Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Do you love big bluegill?

Big Redear Sunfish. Article and photo courtesy of North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission

Young Angler Reels in State Record Redear Sunfish

RALEIGH, N.C. (May 30, 2008)– A last minute decision to go fishing with his mother netted a 13-year-old from Rocky Mount a new freshwater fish state record.

Travis Jackson reeled in a 4-pound, 15-ounce redear sunfish from a private pond in Edgecombe County on May 19, using a worm as bait. The fish measured 15 1/16 inches in length and 18 1/8 inches in girth.

According to Arlene Jackson, Travis’ mother, Jackson was playing with his Sony PlayStation when she talked him into going fishing with her and a friend. He agreed, and within an hour, he was reeling in “one really big bream” from a pond right down the road from his house.

“We thought it might be a bluegill or a shellcracker,” she said. “Travis was really excited when he found out it was a state record.”

They had it weighed at the Piggly Wiggly in Rocky Mount. Bill Collart, a N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission fisheries biologist, initially verified it as a redear. However, after looking at its massive size, Collart second-guessed himself and thought it might be a bluegill instead. He called Wayne Starnes, an ichthyologist with the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, for a second opinion.

“On further digging, into the fish literally, Starnes determined that I was right to begin with and it was indeed a shellcracker,” Collart said.“Neither one of us had seen one quite so large and physical characteristics tend to change with age as well as size.”


Redear sunfish, also known as “shellcrackers,” grow faster and larger than other sunfish species, often reaching 2 pounds. In areas in the central Coastal Plain, such as the Tar River from Rocky Mount to Grimesland, trophy-sized redears can be found in large numbers.

However, a nearly 5-pound redear is a rare catch, as indicated by the fact that the redear record has been standing since 1994, when Scott Miller from Rutherfordton caught a 4-pound, 9-ounce shellcracker from a farm pond in Union County. Miller’s catch tied the previous record-holder Rondal Sweet, an Alexander County angler who caught his fish from Lookout Shoals Lake in 1988.

According to Collart, redears are found throughout the state in streams, lakes and ponds and are caught easily with worms, crickets and small spinner baits.

“They tend to be deeper in the pond than bluegills, feeding on creatures living on the bottom, like small crayfish, mussels and snails, so fishermen need to get their bait deep to catch them or they’ll end up with a bluegill instead,” Collart said.

To qualify for a state record, anglers must have caught the fish on a hook and line, have the fish weighed on a certified scale witnessed by one observer, have the fish positively identified by a fisheries biologist from the Commission and submit an application with a full, side-view photo of the fish.

Views: 3161

Comment

You need to be a member of Bluegill - Big Bluegill to add comments!

Join Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Latest Activity

John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

Spoon Bass

"Thanks Jeff!"
19 hours ago
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

Rattle Trap Bass

"Yes, the front one at least! What do you suppose happened there ,Jeff?"
19 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

Rattle Trap Bass

"Another good bass…..his dorsal fin is almost gone completely….."
20 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

25"+Spoon Pick

"Big chain, very nice!"
20 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

Spoon Bass

"Nice bass John!"
20 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
20 hours ago
John Sheehan added a discussion to the group Lure History
Thumbnail

Discontinued Lures

Some of my favorites I can't find anymore: Acme Fash King Flutter Spoon, Eppinger Flutter Chuck,…See More
yesterday
John Sheehan posted photos
yesterday
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

25"+Spoon Pick

"25+inch Pickerel was best of the 13 Fish caught today a day after the Worm Moon. Two Bass and the…"
Tuesday
John Sheehan commented on dick tabbert's photo
Thumbnail

IMG_0186

"1/16th oz., good!"
Tuesday
dick tabbert commented on dick tabbert's photo
Thumbnail

IMG_0186

"These are my last build. I added more colors."
Tuesday
dick tabbert commented on dick tabbert's photo
Thumbnail

IMG_0186

"No Jon I went with the 1/16 oz jig heads so I could have a larger hook for crappies. It's a #4…"
Tuesday
John Sheehan commented on dick tabbert's photo
Thumbnail

IMG_0186

"Colors are great !"
Monday
John Sheehan commented on dick tabbert's photo
Thumbnail

IMG_0186

"Thats a good Crappie size! Are they 32nd Oz Jigs?"
Monday
dick tabbert commented on dick tabbert's photo
Thumbnail

IMG_0186

"They are right at 2" long."
Monday
John Sheehan commented on dick tabbert's photo
Thumbnail

IMG_0186

"I Can see Crappie and Bass chomping on them, Dick!"
Sunday
dick tabbert commented on dick tabbert's photo
Thumbnail

IMG_0186

"I made these up for crappie in mind. They might be a little big for gills unless it a bigger gill."
Sunday
John Sheehan commented on dick tabbert's photo
Thumbnail

IMG_0186

"What Species you got in mind for these great Minnow ties , Dick?"
Sunday
dick tabbert posted photos
Sunday
John Sheehan commented on Sam k.'s group Trout Bums
""Trout Season opens April 6th 2024 in New Jersey. Waters are runnin' high for…"
Sunday

© 2024   Created by Bluegill.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service