Freshwater · Spring bedding season; summer on deep shell beds
Redear Sunfish
Lepomis microlophus
The 'shellcracker' — a bottom-grinding sunfish that crushes snails over shell beds, grows heavier than any other panfish, and fills spring stringers from Florida to Lake Havasu.
Seasons · Peak
Identifying features
- A red or orange crescent on the rear edge of the gill cover — the 'shellcracker's' namesake ear flap
- Deep olive-gold body with faint mottling; belly brassy yellow
- Crushing throat teeth (pharyngeal teeth) grind snails and mussels — you can hear them pop
- Mouth slightly larger and body deeper than a bluegill's; no dark chin patch
- Look-alike: pumpkinseed wear a brighter orange cheek and a scarlet half-moon on the ear; redear's ear mark is a plain red crescent on a drabber fish
Habits
- A mollusc specialist: carpets of mussel and snail shells on the bottom mark its feeding beds
- Gathers in colonies over shell beds in spring to spawn, like bluegill but tighter to the bottom
- Less surface-oriented than bluegill — most redear are caught right on the bottom
- Wanders less than other sunfish; find the shell bed and you've found the fish all season
Distribution
Where to find them
- Shell beds and sandy flats on Florida's St. Johns River and Lake Okeechobee rim
- Reservoir stump fields and mussel beds across Texas and the Southeast
- Colorado River backwaters and Lake Havasu (Arizona/California) for giant redear
Where they live
How to catch them
Bottom fishing shell beds
Rig: Light line, small hook, just enough shot to sit on the shell
Bait/lure: Red worm on a #8 hook, split shot above
Key tip: If your worm isn't on the bottom, it isn't in redear water — they rarely rise for bait.
Float fishing the bed edges
Rig: Small float set so the bait ticks bottom, fished at the colony's edge
Bait/lure: Mealworms and tiny jigs
Key tip: Bed colonies have an edge line — the biggest redear hold on the outside row.
Best baits & lures
Baseline setup
- Rod: 5'6"-7' ultralight spinning rod or cane pole
- Line: 4-6 lb mono
- Terminal: Tiny hooks, split shot, small floats, 1/32 oz jigs
Recommended gear for this species
Rod · Best value
9' 5-weight fly rod outfit
≈ US$180-260
Covers chironomid lakes and small rivers with one setup.
Flies · Budget
Chironomid assortment (30 patterns)
≈ US$25-40
Chironomids are 60% of a lake rainbow's diet in spring.
Picks come from our rule library — never paid placements. Prices are guides; affiliate links may earn us a commission.
Typical size
Common 1/2-1 lb; large specimens 2-4 lb
On the table
Excellent — the sweetest of the sunfishes; the shellcracker fillets are thick and white.
Similar species
Regulations vary by area and can change in-season — always check the official rules for your area before you fish. Regulations guide →
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