Redear sunfish, often called shellcrackers, are a great complement to bluegill. They feed on snails and other hard-shelled invertebrates, which sets them apart from your other panfish in both diet and value.
That diet does quiet, useful work. Many fish parasites, like grubs, spend part of their life cycle inside snails. By eating snails, redear help break that cycle and keep your other fish healthier.
Because they feed lower in the water on shellfish rather than chasing the same insects as bluegill, redear add a second panfish without crowding your bluegill forage base. They fit in rather than compete.
They also grow larger than bluegill on average and can reach a pound or more in a well-managed pond, so they make a nice bonus catch on top of their pest-control job.
Redear go in with your forage fish in the first stocking. They are an optional add-on in most plans, well worth including for the parasite control and the bigger panfish.
