Better pic of the GIANT Redear..

Comment

Comment by Rex Mohr on November 26, 2014 at 6:52pm

Who is the a good guide to hire to fish there.  I don't want to pull my boat down there yet.  Thanks!

Comment by carl hendrix on March 6, 2014 at 7:59am

here it is al!!

Comment by Bruce Tomaselli on February 20, 2014 at 4:12pm

Unreal!

Comment by Allen Morgan on February 20, 2014 at 3:44pm

You might be able to use freshwater clams/mussels as chum.  Gather some, place them in some panty hose with a few rocks, break some of the shells, tie a rope about the end of the hose, and drop it down to bottom.  Then, put a hook baited with worm (or bait of choice) on or just above the bottom, a few feet away from the chum bag.  Wait until you feel a bite.....

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on February 19, 2014 at 8:02pm

PS Jeff, keep an eye on your mailbox the next few days. ;-)

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on February 19, 2014 at 8:00pm

My gut feeling is around 7 lbs, Jeff.

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on February 19, 2014 at 7:59pm

I've used fresh water clams, Jeff. They are oozy and gooey and Allen is right.
Fish will also take them hungrily. If you want to is them bad enough, they work. Nice scent trail from them, too.

I prefer worms, though, because the shellcrackers like them as much and they are a lot easier for me to use. Cats like them, too.
A nice thing about red ear is they are somewhat predictable. Bluegill and bass move all over, high and low, deep and shallow. But if you can learn where the chinquapin are found in your lakes, they usually will be there, or will show up. They forage, so you may have to move around some to hit on a particular spot, but the bottom is their chosen habitat, and, well... It's pretty easy to find.

Comment by Jeff Soto on February 19, 2014 at 7:53pm

One more thing.  (this big fish has really got my brain spinning!)  Just how large do you you guys think these sunfish in the Colorado River's Lake Havasu will grow?  I mean with all that very high protein food available and that super clean water, and very few predators, is there a size where a red ear will basically stop growing?  I mean is it possible to have a fish reach 20 inches and maybe 7 or 8 pounds?

Comment by Jeff Soto on February 19, 2014 at 7:43pm

I was just thinking of digging around in the muddy shallows of my local lake (which has lots of clams in it) and getting a few to try as bait.  I've used small saltwater clams as bait and didn't have any trouble keeping them on the hook, as long as you put your hook through the meaty "foot" of the clam.  With the softer mussels, you need to place the shelled meat out in the sun and air for a short time for them to dry a little and toughen up some, which helps them stay on the hook much better.  I've even heard of some people that take a small half inch clam and partially smash it with pliers, then put it on their hook.  Lower it down to the bottom or even cast it out.  No sinker needed and the catfish and bullhead loved them!  I wonder if this would work on Redear?...

Comment by Allen Morgan on February 19, 2014 at 7:15pm

The hard part about using freshwater mussel flesh for bait is keeping it on the hook.  It's about as difficult to keep hooked as raw liver is for catfish.  You will have to resort to wrapping the bait with thread around the hook, or to using panty hose.

When I was a kid, I used to skewer snails on a hook.  And possibly even small freshwater mussels.

If you do this, you might want to study up on the species that you have locally, and the legality of using them for bait.  If they are classified as endangered, I wouldn't risk it.  Likewise, while Zebra and Qagga mussels are invasive, keeping and/or transporting them alive for use as bait might also be illegal.

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