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After all the years of crappie fishing, my fishing buddy and I are going after Bluegill, Bream, Shell Crackers this year. I think it will be good to get away from the crappie this spring. It seems to be getting like a rat race more each year. So this year my Sam Heaton 10ft. pole and a bucket of crickets will be all I will need. Besides I think a bream taste a little better that a crappie anyway...:fish
Good luck and have fun. A springtime shellcracker bed can be quite fun! And, right...they are tasty.
I made the same move last yr. We enjoy the red ear a lot . I still single pole for crappie most weekends in march/april . Will also travel to spider rig with friends once in a while . Living a ways from the big lakes makes traveling to tippah, presley, lamar bruce and trace if they ever get it fixed attractive .
Have fun with it. Been thinking on a trip to the St Johns to fool with the warmouth and gills myself.
Yea I'll never give up crappie fishing, but all these years I haven't even planed a bluegill trip at all, so I'm dedicating this spring to bluegill and crackers. I got one lake already set up to spend a week at in April, and will pick one more in May in the next couple days.
I love crappie fishing, but those bluegill have a place in my heart too...Jumping Jacks Icon
My dad absolutely loves catching big bluegill, I always take a couple of weeks in May to go after them.
I also love catching Bluegill and shellcracker. That is why I started raising my own red wigglers.
Is there much difference between pan fish species when it comes to catching them? Every time I fish, I catch gills, crappie and y. perch as well as the occasional bass and pickerel. Tackle is the same along with presentation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by shipahoy41
Hey Skip do you raise your worms during winter, and if so where do you keep them?
Well I think there is a difference with crappie. Bream will bite just about most anything, but their mouth is so small you need to scale down the size of bait, or jig so they can get it in their mouth. You would more than likely catch more gills if you were using smaller size set up.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spoonminnow
The hook size needs to be smaller along with the size of line to be able to catch gills on a consistent basic....IMO
Don't forget a 5 ft. Ultralite, with 2# line..a plain 1/32 jig, not painted, a cricket, meal worm, or plastic bait , can be loads of fun
I love catching gills and crackers. If you fish all day or close to it- there is plenty of time for both.
What is a shell cracker?do you have a picture of one?or a bream maybe it is called something else in these partsQuote:
Originally Posted by crappie cowboy
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oobuck
Here is a picture of the Shellcracker, AKA Long Ear sunfish, or Redear Sunfish. Also a table full of them to get you fired up to go. These came off the bottom in 6 FOW using red worms.
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How big do they getQuote:
Originally Posted by SeaRay
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And what is the best way to cook themQuote:
Originally Posted by SeaRay
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man if that don't get ya fired up, something is wrong with ya....wow
Quote:
Originally Posted by oobuck
Man that's some good ones. Got a lot of memories of catching shell crackers as a kid till the crickets ran out!
Actually ... a "Shellcracker" is the nickname for a Redear Sunfish. A Longear Sunfish is a different species of panfish/sunfish and looks like this :
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...megalotis2.jpg
(notice the elongated ear flap - hence the name)
While the Redear (Shellcracker) looks like this :
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...unfishnctc.jpg
Coloration can vary on either specie, but the distinction is evident. This is posted as clarification only.
Biggest I've ever caught was 1lb 14oz. The lake I fish 9-11 inches is very common.Quote:
Originally Posted by oobuck
I have caught a few 13 inchers
LOVE LOVE LOVE bluegill fishing and one really doesn't have to chose one of the other as same jigs for crappie catch them. have lots of pits up by T hill that are full of both and while floating in my two man catch enough to fill it up. started with BG and will always be my first love but chose? that would be like asking me which of my kids I liked most.
Use a lil mister twister spinning rig and catch Bass, BG, Crappie, Wipers and Catfish with it.
Attachment 255642Attachment 255643Quote:
Originally Posted by oobuck
We used to fish Chotard, Whittington , Ferguson, Flower and Tunica cutoff. these were the regular destinations when travel was easy . Pre arthritis days . :biggrinQuote:
Originally Posted by crappie cowboy
Been many many caught on a black or yellow beetle spin too.
There are times when I am headed home from the lake and I think I got this game figured out. Then I see pictures like this and I realize I need more training. Man that is a stout table to hold those fish.
Quote:
Originally Posted by eagle 1
You just can't hide money....I knew all along you are rich....:fish
So what state are you catching them inQuote:
Originally Posted by SeaRay
I am from Ohio and not sure what would be considered good sized ones here or does location north south or east or west matter for this kind of Fish
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These came out of the Santee Cooper reservoir in SC. Shellcrackers run larger than Bluegill, so 1/2 lb to 2 lbs is normal range, but anything close to a Lb is a good fish. These typically run larger in the south due to longer growing season, though a couple of members on here have caught some monsters in Lake Havasu in Arizona. They were in the 3 to 5 lb range which is huge!
Have fun and good luck, some good eating.
Anyone ever pull them threw the ice
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Be very careful, bream fishing is addictive . Like I said , made the move last year to catch more bream to eat .Attachment 256059Attachment 256060Attachment 256061Attachment 256062Attachment 256063Attachment 256064Attachment 256065Attachment 256066Attachment 256067Attachment 256068Attachment 256069Attachment 256070Attachment 256071Attachment 256072Attachment 256073
I can get away with using a 1/16 oz jig head with a #4 or #6 hook and any of my soft plastic bait designs in sizes 1.5 - 2 .25" to catch any panfish species. As I pointed out, seven species of fish will take my lures any time I fish as long as I can find fish. Presentation is the same for all.Quote:
Originally Posted by crappie cowboy
Fish are fish and respond to the same lure styles no matter the species - and not because of what they think a lure is.
One hook size on one jig head of a certain weight using any of my soft plastic designs can catch five or more species of fish once I find them. Fish will be fish and will respond to smaller lures presented the right way.Quote:
Originally Posted by crappie cowboy