T_boy
05-22-2008, 01:17 PM
THE REDEAR SUNFISH might be the prettiest of all freshwater fish. That is open for debate, but few will argue about this little fish's mighty fighting ability.
More commonly known as a shellcracker, the redear, pound-for-pound, is one of the toughest species going. In that old adage about tying two same-sized fish together tail to tail, there are few that the shellcracker wouldn't manage to pull around the lake.
When fishing with ultra- or micro-light tackle and 2- or 4-pound test line, a redear of a pound or more will test both equipment and angling skill.
Getting a big one on the business end of your tackle is a great experience.
And the chances of that happening in either Virginia or North Carolina are pretty good. Both states grow big shellcrackers - which also are known as stumpknockers because they love to live around submerged trees.
Virginia doesn't keep records on the different species of sunfish, linking all varieties under a common listing. But the state's 4-pound, 12-ounce record caught by Michael Mills from a private pond in 1986 was thought to have been a redear.
In North Carolina, sunfish are listed by species. Two 4-6 redears share the record. One was caught by Rondall Sweet from Lookout Shoals Lake in 1988. The other was taken in 1994 from Union Farm Pond by Scott Miller.
As impressive as those two fish were, the International Game Fish Association all-tackle world record weighed 5-7. It was caught from South Carolina's Diversion Canal in 1998 by Amos Gay.
Shellcrackers love to eat the freshwater snails and mussels that cover the bottoms of the water supply lakes in Suffolk. Most anglers use either a piece of a nightcrawler or one or two whole red wigglers. Crickets and pieces of fresh shrimp also will produce.
But the most deadly shellcracker bait of all - if you can find them - are grass shrimp. The clear shrimp, usually about a half-inch long, make a distinct clicking sound that attracts redear and other panfish.
In the past, the Western Branch Reservoir has been Virginia's top producer of citation fish, those topping 1 pound or 11 inches. Lake Prince also will produce good numbers, as will lakes Cahoon and Meade. Most area lakes and rivers have shellcracker.
In North Carolina, it also takes a 1-pounder or an 11-incher to win a state award.
HAMPTON ROADS
What's this? A decent-looking forecast for the holiday weekend?
It's about time.
If the predictions hold true, fishing should be outstanding on every front.
While the red and black drum bite has been going off around the inner middle grounds and other shoals, wonderful news comes from offshore. Fingers of warm water have brought yellowfin tuna and dolphin into range for Virginia bluewater trollers.
The bite likely will be sporadic for a few weeks, but at least things have gotten started.
Drum fishing has been fantastic. A bonus should come from anglers finding the season's first sheepshead.
If things do calm down, flounder action should pick up along the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, along the edges of channels, and around inshore wrecks and reefs.
Speckled trout catches have been good around areas of the middle peninsula. Flats around the mouths of the Piankatank and Ware rivers have been the top producers.
Croaker are getting bigger and more abundant along the Chesapeake Bay and Hampton Roads bridge-tunnels.
Bluefish are, well... everywhere.
Stripers also are abundant around both bridge-tunnels. Anglers fishing in the Bay can keep two fish a day that measure between 18 and 28 inches. One fish, however, can measure longer than 32 inches. The best chance for larger fish is to drop live croaker over tunnel tubes along the two spans.
Puppy drum and speckled trout have been available inside Lynnhaven and Rudee inlets. But trout action in both is waning. Flounder also are available in both inlets.
Spadefish numbers are outstanding around many inshore structures such as wrecks and buoys, especially the Chesapeake Light Tower. A few fish have started to take hook-offered clam. The action should be great next week if forecasted temperatures in the 80s hold true.
EASTERN SHORE
Red and black drum are attracting the most angler attention around the Shore. That won't change in the next couple of weeks. Fish are being taken from around Fisherman's Island, the Inner Middle Grounds, Latimer Shoal and buoys 13 and 16. Bait-shop owner Chris Snook said she recorded more than 50 citations for the two species over the weekend.
Use sea clam for black drum, and peelers or cut crab for the reds.
Flounder continue to bite well for anglers working backwater ditches and channels near Oyster, Wachapreague and Chincoteague.
Anglers working out of Capt. Zedd's in Wachapreague have reported catches of 40 fish a day. About one-fifth of those are keepers.
Croaker numbers are on the rise around Cape Charles and Kiptopeake. Hardheads soon should start to show in better numbers around Oyster.
OUTER BANKS
Yellowfin tuna keep providing most angling action. But billfish and big dolphin are quickly making their presence known.
Nearly 20 blue marlin were landed or released in last weekend's Hatteras Village Offshore Open.
Gaffer-sized dolphin also are showing in better numbers, along with wahoo and king mackerel.
Cobia, bluefish and red drum should be available to boaters working along the coast.
Puppy drum and speckled trout could provide good action in the sounds.
PIERS AND SURF
Action continues to get better along Virginia beaches. Still, most catches are coming from smaller fish.
Bluefish are the best bet. Undersized striper and flounder, and small to medium croaker, also will be available. Small spot and some sea mullet could show as well.
Things continue to get tougher along Outer Banks beaches, with recent vandalism prompting more closures. Fishing piers offer a good alternative. Pier catches could include spot, croaker, flounder, sea mullet, cobia, red drum, puppy drum, speckled trout and bluefish.
FRESHWATER
Shellcracker, bluegill and other species of bream should be making their way toward area shorelines. These small but eager and exciting species will provide all-day action throughout the summer.
And there's nothing better for a fish fry than a bucket-load of bream.
Largemouth bass should keep providing anglers with good action. The weekly passing storm systems will keep waters cool and active. Topwater action can be great on days after heavy rain.
