Since it is a popular sport fish, it has been introduced to bodies of water all over north america. Sunfish concentrate to spawn in water depths that range anywhere from three to ten feet, but are usually found at the shallower end of this range. The shellcracker or redear is a species of sunfish or bream related to the bluegill. To crack hard shells, redears have specially modified teeth in their throat and is how the redear received the name shellcracker. Sunfish is the genus name for a variety of freshwater fish including bluegill. This gaming fish is similar in appearance to the bluegill relative but typically is found to be darker in color and larger in size. The species is usually found near the bottom in warm water with little current and abundant aquatic vegetation. Catching bluegill and shellcracker on kentuckhy lake. It is an unarguable fact when bream are bedding, the fish are biting. The shellcracker has a cherryred edge to the operculum which is a series of bones found in bony fish that serves as a facial support structure and a protective covering. They are able to crush the shells by the special teeth in their throats. Grandson caught 17 of these in an afternoon fished with red worms. Redear shellcracker at dunns fish farm we know that your satisfaction is essential to our success.
However, shellcrackers are known to reach 11 inches and weigh over a pound. This fish is adapted for feeding on snails and other mollusks, in addition to insect larvae. One important difference of the two is that the bluegill is found in freshwater, while the sunfish is found in salty water or the ocean. Due to its high sporting characteristics the redear sunfish lepomis microlophus has become a popular species among anglers throughout north america. Redear sunfish vs bluegill is popular story for the fish lovers.
The shellcracker gets its name from molarlike teeth that can crush shells, allowing inedible parts to be. Cams crappie hole shellcrackers vs bluegill eazy catchbullies of the shallows. The redear sunfish is commonly known as a shellcracker, around here theyre a greenish color with red around the area that looks like the ear, hence the name. Big shellcracker redear sunfish fishing with 1 lb line. Technically, a sunfish is any species in the freshwater fish family centrarchidae sintrarkiday. What is the difference between bluegill vs sunfish giga. Although we lump them all together as bream, each species has its own characteristics. On a good spawning ground, even a neophyte angler can catch fish like an old pro. Bluegill seem to opt for slightly shallower areas, but its not unusual to see shellcracker and bluegill intermingle, using the same bedding areas at the same time. Snails can carry grub parasites that threaten your fish health, so stocking redear sunfish is a great. All members of the sunfish family are nestbuilding carnivores.
How to catch bluegill and redear sunfish best techniques. Prior to this year, bluegills greatly outnumbered my red eared sunfish catches but this year, i have turned it around. The scientific name for this species of sunfish is lepomis microlophus. You need to be a member of the shellcrackers to add comments. The answer to both questions is it depends on the circumstances and preferences. Redear sunfish grow more rapidly and larger than bluegill in the same waters. The redear sunfish lepomis microlophus is found throughout kentucky, but most common in clear. Shellcracker fishing tips sheelcracker fishing florida.
The redear spends much of its time in deep water and seldom feeds on surface insects like the bluegill. People here in the south, have all kinds of generic names for the bream, e. Its superior design and proven performance on the water sets this bait apart from other wake baits. Recent examples on the web live crickets on a dead drift are shellcracker candy, but small safetypin spinners can help pull boss bream out of the brush. The bluegill and catfish get stocked during the fall and the bass get stocked the following spring. Redear sunfish can reproduce when they are 2 years old. There are plenty of aspects that vary between the two. It is called shellcracker, georgia bream, cherry gill, chinkapin, advanced bream, rougeear sunfish and sun porch, which is a freshwater fish in the centraarchidae. Redear sunfish description, diet, lifespan and record. Shellcracker definition of shellcracker by merriamwebster.
Fishing habitat and techniques for bluegill and redear sunfish are much alike. So, i ordered fish which arrived november 25 and were put in the pond. As the name redear suggests, shellcrackers are known for having a distinct red color on the side fin, although the reddish hue is more common in males while females tend to have a slight orange tinge to their side fins. Redear sunfish, sometimes called shellcracker, feed on aquatic. The sunfish family, known by their scientific name centrarchidae, is a popular species of gamefish of which include the likes crappie, bluegill, rock bass, and black bass. In our area, we have bluegill, pumpkinseed, redbreast, shellcracker, green sunfish and warmouth in most bodies of water. The back and sides are golden or light olive green.
So in the remainder of this post, the word bluegill will be used to refer to both bluegill and redear, except where a distinction is made for. You can substitute some redear for some of the bluegillusually about 25% 125 redearacre and 375 bluegillacre equals 500 sunfishacre. The redear sunfish lepomis microlophus, also known as the shellcracker, georgia bream. In bream, some anglers found all they ever wanted in a fish. The redear sunfish is deep and slabsided, with a small mouth, the upper jaw not reaching past the front of the eye. Panfish challenge showcases panasoffkees bluegill and. Therefore, when stocking a pond or making fisheries management decisions. Perhaps the most notable different between crappie and shellcracker is their color. If youve caught a redear sunfish, or if you want people to think youve caught a redear sunfish, this is the group for you. People often confuse the bluegill with the sunfish, because they dont see the differences in appearance that can be subtle in some cases. Here is a look at the major differences between the bluegill and sunfish.
