Do you love big bluegill?

The Shellcrackers

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If you've caught a redear sunfish, or if you want people to THINK you've caught a redear sunfish, this is the group for you.

Members: 152
Latest Activity: Mar 16, 2023

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Comment by John Burns on November 22, 2014 at 3:32pm: Ok, I'm convinced. You talked me into it. I've caught a total of 8 RES since building my pond in 2013. Largest one 9". Caught 4 of the 8 all within about an hour a few weeks ago in 2-3' of water at about sunset on small plastic jig. Have caught all of them on either plastic jigs or crankbaits near sunset. I suspect they are coming up into shallow water to feed on snails, of which my pond has plenty.

Comment by Eric Pierce on April 14, 2014 at 5:54pm: Thank you for the warm welcome... I'll do my best to keep up with you all on these fine fish....Eric

Comment by shooter on May 28, 2013 at 4:07pm: the water temp is right the rain slowed the fish down a little but i caught some nice chinks on Wednesday and Thursday of last week. .

the mud temp was at 68 to 70 ,while the water was running around 74 to 80 on the surface from morning to evening .

the fish have started fanning the beds and i thank they are laying now .

the lake i fish is Chicot lake, located in south central Louisiana,the lake has a huge watershed and is situated in Chicot state park a 10,000 acrer wild life refuge of hard wood bottoms and ridges.the park is surrounded by lakes and a 2 inch rain will raise the lake over night thus the water temp is affected by spring rains and runoff. we just got 5 inches last week and the water temp was cooled of by as much as 8 degrees over night and the lake rose 18" in two days and is still above normal stage.

the chinks(shellcrackers) unlike the blue gill seem to go to the beds early although these early fish are not bedding they are always big fish .

watching these beds you will see a boil and cast to it and catch large chinks,although the water temps will be in the low 60s.

i call this bumping the beds and do this every year starting in march and have caught these fish in water as cold as 58,bluegill do not do this but the chinks do,they are truly a strange fish in many ways.

nothing like a big'O thumper on a fly rod .

Comment by Jason Preslar on March 7, 2013 at 5:13am: I hate to hear about the fish kill, that's heartbreaking!

Comment by Jason Preslar on March 7, 2013 at 5:13am: No worries Jim!! I got it covered!!

Comment by Jim Gronaw on March 6, 2013 at 9:35pm: Wow...those are sensational fish! I'd be careful who you tell about that one, and release the majority of those trophies to sustain the fishery. One of my better ponds suffered 2 separate fish kills last year, and most of the 10 inch class gills were lost...what a shame!

Comment by Jason Preslar on March 6, 2013 at 9:29pm: Thanks Jim. That fish along with several others that size came from a pond that's different than any other I've ever fished. I've never caught gills there. It's loaded with crackers and redbreasts though. Every cracker there is close to a pound and bigger. There are some massive redbreasts there also. Hopefully, I'll get back there some this year!! I'd say there are some 2lb crackers there and maybe some state record threatening redbreasts.