On one of the smaller lakes I fish, one of the most consistent fish catchers is a 4" plastic worm, fished as a light T rig. We've always been taught that if you can find the bait, the bass won't be far behind. I think this is true. The main forage are small bluegill here. The bass love them, and the bluegill love the plastic worms, or at least they think they do. The gills have taken a pop at the worms so many times, I can tell right away if it's a bass or a bluegill. With the bass, it's a " tap" , almost always on the fall, followed by a slow swim off. The bluegills, on the other hand, grab and run, then drop the bait. Some run a few feet, others drop it quickly. Others just peck at the worm with several small pecks, then move on. If you've made a cast, and your line tightens up real quickly, chances are it's a pesky bluegill. As kids, my brother and I would entertain ourselves on summer days, by dropping night crawlers off a dock, and watching the bluegill attack. Once one of them got a piece of the crawler, they all moved in for the kill, ripping the crawler to pieces. The crawlers never made it to the bottom. And, to top it off, the bluegill like the larger worms also. I dug out some old 8" Producto worms I had and they grab the tail and try to run off with these larger worms too. Pesky little guys, and, just part of summer worm fishing. But, the truth is there usually are a bass or two hanging around where these smaller gills are, waiting for the right opportunity to get a meal. I've found the forage, and the bass are close by. It usually just takes ignoring the bluegill for a bit, before a bass strikes. If you can learn to tell the difference in these types of strikes, I think you'll catch more bass. What's everyone think here?