The current world record was a 5 lb, 7 oz fish caught in the santeecooper diversion canal in south carolina during august of 1998. Big shellcracker redear sunfish fishing with 1 lb line and. It is important that one must keep in mind that severe weather fronts can delay the spawning activity. Redear sunfish are important for lake and pond management because they are specialized for eating snails and crustaceans. Redear sunfish can usually be distinguished from bluegill by the presence of a red or orange ear tab. Redear sunfish are known to grow faster and achieve larger sizes than bluegill found in the same waters pflieger 1997. G i can concentrate my efforts on the red ears almost to the exclusion of the bluegills. Its an annual ritual that occurs every year in early may. They are also known as shellcrackers because their diet is primarily composed of snails and other mollusks. Redear are pretty cool fish and they occupy a slightly different niche than the bluegill. This is the second article in a series about kentuckys native sunfish species. Pronounced, brim, this is a convenient, if vague, term to collectively refer to a variety of sunfish species.
The redear sunfish will reproduce when it is one year old. Most bluegill are considered large if they approach the eightinch mark. I spend a lot of my lunch breaks fishing a small storm drain adjacent to a wooden dock behind my house, but the usual bass and bluegill targets took a backseat to the unexpected appearance of bedding shellcracker. The following article is a must read, and will give you the insight you need for. If your catching giant bluegill, theyre probably redear. Redear sunfish often utilize snails as a major food item, hence the common name shellcracker. Redear definition is a common sunfish lepomis microlophus of the southern and eastern u. In particular on the red eared sunfish that i much enjoy fishing for. I like them fired golden brown and served up with my. If you can find a green sunfish in alabama, you have a meal that is just as good as bluegill or shellcracker.
The nickname of the redear sunfish, shellcracker, comes from its. I have harvested regular northern gills from my pond at 11 inches and over a pound. Bluegill, shellcrackers and crappie fishing, not only fun to catch but these little guys are second to none in the frying pan. Redear top out over 4 pounds with rich food sources.
When i sampled the lake a few days later, the bluegill averaged 5. They nest deeper than bluegill on average, like deeper water, and can be picky eaters of food from the bottom, rather than taking bugs on top. Crappie fishing, bluegill, shellcracker and crappie. However, it has many common names, like redear or shellcracker. Fish in this group may also be called perch, bream or brim. However, insect larvae and cladocerans may also be found in their diet. Thats why we work hard to bring you the information you need to know to manage your pond or lake. This is one of the most frequently asked questions when stocking a pond, and usually the second question is which is better. The bass in the lake were great within my first thirty minutes on. In my local waters, midges and scuds seem most productive. The shellcracker g2 is designed to create a wake on the surface of the water during the retrieve. The redear sunfish prefer hard bottom and are usually found in deeper water than bluegill. The trouble is, it doesnt mean the something everywhere or to everyone. We are please to offer 3 sizes of redear sunfish, also known as shellcracker.
Bluegills, while they are colored differently from lake to lake in different areas, for the most part are a grayish color or green and orange. Technically, a sunfish is any species in the freshwater fish family. Grab a shellcracker g2 today and see what the black dog baits can do for you. However, a bluegill lepomis macrochirus is actually a type of sunfish centrarchidae family. How to catch bluegill and redear sunfish the fishing advice. It is important to keep in mind that when the nights start warming into the high 50s and the days warm into the mid 70s, spawning will occur.
They coexist well with bluegill and do not compete with them for nest sites. Gamefish redear sunfish shellcracker gamefish 1 to 3. Local names vary for these popular sport fishes, and this post is aimed to clear the water on such a confusing subject. The florida crappie, speckled perch or speck as they are called throughout the south is the most sought after panfish on lake okeechobee. Big shellcracker redear sunfish fishing with 1 lb line and worms duration. Around the country, the prevalent breams may be known as brim, sunfish, panfish, or bream, but no matter what you call them, it is the first fish.
Redear sunfish like snails and freshwater clams, and they tend to grow larger than bluegill, with fish. Bluegill vs hybrid bluegill keystone hatcheries inc. The redear sunfish lepomis microlophus, also known as the shellcracker, georgia bream, cherry gill, chinquapin, improved bream, rouge ear sunfish and sun perch is a freshwater fish in the family centrarchidae and is native to the southeastern united states. Hybrid bluegill the hybrid bluegill is a cross between a male bluegill and a female green sunfish, and is sometimes referred to as a hybrid. They eat a variety of food, from bugs and worms to small mussels and snails. Getting serious about monster bluegill in your pond. What is the difference between bluegill and redear sunfish. Shellcracker swim the shallow coves where submerged grass and bushes mix to offer them a comfort zone for spawning. Bluegill vs redear for eating discussion in warm water fishing inland lp lakes started by milanmark, jun 11, 2016. The sunfish family, known by their scientific name centrarchidae, is a popular species of gamefish of which include.
Additional species in this genus include rock bass, pumpkinseed sunfish, spotted sunfish, green sunfish, longear sunfish, redear sunfish, warmouth sunfish and redbreast sunfish. Time is at hand to test your tackle on some bedding bluegill or redear sunfish, commonly referred to as shellcracker. Some other sunfish, as well as the redear sunfish, are often called bream, or sometime, named as perch, mistakenly. Redear sunfish to biologists, or chinquapin to louisiana anglers, these feisty fish typically favor deeper haunts, but when a. February 12, 2018 august 23, 2019 2 years ago stingram 1105 views redear sunfish, redear sunfish fishing, redear sunfish fishing tips, redear sunfish shellcracker, redear sunfish spawning. It doesnt matter if you call them bluegill, bream, or sunfish they are fun to catch and a lot more fun to eat. These include black basses, rock basses, crappies, banded sunfishes. I had a 14 acre pond constructed in augustseptember of this year. Redear are sometimes called shellcrackers because of their affinity for. Some people use it to mean only bluegill, while others use it to mean any or all of bluegill, redear sunfish shellcracker, warmouth. Locating bluegill and shellcracker when they are not on bed duration. Redear sunfish lepomis microlophus, as the name implies, are best distinguished by a distinct red opercle flap.
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