King Of The Panfish: Fishing For Redear Sunfish (Shellcracker)

[Cmp1]

If you'd like to see a lot of very good videos of a first rate shellcracker, bluegill, and crappie fisherman (from a down to earth guy with zero shirt patches and zero inflated ego) try this guy==> Go on YouTube and enter the words "Richard Gene the Fishing Machine". He's over in Alabama, doesn't think he's a pro, but catches a TON of fish on the same kind of waters you and I have to fish. He teaches without preaching.
He has no "production company", no loud music playing in the background, no $40,000 bass boat...no large sponsors...just a simple fisherman out of a wide aluminum boat with a 50hp on the back, and the kind of guy who doesn't mind getting his hands dirty.
His country drawl is a little much, but that doesn't matter to me.
If you haven't tried his site, give it a look. I really enjoy it and he isn't always trying to sell stuff.

Yep, I was just going to mention that you should go fish with him,,,,I got the same Rod he uses,,,,the Eagle Claw IM-7 UL,,,,great videos,,,,

I'm a newbie crappie,pan fish fisherman and I appreciate the info from you,,,,I don't think I've ever seen a shell Cracker here,,,,

 

[RamblinWreck]

If you'd like to see a lot of very good videos of a first rate shellcracker, bluegill, and crappie fisherman (from a down to earth guy with zero shirt patches and zero inflated ego) try this guy==> Go on YouTube and enter the words "Richard Gene the Fishing Machine". ...

I've been a subscriber to Richard for going on 3 years, watched every one of his videos, and I did buy a t-shirt.

 

[Cmp1]

I've been a subscriber to Richard for going on 3 years, watched every one of his videos, and I did buy a t-shirt.

I know he likes the TN river,,,,great video's,,,,he was talking about his UL rod, how he liked it so much,,,,I went and got it on Amazon,,,,with an Okuma Avenger 7 bearing reel and Mr Crappie 4lb,,,,48.00 or so,,,,really nice rod,,,,

 

[amicusnole]

I’d really like to know where to find shellcracker in Lanier. One time my son caught a huge one right under the dock where I was launching the boat. That’s the only one we’ve ever pulled from Lanier. Seemed random. They gotta be somewhere.

 

[King.Of.Anglers.Jeremiah]

I’d really like to know where to find shellcracker in Lanier. One time my son caught a huge one right under the dock where I was launching the boat. That’s the only one we’ve ever pulled from Lanier. Seemed random. They gotta be somewhere.

When spring time comes around next year, look up the backs of creeks and in the bays that are protected from the wind. You'll see them on beds dozens at a time. After the spawn, you'll find them in deeper water in similar areas

 

[Fletch_W]

I only ever catch them accidentally when bluegill fishing, and you are spot on about them being deeper and preferring worms near the bottom. Another pro-tip you didn't mention.... their favorite food of all time is Catalpa Worms in June.

 

[trad bow]

The largest shell crackers being caught are in South Carolina in the canals between the big lakes. The big fish are caught on mussels taken out of the shell and fish on the bottom around the mussels beds.
This same tactic works in our lakes around bridge pilings, rip rap and docks. You can catch them on red wrigglers but the largest ones tend to come off mussels.

 

[Cmp1]

I only ever catch them accidentally when bluegill fishing, and you are spot on about them being deeper and preferring worms near the bottom. Another pro-tip you didn't mention.... their favorite food of all time is Catalpa Worms in June.

First time I ever heard of catalpa worms, I really thought they were worms,,,,? ? ? ?,,,,someone here said to turn them inside out,????
We have a bunch of catalpa trees here,,,,

 

[hopper]

Nice write up! My uncle stocked his pond with "Ga Giants" from Ken's fish hatchery back in the say. Those suckers would steal a cain pole. We would paddle all over that dang lake chasing our pole across the water.

 

[hopper]

not my fish.

 

[Old Yapper]

I’d really like to know where to find shellcracker in Lanier. One time my son caught a huge one right under the dock where I was launching the boat. That’s the only one we’ve ever pulled from Lanier. Seemed random. They gotta be somewhere.

