i have the biggest problem telling the difference between a bluegill or a bass when im fishing plastics.. what do you do???? and yes i know using a firecracker for bait will not solve the problem ;D

Set the hook anyway you'll find out then, Don't want to miss a bass

Bluegills will drive you crazy if the plastic worm has a tail or is a Gulp! product.

Crabs will also take your bait and eat it.  ;D

So what do you do?  You set the hook.

You can never go wrong setting the hook.

You can always go wrong not setting the hook.

Bluegills hitting you plastics is part of bass fishing and to help Aaleviate the problem use finesse worms that do not have tails.  The bluegills will still hit it but not as much if you do not have a tail wagging at them.  

like blazik and sam said, just go ahead and set the hook if you're not sure.

one way to tell is to closely monitor your bait after you feel the hit. if you see your line moving, its a most likely a bass that has picked it up and took off with it. the dangerous thing about waiting for your line to move is that by the time the bass swims off, they have usually swallowed your hook  

so play it safe and set the hook a second or two after you feel the bite.

I generally find a bluegill does a tap-tap-tap whereas a bass is more of a solid pull without the tap.

thanks just making sure im doing the right thing.... when in doubt set the hook

and by setting the hook you've also got a chance of snagging that bluegill.  that'll teach em.  

I generally find a bluegill does a tap-tap-tap whereas a bass is more of a solid pull without the tap.

odd. I get tap, tap, tap on quite a few soft plastics on everything from 1 pounders to lunker bass. it probably depends on how closely you're monitoring your line in respect to slack.

I do think setting the hook is the best option. it doesn't cost you anything. (except maybe an eye if you come unglued setting the hook when your bait's 10 foot from you)

is htere anyway to deter them?  i mean sometimes to go to bigger bass, you go to a bigger bait (even though small bass will still try to get it).  would you have to go to somethign rediculously big?  i fished a tournament recently and had a bluegill take my gunfish.  that just boggles my mind.  

yeah i think bigger baits reduce the chance of smaller fish but even though your fishing a 7 inch plastic i think those bluegill are still going to nibble on it...if only i had a m-80 every time i saw 2 dozen bluegill by my plastic ........ ive had bluegill attack a popper or a even a buzzbait...

Bluegill tend to do machine gun bites. I actualy dont have a hard time telling when a gill is messin with me. If I am not sure I swing with full intentions of hooking a bass.

I know what you mean

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