Printable View
I didn’t even know we have this shell cracker in our lake. I’ve seen hundreds of bluegill caught but never seen this or any other type of sunfish. You guys talked a lot about shellcracker is a good fighter. Now I’m a believer toooooo. Man I can't give up ULTRALIGHT now, but first off gotta learn how to find these guys.
On the bottom, not near the bottom, ON it. :)
Nice looking fish, seen pics of 2-3lb fish from out there....and more. Hope you can tangle with some of those!
At what depth?Quote:
Originally Posted by Schmoopie
I'd say that varies .... but, when spawning, they do nest in slightly deeper water than Bluegill.Quote:
Originally Posted by Just_Bass
According to Google:
They prefer to be near logs and vegetation, and tend to congregate in groups around these features. (likely because of their food preferences)
Redear sunfish, sometimes called shellcracker, feed on aquatic insects, snails, small fish and other small aquatic animals. Because shellcrackers aren't particularly susceptible to lures, most anglers use live bait. Worms, grass shrimp and crickets are probably the top three in popularity, but waxworms, meal worms, leeches, catalpa worms and bits of crayfish tail or mussel meat also get their attention.
Nice redear
They are hidden jewels for sure..... Most in my area don't know they are in that particular lake I've been catchn them.... There's another local lake that I've fished for 20yrs and only a couple years ago I caught one shellcracker and haven't seen another one yet...... Talked to several ole fishermen that's fished that lake 50yrs and they had never heard of someone catchn any there.....
I caught this today, I think I know it is a bluegill but what a color, totally different than others. Now I might have to go out my way (from this lake) to find other sunfish like green or pumpkin seed sunfish.
I think redears are one of the most valuable fish for a body of water to have. Redears will keep the rest of your fish healthy by eating parasite hosting mollusks like snails and clams.
That's a nice one! There are trophy redear in California waters!!
Our guide would anchor off a point with front of boat in 8 FOW and the back as deep as the slope allowed. Made sure boat was anchored solid so it didn't swing on us.Quote:
Originally Posted by Just_Bass
We then broadcast baby nightcrawlers and redworms around the boat in a circle. We had worms in depths from 4' to 20'.
He used a slip cork with no stopper. This did 2 things. It helped detect a moving line that a fish was on and it reduced hangup when reeling in an empty line by lifting the line straight up to bobber rather than dragging bottom all the way.
We were fishing right on bottom.
Look for points with clam shells on them. That's a clue that clams are there along with shellcrackers. (They feed on freshwater clams, hence the nane)
This method has worked for us. The guide would stay no longer than 30 minutes in a spot if no fish were biting.
the one bluegill might have a little red ear in it , looks a tiny bit fishy to me
congrats on the red ear my friend
some spots i hit i have never seen one and other spots just one or 2
lately i have managed to ketch several larger ones .
they are really good fighters for sure and on several occasions i thought it was a black crappie and not a sunfish.
i know they eat well and are difficult to find in any numbers here locally
the one real large one i managed this year i thought about having a replica made of it .
as it was for sure the best on i have seen on the end of my line in 62 years
Nice catch. You're hooked now!
Nice first fish! Now that you know how they pull on a line, you will be hunting them down! Ha ha ha!
Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app