Can some of please tell me how free line blue gill for bass. How do I tell the difference between my bait fish swimming and when a bass has got it? Should I let my drag go so loose that the bluegill can swim around or do I leave my drag super tight? As you can see I know nothing so anything is appreciated 

I would suggest using circle hooks for this presentation.  You can keep your drag at the normal setting.  If you suspect a bass has taken the bluegill, just raise your rod tip and reel up the slack.  If its a bass, you'll feel the excess weight.  Just keep reeling with the rod tip up and you'll hook 'em.  If not, you haven't moved the bait vary much.

 

This is the most effective way to catch large bass. This is what the current world record was caught on by that dude in Japan. 

 

I've done it several times throughout the years and have caught some nice bass doing it. Also pike, and catfish very easily. 

 

If it's private property you have no need to worry about if it's legal or not.. but some states have restrictions against using this method so check that out. 

 

I use a baitholder hook , and hook through the bottom jaw and out a nostril. They almost always take it head first .

 

 

Kinda cheating though (; really not much to it if you can locate the bass, which is what fishing artificial Is all about. 

 

I caught a nice one yesterday on a 5" hard bodied swimbait... Maybe go that direction. Topwaters, jigs and big worms also.

 

Good luck. 

Use a big hook, I like the octopus type, but anything with a big gap will work. Hook the sunny in the mouth and out a nostril if you want it to stay shallow, hook it just behind the dorsal fin if you want it to go deeper. When he sees a predator, he will try to get away, we call that "getting nervous". You will feel a thump followed by a run, or just a thump, and it will just sit there. If its a big fish he'll have it almost right away, a smaller one will turn it and swallow it. Rell down, and hit it hard.

 

There are a slew of methods used to fish iive bait, but my favorite by far is "Free-Lining",

which involves no float and no sinker. Any live minnow may be used as bait

such as a shiner, shad, sunfish, chub ~ ~ ~ The reel drag should be set as usual

to about 30% of breaking strength, but your reel remains in free-spool

with your thumb rested lightly on the line spool.

 

You'll have no problem distinguishing the swimming action of your bait from the attack of a bass.

In many cases, when your bait sees a prowling bass it will go berserk, which in my opinion

is the greatest part of live-bait fishing. On occasion (not all the time), we've had frantic shiners

skittering across the surface to escape a bass in tow, only to end in a whitewater explosion!

 

Roger