I used to fish way up on the North end of Lanier. From 1965 through 1990.
Go under the Highway 53 bridge out of Gainesville.
Immediately you will see a long steep bank on your right that runs parallel to the highway for maybe 1/4 mile. Got some depth all the way from 40 feet to one inch along that bank.
That was always the hottest shellcracker spot on the lake as far as I was concerned. Plus the water color up there is better. I wouldn't think too much has changed that far up the river although it has been quite a while since I was up there. But it's a starting point. If somebody sent me up there to get shellcrackers, that's where I would go. (there may be residences along that stretch now)
And that submerged island as you enter the Chestatee there just above Browns Bridge was another favorite shellcracker spot. Fishing on the bottom with a slip sinker rig and worms. We used to have to circle around and around to search for it with the depthfinder but now I suppose it is marked on maps with GPS waypoints. (the fish down there don't know about waypoints however)
I can't tell you much about anything below Browns Bridge (except is it a zoo with the pleasure boaters)

 

[Cmp1]

View attachment 1057020not my fish.

Dang,,,,

 

[Old Yapper]

First time I ever heard of catalpa worms, I really thought they were worms,,,,? ? ? ?,,,,someone here said to turn them inside out,????
We have a bunch of catalpa trees here,,,,

Not necessary to do that "inside out stuff".
Just take a pair of scissors and cut 'em in half or even in thirds...that let's the juice flow. The shellcrackers will know what to do from that point.
Realize that your fingers are going to be stained dark brown from the juice. It'll wear off in a few days....although I've done pretty good cleaning it off with straight Clorox.
You've got to start those trees off producing by putting some of the caterpillars ("worms") on the trees. Put a lot of mulch around the base of the trees. They will burrow down into the mulch at the base of the trees and then come out to prowl in the mornings and will eat those leaves to pieces. Usually about June when that starts happening.
You can freeze them in plastic zip-loc bags. I put some green koolaid and water mixture in the bags to keep them from turning brown. When you go fishing and cut them with the scissors, the juice will still flow. (just lay the bags in the sun on the bottom of the boat on the way to the water....they'll thaw out by the time you get to the launch ramp)

 

[Cmp1]

Not necessary to do that "inside out stuff".
Just take a pair of scissors and cut 'em in half or even in thirds...that let's the juice flow. The shellcrackers will know what to do from that point.
Realize that your fingers are going to be stained dark brown from the juice. It'll wear off in a few days....although I've done pretty good cleaning it off with straight Clorox.
You've got to start those trees off producing by putting some of the caterpillars ("worms") on the trees. Put a lot of mulch around the base of the trees. They will burrow down into the mulch at the base of the trees and then come out to prowl in the mornings and will eat those leaves to pieces. Usually about June when that starts happening.
You can freeze them in plastic zip-loc bags. I put some green koolaid and water mixture in the bags to keep them from turning brown. When you go fishing and cut them with the scissors, the juice will still flow. (just lay the bags in the sun on the bottom of the boat on the way to the water....they'll thaw out by the time you get to the launch ramp)

Thank you,,,,
BTW, you and your family have a Merry Christmas,,,,

 

[King.Of.Anglers.Jeremiah]

The largest shell crackers being caught are in South Carolina in the canals between the big lakes. The big fish are caught on mussels taken out of the shell and fish on the bottom around the mussels beds.
This same tactic works in our lakes around bridge pilings, rip rap and docks. You can catch them on red wrigglers but the largest ones tend to come off mussels.

Correct! South Carolina and California are producing the biggest fish

 

[Old Yapper]

Thank you,,,,
BTW, you and your family have a Merry Christmas,,,,

I share Merry Christmas wishes to everyone here EXCEPT for any democrats.
I hope theirs is the most miserable of their lives.

 

[crackerdave]

INTRO......

