The Species
About Redear Sunfish
Redear sunfish look similar to bluegill but sport a distinctive red or orange crescent on the edge of their gill cover — hence the nickname "shellcracker," earned from their preference for snails and mollusks, which they crush with specialized throat teeth. They grow larger than bluegill, often reaching 10–12 inches, and are found at Uvas Reservoir and other South Bay waters.
Redear are more bottom-oriented than bluegill and less likely to attack surface lures. They prefer deeper, clearer water with a hard bottom and tend to be found in slightly deeper water than bluegill. They're an excellent light tackle challenge and a prized catch when you find a pod of them — their size and determined fight make them a standout panfish.
How to Catch Them
Baits & Techniques
Redear love soft grubs. Wax worms on a small hook near the bottom are a top producer.
Small pieces of nightcrawler fished slowly on the bottom near hard structure.
Where available, freshwater mussels are a natural redear bait — they eat them in the wild.
1/32 oz jigs bounced along the bottom. Keep it slow — redear won't chase fast-moving lures.
Split shot rig or light Carolina rig with a worm. Keeps bait near the bottom where redear feed.
Bead-head nymphs and small wet flies fished deep and slow near the bottom are excellent for redear.
By Season
When to Target Them
Redear spawn in late spring, slightly later than bluegill. They fan beds in 2–6 ft on hard bottom near structure.
Feeding well in warm water. Fish deeper than you would for bluegill — redear sit lower in the water column.
Good action through fall. Bottom presentations near structure continue to produce consistently.
Redear become very inactive in cold water. Tiny baits fished extremely slowly on hard bottom are your best bet.
California Regulations
Rules to Know
- No statewide size limit for redear sunfish
- Daily bag limit: 25 sunfish combined per day statewide
- Mercury advisories at Calero, Coyote Lake, and Almaden — catch-and-release recommended
- California Sport Fishing License required for anglers 16 and older
Always verify at CDFW.ca.gov.
