderfully. They will hit the crappie crank moving or sitting still on top water. It is a hoot. Follow your nose to locate them. It will smell like fish sex. Unmistakable smell. Light tackle . They are meaner than a junk yard dawg. Have fun !

[Strip]

Thanks, I hear a lot of people around here talk about hybrid red ears, is this just another name for the shell crackers?

[T.C.]

a redear is the same exact thing as a shellcracker, there is no diff in them. If you have nice electronics, try to find gravel or rocky structure in shallow water and pitch some red worms in there on em. They are called shellcrackers for a reason, they hang around hard surfaces when possible and eat clams and other hard things, hince the name shellcracker

[deathb4disco]

... so tell me, what would you buy for equipment/tackle/bait?

See here:

http://www.crappie.com/crappie/panfi...fish-rods.html

... and here:

http://www.crappie.com/crappie/panfi...cker-bait.html

... and here:

http://www.crappie.com/crappie/panfi...orked-you.html

[CrappiePappy]

I'd go when the Moon was getting full, or already full. I'd take nightcrawlers. I'd look for a hard bottom flat with some wood or emerging grass cover. I'd use a slip float/sinker/#4 hook ... and put a piece of nightcrawler on the hook, just big enough to cover it. I'd fish in the 4-8ft depth range ... with my slip float set to hold the bait no more than 6-8" off the bottom. I'd be using 7-8ft lite to med lite spinning rods, 4# test mono, & small balsa or styrofoam slip floats.

Red Ear Sunfish (aka Shellcracker) can & do hybridize with some other sunfishes.
Bluegill beds give off a smell ... something like over ripe watermelon (not sure about Shellcrackers, though)

I have also caught them using a 1/16oz or 3/32oz slip sinker & #4 Aberdeen lite wire hook, with piece of nightcrawler covering hook. (I'm normally using this, fishing from the bank, but it could be used from a boat that was anchored/tied off). I cast the rig out & let it lay on bottom ... reel is engaged, while rod is propped up & line is hanging off the rod tip (loosely arched from rod tip to water entry point). Bite is detected when line straightens out, as fish moves off with bait.

... cp

[Strip]

In the past I have always searched (with a little success) for red ears in shallow areas close to a creek channel no matter how slight the channel during full moon phases. (it was explained to me that the Red Ears only go to bed during full moon March - June) during other periods of the month I was told to search deeper water 10-15 ft. ( I have had no success finding Red ears when They are not on shallow beds) in The past, I have only tight lined for them with night crawlers. With that said...Please correct me on what I am doing/believing wrong. is it ok for the bait to be on the bottom or should I seek to always suspend it a few inches above?

The info given so far has given me many ideas of thigs to try. I thank you all!

In my opinion, A Red Ear is second to no fresh water fish at the table. I Love Em!

[sbcpower]

Spawning males will attack/eat anything that nears their nest. Use a slip-float to suspend the bait, live or artificial, about a foot or so off the bottom. That puts the bait right in their face, or just above, and usually triggers a defensive strike.