# Best Bluegill Lures



## Esox31 (Aug 3, 2013)

Hey everyone, I've been trying to get into strictly using artificial lures for panfish such as bluegill, but do not even know where to begin. Does anyone have any preference? Thanks!


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## bigfishcatcher3 (Nov 26, 2010)

Ever try flyfishing for them? I love using poppers. Been too long since I've done that.

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## twowack (Dec 21, 2010)

Have had great success with the shrimpos under a float or the ratso,
Have to find the fish and the depth there holding.
As far as what colors,each lake can be diffrent.
And as mentioned fly fishing for them is a blast.


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## Ken Martin (Sep 30, 2003)

Use small jigs under an Adjust-A-Bubble. You can vary the depth and use flies, jigs, live bait with it. Beetle spins are good too. The 1 inch Gulp Minnow works terrific too. Fish it like live minnows.

Ken


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## ruger 454 (Sep 7, 2007)

Size 00 mepps spinner.


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## cliftp (Jan 13, 2007)

Esox31 said:


> Hey everyone, I've been trying to get into strictly using artificial lures for panfish such as bluegill, but do not even know where to begin. Does anyone have any preference? Thanks!


My favorites are these, on the smallest jigs you can get by with:

http://www.sliderfishing.com/1-1-2-Crappie-Panfish-Grub-Smoke-Glitter-CSGG7-CSGG7.htm (This is my favorite color, they catch a little of everything)

I've also had great success with these:

http://www.fish-n-spin.com/132-fishnspi132.html

The black with chartreuse tail seemed to work best. They have an informative web site explaining how to fish them also.

I've actually gotten several limits with these over the years, but seem to work best in the spring and fall. In the summer, seems I can't go wrong with a couple hooks and a drop shot sinker with wax worms, finding the schools on the thermocline and just vertical jigging.

One year with the Fish-N-Spins on Lake Cadillac I caught a whole bunch of crappies. Had a blast. Plus they catch bluegill, bass, caught a nice northern on that trip too.
Have fun fishing.

Paul C.


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## Esox31 (Aug 3, 2013)

Thanks for all the info everyone. Does anyone ever use the Powerbait "crappie nibbles" or "grubs" and have any luck?


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## knu2xs (Mar 29, 2014)

Esox31 said:


> Thanks for all the info everyone. Does anyone ever use the Powerbait "crappie nibbles" or "grubs" and have any luck?


I keep some crappie nibbles with me when fishing just in case I run out of waxworms. Last year I did some side by side testing using the same type & color of jig, one tipped with a waxworm & the other with a crappie nibble and the waxworms far outperformed the nibbles. I used white & chartreuse nibbles and they both seemed to generate the same amount of bites. This was while bluegill fishing.

If you think that you might want to try waxworms let me know and I'll pass along my method. I didn't post in this thread before since even though I use a jig, live bait is also involved so I didn't think it met your criteria. 

For that I use Johnson Beetle Spins with a variety of different tails, in a variety of colors. Beetle Spins work well when the fish are biting aggressively, but have limited success if they are "light biting."

I called out Johnson Beetle Spins because that is the brand I generally use if not making my own. The spinners, tails & jig heads are readily available so it's a simple matter to put them together yourself.


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## gino (Aug 11, 2003)

My favorite is blue and silver or orange and gold yozuri snap beans. They are not that easy to cast, but are very effective. I have also caught some crappies on them as well.

Also Pan Fish Assassins on a small jig head.


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## weatherby (Mar 26, 2001)

I have had my best luck on f7 or f9 rapalas


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## Esox31 (Aug 3, 2013)

I took a little bit of information from everyone and made a few purchases today. I will be testing them out tomorrow and posting results


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## FishKilla419 (Feb 22, 2008)

Esox31 said:


> Thanks for all the info everyone. Does anyone ever use the Powerbait "crappie nibbles" or "grubs" and have any luck?


Baby gulp minnows on tiny jigs catch big gills...

Sent from my S5


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## twowack (Dec 21, 2010)

FishKilla419 said:


> Baby gulp minnows on tiny jigs catch big gills...
> 
> Sent from my S5


I use these through the ice and they slay the fish.


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## bansheejoel (Oct 15, 2009)

Mini mites work awesome

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## woodie slayer (Feb 25, 2006)

cabelas sells a blue gill popper called sneaky pete..they are deadly on bull blue gills..i buy the size 8 and 10..fish them with my fly rod..


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## abbatoys (Sep 3, 2005)

I used those little Gulp minnows (maybe 1 inch) this spring and caught a bunch of nice gills. I do prefer my 4wt flyrod with either a popper or small sponge spider.


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## tubejig (Jan 21, 2002)

I started throwing some of the small rapalas that only have the tail trebble with some good results. Granted, fishing with a bobber and worm is way more productive, but the size of the fish that bit were huge. Note, this was during pre spawn when the fish were schooled but not on beds.


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## Esox31 (Aug 3, 2013)

Well the results are in, I tried 2 different lakes with many of the recommended lures and found the most productive one to be the PowerBait honey worms on a small jig. The least productive was the Johnson Beetle Spin. I am going to try the small rapalas this week and will post results. Thanks for all the info once again!


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## GrassBass (Aug 22, 2014)

This year a micro spinnerbait with a yellow body or crawfish crankbaits in cajun craw or red.


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## gonebankfishing (Sep 2, 2014)

FishKilla419 said:


> Baby gulp minnows on tiny jigs catch big gills...
> 
> Sent from my S5


Berkley make quite a few small scented lures that are great for bluegill and crappie. I haven't tried their minnows, I've got to pick me up a package of those, Thanks.


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## Muskyrush (Jan 13, 2013)

Casting for bluegill my best lure hands down is a 1" zoom twister tail(white or chartreuse with sparkle) on a 1/16 oz jig. But live bait under a slip float works great too.


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## freedomeagle32 (Sep 7, 2014)

zoom baits-chartreuse grubs and black and silver shads-just set up on jigheads always works great


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## Still Living (Sep 5, 2014)

I agree with woodie, those sneaky pete poppers are deadly on blue gills.


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## Sweet Daddy (Feb 1, 2013)

gulp Minnows or leaches, and gulp fry on a 1/32 oz skirted jig in yellow...


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## Crazy Axe (Mar 11, 2007)

Esox31 said:


> The least productive was the Johnson Beetle Spin.


I used to do well with beetle spins around 4th of July. Troll them off the drop offs where post-spawn gills stage. Sometimes we'd get a mix of gills, perch, bass, specks, and sometimes walleye on them


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## 6Speed (Mar 8, 2013)

Try Trout Magnet. A West Virginia CO told me about them and gave me a few to try many years ago. I was fishing for trout and they certainly worked for that. He also told me they work great on gills and crappie. He was right about that too!!!

troutmagnet.com


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