White perch are being caught around the mouths of creeks leading into larger river systems.
More commonly known as a shellcracker, the redear, pound-for-pound, is one of the toughest species going. In that old adage about tying two same-sized fish together tail to tail, there are few that the shellcracker wouldn't manage to pull around the lake.
When fishing with ultra- or micro-light tackle and 2- or 4-pound test line, a redear of a pound or more will test both equipment and angling skill.
Getting a big one on the business end of your tackle is a great experience.
And the chances of that happening in either Virginia or North Carolina are pretty good. Both states grow big shellcrackers - which also are known as stumpknockers because they love to live around submerged trees.
Virginia doesn't keep records on the different species of sunfish, linking all varieties under a common listing. But the state's 4-pound, 12-ounce record caught by Michael Mills from a private pond in 1986 was thought to have been a redear.
In North Carolina, sunfish are listed by species. Two 4-6 redears share the record. One was caught by Rondall Sweet from Lookout Shoals Lake in 1988. The other was taken in 1994 from Union Farm Pond by Scott Miller.
As impressive as those two fish were, the International Game Fish Association all-tackle world record weighed 5-7. It was caught from South Carolina's Diversion Canal in 1998 by Amos Gay.
Shellcrackers love to eat the freshwater snails and mussels that cover the bottoms of the water supply lakes in Suffolk. Most anglers use either a piece of a nightcrawler or one or two whole red wigglers. Crickets and pieces of fresh shrimp also will produce.
But the most deadly shellcracker bait of all - if you can find them - are grass shrimp. The clear shrimp, usually about a half-inch long, make a distinct clicking sound that attracts redear and other panfish.
In the past, the Western Branch Reservoir has been Virginia's top producer of citation fish, those topping 1 pound or 11 inches. Lake Prince also will produce good numbers, as will lakes Cahoon and Meade. Most area lakes and rivers have shellcracker.
In North Carolina, it also takes a 1-pounder or an 11-incher to win a state award.
HAMPTON ROADS
What's this? A decent-looking forecast for the holiday weekend?
It's about time.
If the predictions hold true, fishing should be outstanding on every front.
While the red and black drum bite has been going off around the inner middle grounds and other shoals, wonderful news comes from offshore. Fingers of warm water have brought yellowfin tuna and dolphin into range for Virginia bluewater trollers.
The bite likely will be sporadic for a few weeks, but at least things have gotten started.
Drum fishing has been fantastic. A bonus should come from anglers finding the season's first sheepshead.
If things do calm down, flounder action should pick up along the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, along the edges of channels, and around inshore wrecks and reefs.
Speckled trout catches have been good around areas of the middle peninsula. Flats around the mouths of the Piankatank and Ware rivers have been the top producers.
Croaker are getting bigger and more abundant along the Chesapeake Bay and Hampton Roads bridge-tunnels.
Bluefish are, well... everywhere.
Stripers also are abundant around both bridge-tunnels. Anglers fishing in the Bay can keep two fish a day that measure between 18 and 28 inches. One fish, however, can measure longer than 32 inches. The best chance for larger fish is to drop live croaker over tunnel tubes along the two spans.
Puppy drum and speckled trout have been available inside Lynnhaven and Rudee inlets. But trout action in both is waning. Flounder also are available in both inlets.
Spadefish numbers are outstanding around many inshore structures such as wrecks and buoys, especially the Chesapeake Light Tower. A few fish have started to take hook-offered clam. The action should be great next week if forecasted temperatures in the 80s hold true.
EASTERN SHORE
Red and black drum are attracting the most angler attention around the Shore. That won't change in the next couple of weeks. Fish are being taken from around Fisherman's Island, the Inner Middle Grounds, Latimer Shoal and buoys 13 and 16. Bait-shop owner Chris Snook said she recorded more than 50 citations for the two species over the weekend.
Use sea clam for black drum, and peelers or cut crab for the reds.
Flounder continue to bite well for anglers working backwater ditches and channels near Oyster, Wachapreague and Chincoteague.
Anglers working out of Capt. Zedd's in Wachapreague have reported catches of 40 fish a day. About one-fifth of those are keepers.
Croaker numbers are on the rise around Cape Charles and Kiptopeake. Hardheads soon should start to show in better numbers around Oyster.
OUTER BANKS
Yellowfin tuna keep providing most angling action. But billfish and big dolphin are quickly making their presence known.
Nearly 20 blue marlin were landed or released in last weekend's Hatteras Village Offshore Open.
Gaffer-sized dolphin also are showing in better numbers, along with wahoo and king mackerel.
Cobia, bluefish and red drum should be available to boaters working along the coast.
Puppy drum and speckled trout could provide good action in the sounds.
PIERS AND SURF
Action continues to get better along Virginia beaches. Still, most catches are coming from smaller fish.
Bluefish are the best bet. Undersized striper and flounder, and small to medium croaker, also will be available. Small spot and some sea mullet could show as well.
Things continue to get tougher along Outer Banks beaches, with recent vandalism prompting more closures. Fishing piers offer a good alternative. Pier catches could include spot, croaker, flounder, sea mullet, cobia, red drum, puppy drum, speckled trout and bluefish.
FRESHWATER
Shellcracker, bluegill and other species of bream should be making their way toward area shorelines. These small but eager and exciting species will provide all-day action throughout the summer.
And there's nothing better for a fish fry than a bucket-load of bream.
Largemouth bass should keep providing anglers with good action. The weekly passing storm systems will keep waters cool and active. Topwater action can be great on days after heavy rain.
White perch are being caught around the mouths of creeks leading into larger river systems.