Fished out of our pond today for the first time. Had no problem catching the bluegill of all sizes from 4 inches to 8 but about half of the fish we caught they had swallowed the hook. I've had the feeder running frequently all summer and it makes me think the fish have gotten used to eating just pellets. Any ideas on what the problem might be and how to fix it?

How were you fishing?

I have had this problem when the grandchildren are fishing. I put on bigger hooks and the problem improved by 90%.

With a bobber and small hook. Went up in hook size and thought there was no way they could even get it in there mouth and it happened again.

Try a very small circle hook. They're designed to be swallowed and slowly extracted as the line tightens. The hook-point turns just prior to exit and engages the interior corner of the fish's mouth. Never "set the hook" with circle hooks, or you'll simply yank them out of the fish's mouth. Simply let the line tighten and then apply a bit of "exaggerated resistance" to engage the hook-point.

Use a ball head jig head instead of plain hook under a small bobber, no split shot, this will significantly reduce the number of gut-hooked fish.

http://journalstar.com/sports/local/outd...d3485ec6bb.html

What size bobber? You want as small as you can effectively use. Too large and the fish has your bait half digested before the float signals an interest.

That's a very good point. I used a pretty small bobber but I'll try an even smaller one and hope that works thanks!

Don't forget to balance your bobber/float. Size is half the solution, the other half is balance! If you wait until the fish takes the float (even a small float) under before setting the hook, you may end up with deep sets. A properly balanced float will definitively register a light take, including an uptake, and will help prevent gut hooks.

George G (may he RIP) gave me this same advice for when kids are fishing my pond and it worked great....but not perfect. I have not seen circle hooks smaller than 6 though.

Might be worth a try to attempt fashioning your own mini circle-hook with a light-wire bluegill hook. ??

I've given up using circle hooks for bluegill. I get far more reliable hooksets with standard hooks, size 6 thru 10.

That being said, I prefer Shorty's approach with jigheads. Very seldom will I tie on a plain hook for fishing live bait. I will typically use 1/80 or 1/100 oz jigheads. 1/64 if the fish are aggressive.

What Tony is talking about is using one of those long slender bobbers. Use enough weight so that the fat body of the bobber is below the water and just the colored tip is out.

You can use a medium split shot near the hook, and a larger one right under the bobber to balance the bobber. That way the fish doesn't feel all of the weight.

If the bobber rises in the water column, a fish has taken the bait. If you are using a round beach ball bobber, there's no way to tell that.

I'll also use an ice fishing bobber. Very small and if it twitches, I set the hook.

My BG wont even take my bait with a bobber on it. They flat know better anymore. Unless they are smaller ones, but my large 10 inchers just laugh at it.....


RC

Fishing without a float or weight is one of my favorite, and most productive ways to catch bluegills. But you need to be on your game and focused on your line. Set the hook at the slightest line twitch or even when it just doesn't act "normal", or you will have a lot of deep hooks.

Yup!! You got that right sprk! Watching that line take off is sweet but like you said you better be ready specially if it's a bigger fish! Trying to teach my 12 year old to fish this way now as I have even tried the small ice fishing bobbers and they won't mess with them either unless they are real hungry.

RC

Was using a size 4 hook with a weighted 2.5 inch bobber. Going to give the circle hook a try and going to go down in bobber size also. Hoping it works, was gut hooking about 7 out of the 10 fish we caught. We'll see how that goes with the new adjustments.

Your float size is a big part of the problem. If you're using a round float, drop down to something no larger than a nickel, a dime is even better. I prefer slip floats with either a 1/2" or 5/8" diameter.

I also feel there is no single component that will guarantee success, although downsizing will help tremendously. It's a system....light lines, small floats, smaller weights. Baits matched to the system as well as the mood of the fish. The tackle needs to work together seamlessly to telegraph light bites, provide the most excitement to the angler, and showcase the bluegill in its best light.

For those who just don't know how to fish ,how do set up a slip float?

Here you go, Brian: http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=352910

YEP!

1/100th oz. ball jighead, Berkley Creature or 2" Powerbait twister tail, 2# test Flurocarbon line. Reel straight back, reel-pause-reel, or twitch/swim it back. Many of my pickups are on the slight "fall" of the bait, and rarely are then hooked with the whole jig in their mouth.