I've fished for HSB in reservoirs in size from 100 acres to 30,000 acres for the last twenty years. I even take two and a half days off of work per week during the months of April and May specifically to fish for these characters.
When water temperatures approach ideal spawning range, i.e. 60-65 degrees F., HSB are oriented to the shallowest, most oxygenated water they can find. When the wind blows to a shallow point they will be THICK in the shallows. During the rest of the year HSB can be found foraging in shallows usually in low light hours, and in clear water will feed on crayfish right on the rocks of the dam at midnight. They're known as a pelagic species which means essentially that that will cruise open waters in pursuit of prey, but that only applies, of course, to times when the prey are actually in open waters.
I would estimate HSB occupation of shallow vs. deep water in reservoirs as follows:
Spring/pre-spawn and spawn--75% shallow, 25% deep
Summer and fall--90% deep, 10% shallow
One reason for HSB occupation of deeper waters in summer is their need for well oxygenated water that is, preferably, under 84 degrees F.
That being said...these are reservoir observations and may have little or no validity when talking about ponds, where the forage type and availability are entirely different.
Holding a redear sunfish is like running with scissors.
