Just another thought- if you are on a tight budget a light leader will allow you to fish more successfully with your existing tackle. No, it is not the best but will work. I have also found that the larger 'gills and sunfish tend to hold deeper that the dinks.

a little hint on bait, if you plan on going out fishing the next day try this out for some easy bait, take a little tin Can poke holes in it about pencil size around the bottom, put a few rocks in it for weight, and add a chunk of chicken or beef liver and pinch the top of the can shut to about an 1/8 inch or less slit, add a small piece of line and a float or bobber on the other end ( i personally use an onld piece of styrofoam- then if you lose your rig, you are out the maybe 30 cents of chicken liver everything else was scrounged) set the rig in the water the night before you are going to fish, close to shore ( the swampier the area the better). if you come back relatively early in the morning, you will have a can of leeches, just take a small cup with you to keep the leeches in that you catch, these are great bait for gills, they stay on the hook for a long time as they are tougher than worms, and if there is a bass in the area, they will grab it as well, best of all worlds in your case, just have to convince your mom you need a tub of liver from the grocery store the next time she goes, the last time I got some, I spent $3 on a 1 pound tub, and I use a small amoutn every time I set the trap, and either freeze it or refirdge the unused stuff and mine usually lasts almost a month before I run out.
rig the same as a worm, under a float.

worst case scenario if you are getting tired of this, rig a heavy sinker with a # 6 hook, add a chunk of the liver and you have a good chace at getting some catfish or bullhead if they exist where you fish.

http://www.berkley-fishing.com/prod.../earthworm
http://www.berkley-fishing.com/prod...ghtcrawler

Either one of these can be bought at WALMART relatively cheap, I use a small portion on a small hook. If you use a whole one they just rob you blind. And you don't have to worry about keeping live bait.

Is it real or fake?

and im getting a light rod with 5 pound test soon

It's bio-degradable, but fake worms, smells a little like old rotten hotdogs, but I've caught bass (LM & SM), 'gills, yellow perch, white perch, pumpkinseeds

Posted By ramseyetcs on 22 Sep 2011 07:50 PM
It's bio-degradable, but fake worms, smells a little like old rotten hotdogs, but I've caught bass (LM & SM), 'gills, yellow perch, white perch, pumpkinseeds

Whats better for blue's?

Posted By RRichards151 on 22 Sep 2011 08:12 PM

Posted By ramseyetcs on 22 Sep 2011 07:50 PM
It's bio-degradable, but fake worms, smells a little like old rotten hotdogs, but I've caught bass (LM & SM), 'gills, yellow perch, white perch, pumpkinseeds

Whats better for blue's?

 The worms or red night's?

and do i only use a piece and do they last a long time?

That I can't say, I've only used the brown/natural and as far as I can tell the only difference between the crawlers and the worms is the diameter.  Night crawler is fatter...er.  But for the panfish it's a waste to us whole ones 'cause they just nibble away until there's nothin' left but the bit that is attached to the hook.  They're thieves!!
And as far as how long they last, as ong as you don't leave them in a hot car or in the sun for long periods they'll last quite a while.  I think they become un-apatizing to the fish if they get baked.

You can tear up some Bluegill on Roostertails or other small spinners and you may get lucky and catch Crappie or even a bass, You just have to find what color they like. The Bream up here in SC like Chartruese/Orange and White ones.