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Greatest underwater bluegill video of all time!

I'm not kidding.

I decided to use my creative side yesterday. I took some bailing wire, and bent it in a semi-circle so that it dangled right out in front of my Aquavue camera, which incidentally looks just like a bluegill.

Then I tied a short little piece of monofilament to the end of the wire, attached a severely overbent hook so as not to injure any fish, and added a big chunk of nightcrawler.

Wacky hijinx ensued.

Bluegill came out of everywhere to bang away on the poor piece of crawler.

But what was really amazing, is the way that they attacked it--virtually always choosing to grab the free end, and pull, which explains why I miss so many fish.

I'd be really interested in anybody's comments in regards to what we're really learning here.

I think there are some valuable lessons for the fisherman.

Enjoy.

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Comment by 10.5" RES Sharon on February 17, 2010 at 5:36pm: Thanks Bruce, that was very informative. When it first started I was thinking that all we needed to do was have a hook on both ends. But, now I think the fish could really see the hook and were avoiding it. Ever seen any translucent hooks? Have to get some!

Comment by bluegillboogieman on February 17, 2010 at 1:40pm: Looks like that's a really BIG worm or those are rather SMALL gills. I suspect the latter. They played with it a lot longer than I would have played with them. I'd of done flipped that rig to greener pastures. I think a BIG BLUEGILL would have done straightened that bailin' wire. After he had lunch! That's what I think the lesson is. Find bigger fish if they're just nibblin'.

Or, maybe they ain't hungry. When my cats turn their noses up at meal time, I usually find a rabbit carcass or remains of a large field rat on the doorstep. They had their fiil and brought me some. Hint Hint! We want real food! Go huntin' somewhere besides Wal-Mart for us will you Boogieman? No, that was real food in the vid. Lesson is, tiny bait for tiny fish, usually. Now if they ain't just had lunch, tiny bait will do, even for the big boys. But big bait for the tiny ones is just for frustratin' yourself.

Maybe they're just trying to get on TV. One did give us a good closeup.

Boogieman

Comment by Jeremy R. Mayo on February 17, 2010 at 1:30pm: This video has proven one thing. LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION!

Comment by Johnny wilkins on February 17, 2010 at 1:17pm: I do know I have to stop thinking like a bluegill - this is for sure.
I also know 2lb. Gill's animation is going to cause me an epileptic fit.

Comment by Jeremy R. Mayo on February 17, 2010 at 1:17pm: Im on the floor typing laughing now!

Comment by Josh Milczski (Omaha) on February 17, 2010 at 12:46pm: That's hilarious 2lbgill. But if I watch it any longer, I think I'll have a seizure. Closing window now.

Comment by Jeremy R. Mayo on February 17, 2010 at 11:56am: Now this video is going to drive me crazy! Im comming back again and again. Check out how he mainly goes for 1 end...... Rarely attacking the middle. Even though hes nipping Now I see why Mr. Bills spoons are so deadly. They catch the nippers!

Comment by Josh Milczski (Omaha) on February 17, 2010 at 11:51am: I didn't notice that it was the same fish that kept coming back for the crawler. I'll have to watch it again. And again. And again. ;D

Comment by Jeremy R. Mayo on February 17, 2010 at 11:46am: Number 1. You aint gotta use tiny bait to get a gill to hit it. There fearless and if they think they can rip it to shreads like a shark then there goin for it! Noticed to that its one main gill tryin to eat it. Is there a pecking order established? theres a ton of lil things that im sure but im only going to point out the most obvious that i seen sooooo lastly everytime the fish felt resistance he let go. If this was offered say carolina rigged with plenty of slack where he could have gotten after it and did a lil more demolition with out feeling the resistance from the wire would you have caught him? I also noticed that there gonna give it a shot for a few min but not gonna waste there time on a challenge. They want an easy meal picken. Maybe the flavor of live bait is what kept him coming. If it was artificial i dont believe he would have kept coming back again and again.

CRICKETS RULE!

Comment by Johnny wilkins on February 17, 2010 at 8:01am: If they can't eat it, they get it in their mouth but it doesn't come with - they no longer have confidence that it is food. George had a great point - try a #12, #14 hook with a single maggot and increase your takes, hook-ups.
Sadly, many bait stores don't carry great bluegill hooks, proper small floats. Let's see what we can do about that...
Great video! Thanks for posting it. How about some more tests? Use some 8 lb. line vs. some 1 lb. line to see how the fish can feed easier. Try a red worm that they can get in their mouth.