Hello again gentlemen!....and the probably 4 or so ladies on the forum! In the middle of getting ready to follow up my lessons on trophy bass fishing, I realized I had forgot about the lot of you guys out there who fish for other species. There is actually a pretty surprising number of people who enjoy fishing for panfish and trout than I thought, particularly for big bluegills, shellcracker, redbreast sunfish (or redbellies depending on who you ask), perch and rainbow trout. So, before I continue with the bass lesson, I figured I would fire off a couple short threads off the top pf my head for those who aren't really looking to catch the ever so popular green fish everyone is always after. Here is a quick guide to targeting the king of the sunfish family, the Redear Sunfish...

ALL ABOUT SHELLCRACKER....

Also known as Yellow Bream, Golden Bream, Stumpknockers, Sunfish, Sunnies, and most commonly shellcrackers, The redear sunfish is a very popular panfish species among southern anglers. They are plentiful, easy to catch, easy to find, agressive and will readily take both natural and artificial baits. They also happen to be the largest of the sunfish family, averaging over half a pound, with the world record being over 5lbs (yes, I did just say somebody caught a 5 pound BREAM) with fish over a pound actually not being very hard to come by and even a 2 pounder isn't a rare catch.

They are eager biters normally, widely available, they put up a pretty scrappy fight on an ultralight or fly rod and are tough customers on light line partly due to their shape, size and agressive behavior, and they are considered excellent table fare by most folks, producing thick and tasty fillets with a rather mild flavor. (I like em battered and fried with cajun seasoning and a squeeze of lemon myself) A bright red spot on the gill flap sets them apart from the other members of the sunfish family. They are also less round and plate shaped than other sunfish.

Normally featuring variable speckles and markings down the sides, an olive green back and a bright yellow belly, these fish arent hard on the eyes either. They spawn in the spring time normally in shallow, sandy or slightly mucky bottoms. Spawning often takes place a little earlier than bluegill, mostly around the two moons in march, but if a cold front comes through it will push them into the last full moon in march and the first one in april. Unlike bluegill, these are true warmwater fish and they have a zero tolerance policy for cold water and seldom feed in temperatures below 45 degrees.

Think of shellcracker vs bluegill in the same way as you would largemouth vs smallmouth bass. Cold water or otherwise unfavorable conditions shut largemouth down normally. On the other hand, the worse the conditions get, the happier smallmouth and spotted bass are, and they don't care how cold it gets. These fish tend to spawn and live in water a little deeper than other sunfish and often prefer protected bays and flats with some deep water access nearby.

You can find them bedding by just following your nose this time of year, as they leave a kind of fishy smelling scent in the air. Males have a larger and wider ear flap than females on the gill plate. They commonly bed at 3-7ft depending on water clarity and envioronmental conditions.
They produce less offspring than other sunfish species so it's harder for them to become stunted than others and they grow to bigger sizes faster than other sunfish species as well.

Like bluegill, these sunfish spawn in "colonies" or groups of fish. Males turn very dark, even almost black in color, and they dig out a bed. They appear as bright round spots on an otherwise dark bottom and are called "elephant footprints" by many. Hybridization with bluegill, green sunfish, longear sunfish, and pumpkinseeds are fairly common, so don't be surprised if you catch an odd looking shellcracker here or there. The red ear flap is still present on most hybrids. Spawning occurs mostly in late spring and early summer when the water is in the high 60 range and some will linger on into the 70 range. By the time the bass are in post spawn, your shellcracker are on bed. Some bluegill colonies may be bedding in shallower water too, but they're normally not bedding along with shellcracker and their bedding sites are separate.

In both species, the male is the one who guards the eggs. For this reason it's actually more acceptable to keep females over males. Females carry less eggs than other sunfish species, but they are still sunfish and are in large numbers usually but because bedding success after eggs are laid is dependent on the male, it has been decided by fisheries biologists and panfish experts that the larger males are vital to the species. If you catch a big dark one, especially off a bed, let him go. Keeping a 12 incher isn't such a bad thing post spawn, due to the rapid growth of this species in comparison to other sunfish. They are also longer lived with a lifespan of up to 8-10 years.

These fish are bottom feeders mostly, but will sometimes come to the surface and grab insects with a diet of invertabrates like worms, insects, mollusks, freshwater shrimp, small crayfish and tons of snails, hence the name "shellcracker" as they are lovingly reffered to.

