Skip to main content

Redear Sunfish

Redear Sunfish

Redear Sunfish (Lepomis microlophus) are non-native fish introduced to Colorado waters, where they have established populations in select locations despite being outside their natural range.

Scientific Name: Lepomis microlophus

Also known as shellcracker

Physical Characteristics:
  • Easily identified by their black gill flap with a bright red or orange spot and white border, olive-colored body with darker spots, and long pointed pectoral fins.

What to know

Habitat Distribution

  • Documented in Colorado from 1958-2023.
  • Prefer warm, clear waters with minimal current and abundant aquatic vegetation.

Key Locations

  • Cache La Poudre system (College Lake in Larimer County), South Platte drainage, Republican drainage, Arkansas drainage, St.
  • Vrain drainage, Upper Arkansas drainage, Blue Heron Reservoir in St.
  • Vrain State Park.

Specific Spots

  • Target depths of 6+ feet, particularly around structure and vegetation edges.
  • Fish around submerged vegetation, laydown trees, stumps, dock posts, and cypress trees where snails congregate.
  • Look for areas with hard substrates and visible shell fragments on banks.
  • During spring migration periods, fish points, steeper banks leading to spawning areas, and ditches connecting to flats.

Redear Sunfish FAQ

Answers from onWater's species guide.

What are the best lures and bait for Redear Sunfish in Colorado?

Small jigs (1/8-1/4 oz) tipped with live bait, nightcrawlers, red worms, crickets, or small pieces of corn presented on or near the bottom.

What flies work for Redear Sunfish in Colorado?

Triangle bugs, wet flies, and bucktails in sizes #6-8. Wrap 20-gauge lead wire around hooks to help them sink.

When is the best time to fish for Redear Sunfish in Colorado?

Spring through early summer when they're most active, with peak fishing occurring during their pre-spawn and post-spawn periods.

How do you catch Redear Sunfish in Colorado?

Bottom feeding presentations. Use stealthy presentations in clear water conditions. Fish during dawn and dusk when most active.

What do Redear Sunfish eat?

Specialized molluscivores with ability to crush snails, clams, and mussels with pharyngeal teeth. Diet also includes aquatic insects, crustaceans, zooplankton, and chironomid larvae.

Fish smarter with real-time insights

Whether you're en route and conditions shift or you're looking for the best spot based on current flows, we enable you to make informed decisions on the fly.

See it in the app

Most maps show you water.
onWater shows you Redear Sunfish.

  1. 01 · Species map filter

    Map every Redear Sunfish water

    Pick Redear Sunfish and the map zeroes in on the waters they call home. No more guessing which lake holds them.

  2. 02 · Waterbody species

    Tap any water. See what lives there.

    Species, behavior and seasonal patterns for every lake, river and pond, before you leave the driveway.

  3. 03 · Angler Intelligence

    Ask how to catch Redear Sunfish

    Tactics, gear and timing from onWater's AI fishing guide, tuned to the species and the water you're on.

Stop guessing where Redear Sunfish are.

Open the map, filter by Redear Sunfish, and head to water that holds them. Download onWater and plan your next trip in minutes.

  • Species map filter
  • Angler Intelligence
  • Fishing journal
Try onWater+ for free

Explore other species

Trout, bass, salmon, panfish and everything in between. Each guide unpacks the behavior, seasons, and tactics that put fish in the net.

No species information available.

Colorado licenses and regulations

Explore nearby waters

Smarter Fishing Starts in the App.

onWater Fish gives you everything you need to plan smarter, fish better, and own every trip from first cast to last.