I've caught BG on bigger crankbaits. I wonder if it isn't a territory thing, it's a fin-nipping thing and they get caught on the hook.
I've caught 10" BG on 3" imitation BG crankbaits. No way could they fit the fish in their mouth. The ones that I've caught are all on the rear hook.
That makes sense. The "get away from me, this is my space" nip a bigger fish might give a smaller fish.
It is funny though, I've caught more on the bottom treble hook than the rear. Cut the middle barb off of the back treble hook on one of my favorite small crank baits because the BG would get caught in the mouth on the belly hook and then the back hook would snag them in the head or back. (these are my brood fish, not ones I'm harvesting to eat, so I want to put them back in the water with as little damage as possible)
Could be time of year or water temp also as most of my larger gill are deeper around structure now, so maybe they are hitting it from below instead of behind like they might in the summer.