They can be seen scouring the bottom tailing like redfish feeding on crabs or sheepshead on dock pilings as they feed in a very similar way. Like the two inshore saltwater species, they have teeth in the backs of their throats that help them feed on crustaceans like grass shrimp and other food items with a rough exterior.

WHERETO FIND SHELLCRACKER....

Like many other sunfish species, shellcracker prefer clear and weedy waters with a sandy bottom. They don't like current very much and can be found in the slower pools and sloughs of rivers and creeks as well as lakes and large ponds. Stumps roots, logs and weed beds are all favorite hangouts for them. They prefer shade and can be caught in much deeper water than other panfish.
Sometimes what you think is a school of crappies in 20-35 feet of water is actually a school of big shellcracker. Native to the southeast, they have been stocked across the country to a few southwest and northwestern states. They do favor larger lakes and reservoirs but can be found in just about any small lake, pond, river, stream, and creek in the state and can even be found in brackish waters on the coast being that they are more tolerant of salinity than most sunfish.

SHELLCRACKER FISHING FACTS...

These scrappy panfish are not as easy to catch as other sunfish species and can be a real challenge. They are less inclined to take artificial baits, but can be taken on many live baits. They will still strike artificial baits but less of them work than on other species, being that redear sunfish are bottom feeders and less inclined to chase lures or rise to the surface.

The majority of redear sunfish are caught during the spawn. Much like crappie, it seems everyone is filling a bucket with them during the spawn and then loses track of them the entire rest of the year once they move into deeper water, only catching one here and there by chance unless they're an active pursuer of the species. Anglers who know where the deep shell beds are can stay on fish almost year round.

Like mentioned earlier, they are true warm water fish and prefer temperatures in the mid 70 range. When the water is too hot in the summer for other species like bass or striper, some warm or "hot" water fish like Flathead catfish (who prefer lots of current and water temperatures in the low to mid 80 range believe it or not) and shellcracker may still be very active and willing to bite. This can save you an unproductive fishing trip or two. Can't catch any bass or anything else and just want to catch a fish? Break out the ultralight and catch some big redears.

Grass shrimp are a top shellcracker bait and are commonly overlooked. Many don't even know freshwater shrimp exist. Old timey bait shops used to sell them as well as Leeches, catalpa worms and grubs. You can find grass shrimp with a dip net by picking through clumps of hyacinth weeds.

When it comes to growth comparison, it takes up to 9 years to grow a 10 inch, 1 pound bluegill on average in most waters across the country. When it comes to shellcracker however, a 10 inch, 1lb fish is normally no older than 5 years old. On a well managed lake with an ample food supply, that same fish may be 3 years old.

Lake Havasu is considered one of the top shellcracker lakes in the country, producing several fish over 4 pounds due to the bottom content and the lake mussels that are prevalent there. It's not uncommon to catch a 3 pounder or a couple on almost any given trip.

With a 5 pounder being the world record, 5lbs, 12oz to be exact, it's believed that somewhere out there is a 6 pound behemoth of a bream swimming around waiting to be caught by some lucky angler...... Here goes hoping they realize what they have and that fish ends up in a display tank with a replica mount instead of on somebody's dinner plate.

Thanks for this thread,from a diehard panfisher!

 

[RamblinWreck]

I've heard/read Lake Havasu in Az has the biggest redears due to the invasive quagga mussel.

 

[King.Of.Anglers.Jeremiah]

I've heard/read Lake Havasu in Az has the biggest redears due to the invasive quagga mussel.

Yep! Shellcracker candy. I wish red bellies got to the same size. They put up the best fight among panfish In my opinion.

 

[JWF III]

I've caught and seen some dang giant ones in Lanier and Allatoona too. Easily 2 pounders. I watched someone catch a 3 pounder on the ocmulgee river by the dam when I used to live out that way

Which dam did you fish? Jackson? I would think it would have too much current for crackers. Juliette dam? Another further down stream?

I’m wanting to get started fishing the river some. I just have to get my old 40 Merc back in service.

Wyman