Redear sunfish in Florida
Where to catch redear sunfish, plus limits and records.
- 4.86 lbrecord
- 89lakes
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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Florida Redear sunfish basics
Redear sunfish (Lepomis microlophus) is managed by FWC as a freshwater species. FWC’s Big Catch program recognizes redear sunfish from 11 inches or 1.25 lbs. The Florida record redear sunfish weighed 4.86 pounds (Merritts Mill Pond, 1986).
FWC lists redear sunfish in 89 lakes with fishing pages on this site. FWC hatcheries stocked 226,397 redear sunfish in the fiscal years on file.
Know your redear sunfish
Home water for redear sunfish
“Redear prefer hard bottoms, congregating in deeper water than bluegill.”
How redear sunfish feed and spawn
“They prefer snails and clams, giving them their common nickname.”
“Shellcracker grow larger than bluegill, with fish over 1 pound common.”
Seasons for redear sunfish
“Redear sunfish are caught most often on earthworms around the full moons of March and April when their spawning activity peaks.”
Quoted from the FWC species profile.
Florida redear sunfish limits
| Where | Bag | Size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide | 50 a day | none | Open year round |
50 panfish including bluegill, redear sunfish (shellcracker), flier, longear sunfish, mud sunfish, shadow bass, spotted sunfish (stumpknocker), warmouth and redbreast sunfish, individually or in total.
FWC freshwater regulations, checked October 2026. All Florida limits.
Florida record redear sunfish
| Category | Weight (lb) | Where | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freshwater | 4.86 | Merritts Mill Pond | 1986 |
FWC freshwater state records and Catch a Florida Memory saltwater records. Angler names left out.
Florida lakes for redear sunfish
- Rodman ReservoirMarion County, 9,500 acres
- Lake TohopekaligaOsceola County, 18,810 acres
- Lake IstokpogaHighlands County, 27,692 acres
- Fellsmere ReservoirBrevard County, 10,000 acres
- Lake OkeechobeePalm Beach County
- Orange LakeAlachua County, 12,700 acres
- Lake RousseauCitrus County
- Kenansville LakeBrevard County, 2,500 acres
- Lake WeohyakapkaPolk County, 7,528 acres
- Lake GeorgeVolusia County, 46,000 acres
- Lake PanasoffkeeSumter County, 4,460 acres
- Farm 13/Stick MarshBrevard County, 6,500 acres
- Alligator LakeColumbia County, 800 acres
- Lake WeirMarion County, 5,685 acres
- Lake TalquinGadsden County, 8,800 acres
- Lake JacksonLeon County, 4,000 acres
- Tenoroc Fish Management AreaPolk County, 242 acres
- Lochloosa LakeAlachua County, 5,700 acres
- Lake GarciaIndian River County, 3,149 acres
- Lake Santa FeAlachua County, 5,850 acres
- Crescent LakePutnam County, 15,960 acres
- Saddle Creek Park LakesPolk County, 740 acres
- Lake MonroeVolusia County, 9,406 acres
- Lake TraffordCollier County, 1,500 acres
- Lake TarponPinellas County, 2,500 acres
- Lake Seminole37,500 acres
- Newnans LakeAlachua County, 5,800 acres
- Blue Cypress LakeIndian River County, 5,500 acres
- Edward Medard ReservoirHillsborough County, 770 acres
- Deer Point LakeBay County, 5,000 acres
- Karick LakeOkaloosa County, 58 acres
- Lake VictorHolmes County, 130 acres
- Ocheesee PondJackson County, 2,225 acres
- Lake ManateeManatee County, 1,400 acres
- Bear LakeSanta Rosa County, 107 acres
- Hurricane LakeOkaloosa County, 318 acres
- Lake StoneEscambia County, 130 acres
- Lake KissimmeeOsceola County, 34,948 acres
- Tsala Apopka Chain of LakesCitrus County, 19,111 acres
- Lake GriffinLake County, 16,505 acres
FWC top spots for redear sunfish
- Orange Lake2026 Bream list: Bass size and numbers, bream numbers
- Hanna Park Ponds2026 Bream list: Catfish numbers, sunshine bass numbers, bream numbers
- Lake Panasoffkee2026 Bream list:
- Lake Talquin2026 Bream list:
- Edward Medard Reservoir2026 Bream list:
- Lake Istokpoga2026 Bream list: Bass size and numbers, crappie size and numbers, bream size and numbers
- Lake Tarpon2026 Bream list: Bass size and numbers, bream size and numbers
- Tenoroc Fish Management Area2026 Bream list: Bass size and numbers, bream size and numbers, special opportunity for Sunshine Bass, special opportunity for catfish, catfish numbers
- Lake Thonotosassa2026 Bream list:
- Lake Hartridge2026 Bream list: Bass size and numbers, crappie size and numbers, bream size and numbers
Lakes where the FWC site page names redear sunfish.
Where FWC stocks redear sunfish
| Water | County | Fish | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Victor | Holmes | 20,400 | 2022-23, 2023-24 |
| Hardee Lakes FMA-Lake Hardee | Hardee | 18,000 | 2023-24 |
| Lake DeFuniak | Walton | 17,574 | 2021-22, 2023-24 |
| Hardee Lakes FMA-Deer Lake | Hardee | 16,500 | 2023-24 |
| Hardee Lakes FMA-Lake Firefly | Hardee | 14,500 | 2023-24 |
| Moon Lake | Pasco | 10,000 | 2021-22, 2022-23 |
| Tenoroc FMA – Lake 5 | Polk | 10,000 | 2023-24 |
| Webb Lake | Charlotte | 10,000 | 2023-24 |
| Lake Grason | Lake | 9,000 | 2023-24 |
| Hardee Lakes FMA-Gator Lake | Hardee | 7,500 | 2023-24 |
| Lake Eleanor | Marion | 6,475 | 2023-24 |
| Tenoroc FMA – Picnic Lake | Polk | 5,000 | 2023-24 |
| Bobby Hicks Park | Hillsborough | 4,500 | 2022-23 |
| Cape Coral Park Pond | Lee | 4,000 | 2023-24 |
| Tenoroc FMA – Picnic Lake | Polk | 4,000 | 2022-23, 2023-24 |
FWC Completed Stockings reports, fiscal years 2021-22 to 2023-24.
Other Florida freshwater fish
redear sunfish questions and answers
What are the Florida rules for keeping redear sunfish?
50 a day (Statewide), size: none.
What does the Florida record redear sunfish weigh?
The record weighed 4.86 pounds (1986).
Which Florida waters hold redear sunfish?
redear sunfish show up in 89 lakes, including Rodman Reservoir, Lake Tohopekaliga and Lake Istokpoga.
Are redear sunfish stocked in Florida?
Yes, 226,397 fish in the years on file.
What size redear sunfish counts for a Big Catch certificate?
11 inches or 1.25 lbs.
What is the taxonomic name of redear sunfish?
Lepomis microlophus.
Can I fish for redear sunfish without a license?
Yes, a Florida freshwater license from age 16 unless exempt.
Can I keep redear sunfish year round?
redear sunfish are open all year.
What sources cover redear sunfish here?
FWC, which sets Florida fishing rules.