Redear sunfish (shellcracker) fishing in the North Carolina mountains!

This article will focus on fishing for redear sunfish aka shellcracker in the mountains of western North Carolina. Redear sunfish are similar to other sunfish and bluegill. However, there are some differences as well and I will cover those along with how to catch shellcracker.

Redear sunfish aka shellcracker

I love fishing for panfish of all species. However, I really have an affinity for redears. One reason is that they grow larger than bluegill and other sunfish, often times rivalling crappie. Second, shellcracker are fantastic eating! A lot of that has to do with their diet. Shellcracker love crustaceans and mollusks. This is what gives them their nickname. They are native to the SE United States and have been successfully stocked throughout the country. Males are easily identified by the red outline on the gill flap. In females it is much less pronounced.

Redear sunfish have some different habits over it’s cousins the bluegill and redbreast sunfish, which are the two most prevalent panfish species in western North Carolina. They are most often found in deeper water over shell beds and hard bottom. The reason for this is their preferred prey is located there. Structure such as fallen trees and docks hold plenty of fish as well. Generally speaking, they do not like a lot of current.

Redear sunfish shellcracker fishing techniques

As mentioned earlier, redear sunfish are a bit different in behavior and habits. They spawn in late spring and early summer, much as other panfish. This is definitely the prime time to target them. However, they are usually deeper. Anglers who find hard bottom areas in 6 feet to 15 feet of water should find some fish.

While I love fishing for panfish with lures and flies, live bait is the way to go for anglers chasing shellcracker. Live worms are tough to beat. A whole garden worm or red wiggler works great. A 2 inch piece of nightcrawlers is also productive. Mealworms produce and are overlooked. All are readily available at Walmart, tackle shops, and even gas stations and convenience stores. Grass shrimp are great, but harder to acquire.

Anglers targeting redear sunfish need to fish right on the bottom. That is where they feed. This is one of the big differences between them and bluegill, which will come up to feed. My favorite way to accomplish this is the simple split shot rig. I use a pretty small hook, a #8 baitholder hook and a small split shot or two. I use an ultra light spinning rod with 4 pound test monofilament line in the clear mountain lakes. Anglers can bump it up if the water is murky.

Read this article for more on the best fishing rod and reel

The technique is pretty simple. I cast the baited hook out and allow it to fall naturally through the water column. I watch the line closely as bluegill and other species will take the bait as it falls. Once it hits bottom, I allow it to sit for a couple of minutes. Often times I never feel the bite, there is just weight as I go to reel it in. You will need a net for the larger ones!

The other rig that I use is a slip bobber. This uses a small bobber stop which allows anglers to fish deeper water and still use a float. The idea is to suspend the bait just off the bottom. The bobber makes it easier to determine when a fish takes the bait. This works really well over brush piles and when a lot of snags are present.

In conclusion, this article on fishing for redear sunfish, also known as shellcracker, will help anglers catch more of these hard fighting and great tasting fish!