What keeps snatching my blue gill when I'm trying to reel it in?

Question

I live on a small man made canal that has been stocked with bass, catfish, blue gill, and trout. I live in Texas. When I reel in my blue gill, I see a dark shadow following it and then BOOM, it's gone. Which fish is this? It's catch and release so I can't kill the blue gill and use it as bait, so what would be similar to use that would attract this fish? Minnows?

Answer 1

I don't know much about catfish but I know as they get bigger they start to develop a diet of bluegill/panfish.Sounds like you might have some larger cats roaming the area.If you use minnows you'll get bass.

Answer 2

bass, catfish, blue gill, and trout...out of all those I would say it's the Bass going after the blue gill.  Minnows might work but I reccomend Berkley Power Bait.  The purple rubber wroms.  Try that Bass love them.  

Answer 3

It is probably a bass or catfish. Ive caught some huge catfish on live brim and they will chase a bait if they are hungry. There is actually another possibility....it could be a gar or bowfin. Their eggs are sometimes taken from one body of water to another by egrets or herons (stuck on their legs.)

Are there any gators around your area? They too seem to end up in almost every body of water around here eventually.  

Answer 4

more than likely its a bass but dont be suprised if its a cat ive see both do the exact same thing you are  describing one thing  to help you identify what is chasing your catch is the way it swims catfish resemble a shark in the way the swim through the water, bass on the other hand will follow then strike fast and usually with power you could try using a broken back lure by rapala which mimic  a wounded fish swimming for the bass, minnows will work for both species its also a possibility that trout are taking your catch i dont have much experiece with trout though i hope this helps you on your way to landing more fish ..good luck

Answer 5

First, it's not trout.  I know of nowhere with the exception of the panhandle that trout can live year round.  Bass will do this.  Get some gold fish from your bait shop and fish them like a minow.  My expecience with these large bass is they are smart enough not to take a artificial lure.  If you do happen to have another "attack" while bringing in the bream release your line and let it feed out.  Give it some time, then have some fun getting him in.  Good luck.

Answer 6

I would try using some silver spoons about 3/8 oz or larger if they don't work go with gold.... use braided line though...could be big fish.

Braided line has a small diameter like thinner mono.

Throw it out and let the spoon sink and then pull it back up and let it sink - they usually hit is when it starts going down. Try varying your retrieve methods....until you start to get some strikes

Answer 7

BASS.

                                                                                                                   use Rapala shallow shad rap,dives to about 4 ft.   or shad rap dives to about 8 ft.in the BG-blue gill color .                                                                                                        

web sites: http://www.cabela`s.com or http://www.basspro.com