Shellcracker (Redear Sunfish) for Idaho?

[DeeCee]

Has anyone lived in an area where they had shellcracker sunfish to catch? Seems to me that we ought to petition the IDFG to consider introducing shellcrackers to the state. They get noticeably bigger than bluegills and are a close cousin to them. Bluegills are alot of fun to catch, tasty and plentiful, at least in the past. However, there seems to be pressure on the bluegill here in southeast Idaho to the point that it is getting harder to find a bunch to catch. Shellcrackers spend alot of time in deeper water until the Spring spawn when they then come into the shallows to spawn like bluegill and crappie. They also have quite a bit more meat on their side than bluegill. Any thoughts on this?

DeeCee
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