Super User Ratherbfishing Posted March 30, 2015 Super User Posted March 30, 2015 A couple of times last summer when I was fly fishing for bluegill, a pretty good size bass would come out from nowhere and try to steal the popper out of the bluegills mouth. Each time the bluegill was pretty small and, presumably, disgestable so why didn't the bass just eat it? It was an easy meal. This supports my notion that bluegill must not always be on the preferred menu and, in some instances, may not be on it at all. Does anyone else have a similar experience and/or have a different theory for why a bass would reject the "obvious" and, instead, prefer to steal something considerably smaller? Quote
Matthew2000 Posted March 30, 2015 Posted March 30, 2015 The bass will go for the easiest meal first in your case it was the popper witch was thought to be a bug I'm guessing. Quote
Big C Posted March 30, 2015 Posted March 30, 2015 My brother fly fishes for bluegill all the time. Last year he had two giant bass (on seperate occasions) eat the bluegill and break off. I think the bass you're talking about are going after the bluegill and ending up with the fly. Still pretty cool when that happens. 2 Quote
Super User Paul Roberts Posted March 31, 2015 Super User Posted March 31, 2015 I'm going to ditto Big C's response. Bass often tackle bluegills head first -they target the eyes, I think. Bluegills are built the way they are -laterally compressed and spiny- bc of their chief predator, bass. And vice versa, largemouths have that gaping maw in large part bc of bluegill body shape. Largemouth bass and bluegills evolved together. Bluegills are also experts at escape from bass mouth’s, actually able to spin around and face out with spines pointing back toward the gullet. Fractions of a second are exploited in such moments –it’s what adrenaline is for. When the bass goes to reposition the bluegill, the bluegill may get the momentary opportunity to bolt back out the mouth. This may be one reason bass can strike so violently. Bass and bluegill are like Pacquio and Mayweather. If the 'gill is big enough to “fight back”, bass go for the head, bite hard, and stuff that bluegill deep enough before it can turn. Pretty cool. I don’t think most anglers realize the athleticism exercised by both bass and bluegill. And we wonder why bass can be cautious tackling our baits? “What? Aren’t you hungry? What’s wrong with you?” The short answer is: “easy prey”, just isn’t. “Free lunches” are mighty rare in nature. I'm guessing this is what you saw, and the why behind it. 5 Quote
papajoe222 Posted March 31, 2015 Posted March 31, 2015 I agree with you that bluegill, in many instances, are not on a bass preferred menu. There are many times, however, that they will be at the top of that list. Early spring, before the crawfish emerge, is one of those times. Another is post spawn when the bluegill are in their spawn mode, the wheel will turn and those pesky bluegill that Mr. (and Mrs.) Bass had to constantly chase off their nest, they become easy and nutritional targets. Then there are lakes that are void of shad or bluebacks where, because of that lack of other forage, bluegill become the prime forage base. In spite of the fact that my home waters contain an abundance of minnows and craws, one of my best producing crankbait colors is a bluegill pattern. Preferred or not, bass are opportunistic feeders and I, for one, like to give them a bluegill opportunity often. 2 Quote
Super User Paul Roberts Posted March 31, 2015 Super User Posted March 31, 2015 Bluegills are the primary forage in the waters I fish now. So much so that I've detailed or repainted many of my crankbaits to look more bluegill-esque. I'm not convinced it actually means as much to the bass as I'd like to think, but it's fun and boosts my confidence. Quote
Super User Sam Posted March 31, 2015 Super User Posted March 31, 2015 The bass will go for the easiest meal first in your case it was the popper witch was thought to be a bug I'm guessing. Witch? Like at Halloween? Come on Matthew, it is which. Your English teach would not be happy with the use of the word witch for which. And guess what? You are totally correct with your answer. A - !!!!!! Quote
Super User Paul Roberts Posted March 31, 2015 Super User Posted March 31, 2015 Witch? Like at Halloween? Come on Matthew, it is which. Your English teach would not be happy with the use of the word witch for which. And guess what? You are totally correct with your answer. A - !!!!!! Matthew may not be a good speller (yet) but I get he can fish. Ach, Sam! Applying Ocham's Razor are you? You and Matthew may well be right. Waiting to hear from Ratherbfishing now, since he was there. If he goes with Matthew's answer, I'll take my F like a man. Quote
Super User Ratherbfishing Posted March 31, 2015 Author Super User Posted March 31, 2015 Mmmmmm, I am not at all convinced that the bass was going after the bluegill. To the contrary, every indicator suggested that he was zoning in on the popper (on the side of the blugill where the popper was projecting out from). This isn't to say that bass don't attack from the front or that bluegill are never on the menu but in the instances I described, he/she (like bill clinton) never "inhaled" and his lips seemed to be grabbing only for the popper. Funny to me, though, that he wouldn't take the opportunity to seize such an easy meal-unless he was a thug and just liked to take candy from a baby. Quote
Hyrule Bass Posted April 1, 2015 Posted April 1, 2015 ive seen a bass eat a bluegill tail first, may not be the preferred way, but ive seen it but it was sorta forced kinda sorta. the bluegill was on my line after taking my rebel crickhopper. it was a clear shallow pond, and the bluegill was near the bank when this all happened so i had a great view. so i hooked this bluegill not even paying attention, i was looking out in the field across the highway from the pond. the bass just werent biting that day is why i tied on a crickhopper, atleast give me a chance at some bluegill and still would catch bass. so i hook this bluegill and turn my attention back to the pond, see its a little blue gill on the rear hook and im like "man i dont wanna get my hands all slimy for that little guy, maybe if i let it jerk around a bit it will free itself". so a few seconds of letting it jerk around near the bank and all of a sudden like a rocket from underneath a floating algae pad shot a bass and violently engulfed my bluegill tail first. she came up in a wicked tail walk and then started swimming towards deeper water. as the little bit of line i had out tightened the bass felt the pressure and turned back towards shore, literally shot out of the water looking like superman or a spanish mackerel jumping. its mouth was wide open, bluegill inside with the tail at the gullet of the bass and my tiny crickhopper in the bluegills mouth. i really didnt know what to do, i was in awe watching this amazing piece of nature take place. so i decided to yank just like a hook set...while the bass was in midair and out of the water completely...saw the bluegill go down the basses throat tail first oh btw, my crickhopper ripped out of the bluegills mouth and hooked the bass in the top lip, i landed it a few seconds later. she went 4 1/2 pounds... also, there are times when fish, not just bass but including bass, will key in on a certain food and go all out on it for a time period while ignoring other readily available and easy prey(or baits). they will key in on crawdads for awhile. then all of a sudden they want nothing but alewives for a time period, then next thing you know their keyed in on shad or bluegill...of course that mostly applies to larger lakes with lots of forage... Quote
Matthew2000 Posted April 1, 2015 Posted April 1, 2015 Witch? Like at Halloween? Come on Matthew, it is which. Your English teach would not be happy with the use of the word witch for which. And guess what? You are totally correct with your answer. A - !!!!!! My English teacher is never happy with me Sam. And aren't I always right? Lol I wish. Quote
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