What flies do you like to use for redears, especially when they can be found in shallows/near shore?
Is a "popper/dropper" the best thing, and what do you use for the dropper?
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What flies do you like to use for redears, especially when they can be found in shallows/near shore?
Is a "popper/dropper" the best thing, and what do you use for the dropper?
I've had good luck with 1/80 to 1/100 micro jigs in chartruse micro chanile body and marabou tail.
Greg
I've found that redear don't hit topwater stuff as much as other sunfish. I think they tend to stay deeper, except during the spawn.
I've had good luck with weighted dragon fly nymphs and red fox squirrel nymphs, and also red San Juan worms. I'll have good luck too if I use a two fly rig, with one weighted fly and a San Juan worm (the weighted fly is to help the San Juan get down deeper). Scuds, sowbugs or any type of insect nymph fished on the bottom should work.
@Tim:
During the spawn is when I expect I'll have my best shot at them with fly gear, since I rarely use sinking lines. I'd heard the "popper-dropper" was a good technique for that. Not that the topwater fly gets much action, but that it acts as a strike indicator and allows you to keep a weighted fly suspended in front of the fish better?
What size hooks do you like to tie your nymphs on for redears?
@Greg:
That is interesting...my impression is that natural-colored nymphs would get the most looks from redears. But maybe this is erroneous? Do you feel they are attracted to bright colors? This is very helpful to consider.
Also, are you fishing your micro jigs outside weed edges/drops? Or when the fish are in the shallows?
Thanks fellas!
The upper Hiawassee River, near Charleston, Tn. is full of Redears. They attack small Wooley Buggers like there's no tomorrow. I haven't even noticed a color preference. I usually use black, brown, or OD green. They hit larger Hare's Ear nympths, and Damsel Fly Nympths pretty hard, as well. You just need to get them down near the bottom. Sometimes you may need to use a sinking, or sink tip line, or use micro jigs.
They hit live worms really good, too. And cut up mussels, crawfish, and shrimp.
The upper Ocoee River, near Benton, Tn., also has Redears.
Iowa apparently is the north edge of their range...actually I think the lakes in the southern 1/2 of the state that have them were all initially STOCKED with them.
Very good tips, thanks!
you will be fishing spawners, no doubt, no way no how....they will be protecting a bed at thas point.
a smallish leech or streamer pattern will anger them enough to strike...if'n you can see them and they don't move to as fly...move on, they don't need us at this point....
The lake I hope to fish...I haven't been there in years, and I can't recall what the water clarity is like. Most Iowa lakes are somewhat murky. I think the shoreline does get a good weedbed growing during the warmer months, for whatever that is worth.
I'm hoping to get my kayak down there and be able to cover a lot of water if necessary to find the fish when the time comes. I'm not a big fan of plucking fish off their nests, but I rarely ever keep fish, so I shouldn't be hurting the population at all. They can go back to their nests after we play for a bit. ;o)
My most productive pattern for shellcrackers (AKA Red Eared Sunfish) is an all black leech pattern tied on a size 10 2xl hook. The simpliest way to tie this pattern is to tie in a small bunch of black rabit fur for the tail and then wind the body with black mohair yarn. Pick the yarn out so that it is nice an bushy. It will slim down in the water to a small profile, but it is a killer pattern. I picked up several very nice shellcrackers including a couple that went just over 13 inches long on this pattern two evenings ago. I also caught several bass with two of them that were around 16 or 17 inches long. Not real big, but still loads of fun on my three wt. You can add a bit of wire for weight if you want to, but if you're fishing the shallows, you probably wont need more than two or three wraps of wire to get it down to where you want it.
Jim Smith
Hey Jim, that is good to know, too! I've caught plenty of fish on the mohair leeches like you described, so will certainly give them a try for the redears. 13" Redear...that would be awesome!
I'll second small buggers. I tie mine with a short, bright orange tail, grizzly hackle and a black body. I usually use several wraps of lead wire to help get the fly down a bit.
TT
Hey Dave. The dragon nymph I use is a size 8. All the rest of the flies I catch them on are 10's and 12's. I've got a new damsel nymph pattern in sizes 10 and 12 now too that I am eager to try throwing at them. I agree that around the time of the spawn is about the easiest time to catch them. When it gets hot they go down too deep to easily reach with my floating lines. However, I have also had good luck a couple years ago in the late summer early fall when temperatures moderated a bit.
I have the privilege of fishing a private pond that has a healthy population of nice-sized redears, which, during the summer, DO NOT hesitate to take small popping bugs, right along with the bluegill that call this water home. Try 'em, the redears in your waters just might like 'em!
Sorry, I think my post came off as condeming you for fishing for spawners...that was not the case.
I mentioned spawners because of the defensive poise they will be in and the little leaches really do the trick.
@ brhoff: No offense taken. :o)
I've seen some ponds get damaged by harvesting too many big 'gills off the spawning beds. So, I don't do that. On a bigger lake, its probably not nearly as much of a concern.
It is a decent-sized lake I plan to fish for them. Some guys I know caught a few ice-fishing there this winter, and they even caught a few redear/bluegill hybrids.
@ agedsage: That is interesting. Is the lake you fish shallow or deep? I wonder if that makes any difference?
Since Iowa is at the north edge of their range, I would expect that to mean the fish like warmer water, and should stay somewhat shallow during the summer? But from everything I've heard from guys that fish around here, redears seem to pretty much disappear after they spawn. People assume the go deep. The lakes that support decent populations of redears here typically have good weedbeds and very good snail populations.
I wonder if the redears simply feed near the base of the weeds, and so folks don't typically get their bait/lures/flies down in the weeds far enough to reach the redears? Educated conjecture, perhaps, but still just conjecture.
David:
The pond I reference is located in Central Texas, near Waco, so I would expect it to get, and stay, warmer than your waters. The area of the pond where they are most abundant averages about three feet in depth, but it has holes that are at least 12 feet deep near the other end. Also, typically the water is very clear. There are some very large, as adults, African snails in it, but in the 18 years that I have been fishing it, I have yet to see a small one. The adult shells are up to about 2.5 inches long! Clearly too big for redears to be eating. However, they have to be reproducing as the population has remained healthy all of these years. The adults seem to be strictly bottom dwellers, as you never see them anywhere else. If the young are also bottom dwellers, it would be a rare occasion that you would seem them as they blend into the substrate so well. I have yet to ever see an adult on any of the vegetation, including the cattails.
Frank
@ Greg
Chartruse Micro Jigs: I usually fish them deep and around structure. Swimming them very slow.
Greg
It's been great to here everyone's experiences. I hereby commit myself to research this subject further.
Now if I can just finish working on my house so that I can wet a line, all will be good.
A buddy that often fly-fishes caught one this weekend using spinning gear. He said he was just slowly dragging a crappie-sized tube jig across the bottom.
My best luck with shellcrackers has been with yuk bugs in size 6 or 8. I catch most of them deep, either on an intermediate sinking line or with floating line and a very long leader and tippet. The fly has also enticed my two largest bass, so you never know what's going to grab one.