The redear, also known as a redear sunfish or shellcracker, is dark olive above, yellow to green on the sides, and has white on the belly. Its shellcracker time on the santee cooper lakes, and anglers show this panfish species a lot of love in april. Son and i attempt to find the great shellcrackers or redear sunfish that everyones talking about. These characteristics describe the shellcracker redear sunfish with its nicknames of stumpknocker and yellow bream. Gay in south carolina as the world record for all tackle and the eightpound. Created to post and share fishing reports, stories and photos on lake murray. Slabsauce crappie attractant come join the best family orientated fishing website on the internet. He never keeps females that are full of roe, so many of the larger fish he caught were released. I like to catch plenty of fish that fight hard, test my tackle and my angling skills and taste delicious when i eat them. While both shellcracker and bluegill will bite live crickets and worms, usually ill fish with red worms when searching for shellcrackers and crickets. The term bream refers to any narrow, deepbodied freshwater panfish, and includes several different species. Shellcrackers on the bed at santee stumphole area fishing worms on the bottom.
Fishing with ranger richburg south carolina parks official site. Freshwater game fishing regulations south carolina hunting. Hot shellcracker bite is on at santee carolina sportsman. Santee cooper lakes catfish crappie bream fishing guide. One of the perks of shellcracker fishing is the simplicity of rigging.
Vertical jigging is primarily used for crappie when they are holding to some type of cover in the water. Been so busy but finally got a little time to get on lake marion late this afternoon and we found a few nice shellcracker. The redear sunfish lepomis microlophus, also known as the shellcracker, georgia bream, cherry gill, chinquapin, improved bream, rouge ear sunfish and sun perch is a freshwater fish in the. Pound for pound, there is not another fish that out pulls these little bullies. Look for buoys marking the location of fish attractors. Reason for the increase in number of large redear sunfish in the area. The souths best shellcracker holes hunting and fishing. Ranger eddie richburg, currently park manager at barnwell state park is oncall to answer your fishing questions and provide you with quarterly fishing reports.
Vertical jigging is primarily used for crappie when they are holding to some type of. Join date feb 2011 location lexington, south carolina, united states posts 8,721 post thanks like likes given 2877 likes received 3690 thanks given. They also eat other food like insects, worms, and crawfish, but feed on the bottom. When fishing this way the bait is dropped straight down to a certain depth and the fisherman feels for the thump of a fish biting the. Catching giant shellcracker in the famous santee cooper reservoir.
For a worldclass freshwater fishery, the santee cooper lakes in south carolina are as accessible as it gets. May 30, 2012 spring weather can impact the bream fishing to a certain extent, but one thing is usually certain. Spring weather can impact the bream fishing to a certain extent, but one thing is usually certain. The daytime bite has really slowed but a hot night bite is making up for it. Scdnr freshwater fishing report the edgefield advertiser. In the south, shellcracker fishing is common among pan fisherman. Known as one of the most productive lakes in the southeast for largemouth bass and striped bass, the midlands reservoir also holds the state record for white bass, white perch.
Bedding around bullrush grass, lillypads, primrose known as gator grass in 2 to 4 of water in the. Fishing reports canal lakes fish camp on the santee cooper. The airconditioned property is 22 miles from lexington, and guests benefit from complimentary wifi and private parking available on site. Great family vacation, fishing trips, group outings. From far offshore in the atlantic ocean to coastal inlets and bays, from black water rivers to the states extensive system of lakes wherever you care to wet a line in south carolina, fishing is a big deal whether its part of the states extensive commercial industry or vacationing families looking to catch a vacation memory. Bedding around bullrush grass, lillypads, primrose known as gator grass in 2 to 4 of water in the protective backwaters with sandy bottoms is the areas to look for.
They also have a red edge on the gillcover on the male. Redear sunfish shellcracker typically begin spawning about one month before bluegill. I like to catch plenty of fish that fight hard, test my tackle and my angling skills an d taste delicious when i eat. Known as one of the most productive lakes in the southeast for largemouth bass and striped bass, the midlands reservoir also holds the state record for white bass, white perch, white crappie and white catfish. Shellcracker redear sunfish spawn in april and may during the full moon phases. You can hardly beat the bream and shellcracker fishing on the cooper river, lamprecht said. Purchase your fishing license today, and go fishing to a spot near you.
Anglers can cast a line from several free publicaccess fishing docks or. A total of 40 game fish may be kept in any one day. Get started fishing today, purchase your fishing license online, check regulations and more. Shearon harris lake is shellcracker heaven in central. I like to catch plenty of fish that fight hard, test my tackle and my angling skills an d taste delicious when i eat them.
Its shellcracker fishing time on the santee cooper lakes. Plum quick motors from fort mill, sc, doesnt play around. For those that enjoy the various sunfish species, there are numerous species in various lakes. People here in the south, have all kinds of generic names for the bream, e. Georgia lake seminole and worldrecord shellcrackers caught. However, this fish has also been widely introduced to other locations in the united states outside of its native range. I like to catch plenty of fish that fight hard, test my tackle and my angling. Huge crappie slabs in the swamps of santee cooper, sc with whitey outlaw. After they leave shallow water, the crappie will spend the rest of the year on deep brush. In south florida, shellcracker may spawn as early as the last week of february but more likely around the fourth week of march. Santee cooper lakes south carolina coastal angler magazine. Fishing the bluegill spawn on lake marion, santee cooper, sc.
