i have begun using live bluegill and brim for bait!i am fishing in a medium sized lake. what is the best way to rig this setup for a sure hook set? and also i have a shimano baitrunner 4500 and still trying to master it, any pointers???? thanks!

If you are using live bluegills for bait make sure there are big Catfish in the lake you are fishing. Bluegills make great bait but understand the Catfish is not able to take as large bait as a Northern Pike for instance. A five pound Channel Catfish cannot eat as large a bait fish as a five pound Northern Pike or five pound Largemouth Bass. Bluegills make great bait but make sure the lake holds the size of fish required to take such bait. The key to setting the hook is the rod. You need a stout rod with lots of backbone. There is no reason for an expensive graphite rod. You do not need to be able to feel for strikes, nor do you need the ability to cast with pinpoint accuracy. A heavy action cheap rod that had a mini broomstick tip is what you need to make sure of a consistent solid hook set. Select a reel that simply has a good rag system and can hold enough line to handle any long runs the fish may make. The other key to fishing with live Bluegill is using a large high quality hook of appropriate size. Anything from 1/0 to 10/0 is appropriate depending on the size of the bluegill you are using for bait. When a Catfish grabs the bait there will be one chance to set the hook properly. You need to make sure that hook is sharpened to a razor sharp finish to maximize your chances for a successful hook set.