Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Do you love big bluegill?

I won a couple lots of used Flatfish lures on eBay recently.
I ended up with 26 of them, in various colors and designs, for $20.
Sizes range from F7 down to F3's (medium to small), and just a little spit and polish was needed to clean them up nice.
I tested one out today.

What a neat little lure! It is a slow bait, in that you can't run it fast or it twists and spins instead of wiggling on the retrieve. This can actually look like a fleeing prey, though, in short bursts. At normal speed it wiggles and wobbles like no ones business, and then basically hangs motionless when stopped. Theyre a surface lure, mostly, and float on splashdown. But they rise VERY slowly once stopped at their running depth (2-3 ft.).
I also watched them scoot and nose up the bottom mud as they came in shallow....
Very neat lure, with a wide action envelope. Also, no one uses them anymore so the fish haven't seen them - old school cool.
Any of you guys got tips for fishing them, especially the small ones?

Views: 470

Comment

You need to be a member of Bluegill - Big Bluegill to add comments!

Join Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on November 15, 2014 at 9:06pm
I've amassed a minor collection of them, about 30
All of mine are size F7 and below.
There is something about their wiggle I like.
Comment by Kelly Peterson on November 15, 2014 at 8:53pm

Over the years past have caught a lot of fish on them-have about 50 or so assorted sizes(some barely an inch long) and colors of them.

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on October 31, 2014 at 12:55pm
Nice John.
The Kwikfish is a Flatfish copy, and the k3 is maybe their next to the smallest model? I dunno .
The smallest is 1 5/8", or thereabouts, and that one looks slightly bigger
Comment by John Sheehan on October 31, 2014 at 12:10pm
Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on October 27, 2014 at 12:38pm

Thats a big one there, in an original box. The Helin tackle company went out of business years ago, bought by Yakima Bait Corp. The original were hand carved of wood - I bet Charles Helin was sure glad when plastics molding came into being! 5 million of them had been sold by 1940.

See that wire affair on the bottom? That's a cantilever bail that has a hook on either end. It sticks out to either side balanced on the center eye. The hook is attached with a "safety pin" clip connection just like a Beetle Spin.

Comment by John Sheehan on October 27, 2014 at 11:57am

Classic Steve!

Comment by Steve Wilson on October 27, 2014 at 11:54am

       

       Vintage-Antique-Flatfish-Fishing-lure-Original-Box-Helin-Tackle-Company

    Here's pic John

Comment by John Sheehan on October 27, 2014 at 11:35am

Thanks David!

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on October 27, 2014 at 10:43am

Ill sure do it John! when I get home tonight.

Comment by John Sheehan on October 27, 2014 at 6:22am

Please post a pic of your flat fish lures .I would like to see them .I remember those lures .

Latest Activity

DAVID L EITUTIS commented on DAVID L EITUTIS's photo
Thumbnail

THIS COLOR COMBINATION SEEMS TO WORK THIS YEAR

"Yup blue and white is an essential with my oldest son......."
3 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a status
"My glass boat is going to the shop tomorrow, need an ignition system tune up, figured I would give it up during this extended heat wave.."
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

July Bully jig/crawler piece

"Fun….my biggest fish yesterday was a three pound bullhead…..couldn’t believe he…"
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on DAVID L EITUTIS's photo
Thumbnail

THIS COLOR COMBINATION SEEMS TO WORK THIS YEAR

"Glad you’ve had success with it………I always use pink to locate…"
yesterday
DAVID L EITUTIS commented on DAVID L EITUTIS's photo
Thumbnail

THIS COLOR COMBINATION SEEMS TO WORK THIS YEAR

"Thanks for the  comment jeffrey, it has worked in the past but seems to work berret this year…"
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a photo

Great Habitat on the Albemarle Estuary…….7/20/2025

Always search for clues to why you’re catching fish in the area you’re in when so many areas look…
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a photo

Beautiful 9” Class Warmouth……7/19/2025

Growing up in southeastern Louisiana the two most abundant species of sunfish in the bayous and…
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on DAVID L EITUTIS's photo
Thumbnail

THIS COLOR COMBINATION SEEMS TO WORK THIS YEAR

"Bleeding pink Silent Stinger and all pink jigs work on multi species in brackish water…..I…"
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a photo

Nice Round Specimen…..7/19/2025

Bleeding 🩸 tail working in the cypress roots……all of the coastal counties in the northeastern part…
Saturday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Saturday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Saturday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Some Bleeding 🩸 Coppernose Behind Last Week’s Buck Moon…7/19/2025

"The busted fins are also a dead giveaway to colonizing gills….."
Saturday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Saturday
DAVID L EITUTIS posted photos
Saturday
DAVID L EITUTIS commented on DAVID L EITUTIS's photo
Thumbnail

AN LATER SHOT OF THIS FISH BEFORE IT WENT IN THE FREEZER FOR A MOUNT

"it won't be back from the taxidermist till this coming winter some time, I CAN'T WAIT TO…"
Saturday
DAVID L EITUTIS commented on DAVID L EITUTIS's photo
Saturday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a status
"Pleasantly surprised with a multi species morning totaling 78 fish…..we've had a week of thunderstorms and triple digit heat index. Wet July"
Saturday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on DAVID L EITUTIS's photo
Thumbnail

AN LATER SHOT OF THIS FISH BEFORE IT WENT IN THE FREEZER FOR A MOUNT

"Very good! These fish fight so hard……can’t wait to see the art work…."
Saturday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on DAVID L EITUTIS's photo
Thumbnail

DSCN1061a nice gill on the old fly rod

"On the fly rod…….love it…."
Saturday

© 2025   Created by Bluegill.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service