Canal lakes fish camp santee cooper lakes hwy 45 on the diversion canal 9 canal landing road, cross, sc 29436 open 5. Gay in south carolina as the world record for all tackle and the eightpound line class. Santee cooper south carolina fishing guide services. From far offshore in the atlantic ocean to coastal inlets and bays, from black water rivers to the states extensive system of lakes wherever you care to wet a line in south carolina, fishing is a. With the variety of fish species that we have throughout south carolina, he should be able to catch fish about anywhere. Shellcracker are being caught off secondary points and around islands in 812 feet. The santee cooper lake system consists of two lakes, marion 110,600 acres and moultrie 60,400 acres.
You can hardly beat the bream and shellcracker fishing on the cooper river. Except for bait lost while fishing and fish released back to waters where they were caught, it is unlawful to intentionally release any aquatic species, including bait, regardless of the stage of its life cycle, into the waters of this state without a permit from scdnr. The following list of state record fish is according to the south carolina department of natural resources and includes south carolinas two world record fish, the channel catfish and redbreast sunfish. Planning on fishing edisto thursday then over to the santee thursday. For stripers, head to the back of the big creeks and try. Learn how to register your vessel, boating laws and more. The shellcracker has a cherryred edge to the operculum which is a series of bones found in bony fish that serves as a facial support structure and a protective covering. Shellcracker seasons seasonal advice for bluegill and redear sunfish. We use this method when fishing for bluegill shellcracker or when targeting crappie on stumps and brush. Anglers know long waiting lines to launch a boat even at remote access areas signals shellcracker action is smoking hot.
We use this method when fishing for bluegillshellcracker or when targeting crappie on stumps and brush. Catfishnfool santee cooper fishing guide captain wayne vining 8032380596 specializing in catfishing,crappie and bream fishing on lake marion, diversion canal, and lake moultrie south carolina. Only 1 fish larger than 36 inches per person may be taken. Shellcracker fishing tips sheelcracker fishing florida. For bluegill fish around docks or brush in 37 feet of water with crickets. Southeastern outdoors south carolina state fishing records. Interstate i95 crosses lake marion and i26 flanks the twinlake system to the south.
These fish are bottomfeeders, meandering along the lake bed seeking and cracking open. Native freshwater mussels cannot be taken without a permit from scdnr. David hilton crappie, stripers, cats, bream 8438704734 website. Santee cooper lakes november 30, 2017 lakes marion and moultrie, the upper and lower lakes, the santee cooper lakes, santee. Santee cooper lake in south carolina probably has a bluegill population just as good, if not better, as any other southern state. Jul 30, 2018 shellcracker, or redear sunfish, are the biggest of the beam, with the world record a 4 pound ounce monster caught in florida in 1986. Redear sunfish are native to north carolina and florida, west to south illinois and south missouri, and south to the rio grande drainage in texas. World record shellcracker, weighing in 5 pounds 7 12 ounces, caught in south carolina august 1998. Did you know these 10 amazing world records are held in sc.
Shellcracker fishing remains very strong, but fish have gotten a little harder to locate. Fly fishing can be enjoyed in any of our parks containing creeks, rivers, ponds, or lakes. Part of the famous santee cooper system and home for trophy stripers. These brawny bream returns the favor by filling up empty space in large coolers. Fishing reports canal lakes fish camp on the santee. South carolina offers great fishing and boating opportunities for all anglers. Diverse fishery also offers excellent largemouth, catfish, crappie and bream. May 23, 2015 son and i attempt to find the great shellcrackers or redear sunfish that everyones talking about. Beds were a little tricky to find but once i zerod in, caught some decent fish. These 10 really crazy world records are held in south carolina. Shellcracker lake murray shores, 29070, united states of america show map after booking, all of the propertys details, including telephone and address, are provided in your booking confirmation and your account. By the end of march, depending on water temperatures and water levels, redears shellcracker start migrating to the shallows in preparation for the spawn.
An excellent producer of stripers, including trophies over 40 pounds. Around the country, the prevalent breams may be known as brim, sunfish, panfish, or bream, but no matter what you call them, it is the first fish most of us caught and one of the bestflavored fish around they are round in many lakes. Sep 10, 2018 the term bream refers to any narrow, deepbodied freshwater panfish, and includes several different species. Reports that the national freshwater fishing hall of fame has recognized the redear sunfish caught by amos m. The following list of state record fish is according to the south carolina department of natural resources and includes south carolinas two world. They also have a red edge on the gillcover on the male and orange on the female. Catfishnfool santee cooper fishing guide captain wayne vining 8032380596 specializing in catfishing,crappie and bream fishing on lake marion, diversion canal, and lake moultrie south. The souths best shellcracker holes night hawk publications. Look in 1215 feet of water and fish worms on the bottom. The shellcracker bite hasnt slowed down all summer.
What immediately comes to mind for me, said scott lamprecht, freshwater fisheries regional coordinator for the south carolina department of natural resources region 4, is the fall fishing for bream on brushpiles in the santee cooper lakes. Shellcracker and bream fishing robert webster of hamlet, nc who has a camper at the lake tillery family campground, adjacent highway 2427, has been keeping a watch on the. Black and white crappie are big and plentiful in south caroinas santee cooper lakes. Around the country, the prevalent breams may be known as. Vacation home shellcracker, lake murray shores, sc. As their name tells, they eat snails and muscles, crushing the shell with a tough muscle in their gullet. Bream are moving in shallows setting up to spawn leading into the may full moon.