Shoreline Seminar 2023: Redear and parasite control

Shawn with American Sport Fish talks about the bluegill cousin, the Redear or shell cracker fish plays a crucial role with parasite control in your pond or lake. While shocking a lake in East Texas, they came across a redear fish. Learn how they help the food chain by eating parasites, like snails.

The Redear Sunfish (Lepomis microlus) is a popular game fish found in the southeastern United States. This species of freshwater fish grows to about 10-12 inches long and has a distinct black ear flap on its head. As an omnivorous species, the Redear Sunfish can be caught using a variety of baits including worms, crickets, and minnows. They are often found in large schools of smaller fry fish and may also swim alongside larger fishes such as Largemouth Bass or Catfish.

Redear sunfish have light olive-green coloring with dark spots along their sides. The distinguishing feature of this species is the reddish-orange margin around its black earflap which gives it its common name. These fish are voracious eaters and feed on both aquatic insects and small crustaceans, making them an important part of their native ecosystems. In addition to being a valuable food source for humans, their consumption of plankton helps keep algae blooms in check, contributing to healthy water quality.