what is your " go to " lure for bull gills ?

[Shawn Anderson]

If you had 1 lure for bull gills , what would it be and why ? Mine would be a 1/16 oz Flu-Flu tipped with a small leech.

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Forgive me if I seem dense, but I'm a little confused, Big Giller - you are using the penny to gauge hook size??

I ask this because the Hildebrandt spinners were first made from a dime and some wire, back in the late 1800's:

"In 1893 the first spinner was made by "Big John" Hildebrandt. It was formed from a piece of wire (the company itself says it was a safety pin), which made the shank of the spinner. Mr. Hildebrandt made the blade of the spinner by beating a silver dime with his pocket knife into a blade formatlon. The two parts were put together and placed in a tub of water for trial. It worked, and Mr. Hlldebrandt continued to form this sort of fishing tackle for many of his friends...."

 

The way I read your post, you are using "penny" allegorically, and not actually including it as part of the rig, right?

Im also wondering if you've ever thought about using some bait floats. These are just small floats, like foam ear plugs, which you thread about 8-12" above the bait. Styrofoam bits, small corks and, of course, pre-made floats could also be purchased. The purpose of them is to keep the baited hook off the bottom and present it in the fishes face - - as opposed to letting it get into the weeds, sticks and tangles found on most bottoms.  

Rigged with a small sliding sinker, it is pretty common for catfishing. I  would think it would work for the big brim down near the bottom, too.

[jason grimm]

David I consider your post not dense, your just expressing a curious thought & opinion. Truth is I only fish 1 lake and know it very well, and only fish for cats & gills. Same hooks just different weight set up, the reason for the penny is because i forgot what size my hooks are. With that penny I can tell people how to find the size that works for me, & should work for other anglers. Ive found that the circle hook that fits the penny is the ideal size of a average bluegills mouth, and i wont change that for a while it really works.

[Johnny wilkins]

Penny- I'll go size 10, Dime - size 12, pinky finger size 14 and these are good ways to describe your hook size because all companies have different sizes for their hooks. 

 

The number of the hook just represents that this is a size 14 for Company XYZ it is not an industry standard... I tell people to look at their pinky nail all the time - hoping that someone doesn't have a freakishly large  pinky finger - usually this works so keep using then penny to reference your hook size- people get it.

[Keith Ritter]

Strike King Pond Minnow in fire tiger pattern.

[Jarrett Michael Semon]

I would have to say my favorite lure for "bull gills" would have to be a 1/32 oz.  Blakemoore Roadrunner with a crappie tube or twister tail grub. I found that an color works well, when fished around docks, stumps, or brush piles.

[John Cachel]

Must one lure ..... not easy! I would use 1/32oz Orange  jighead and two Gulp maggots! Lot of nice up to 10 inch bluegills for me last year!

[Aquiles Olguin Jr]

Zoom "tiny" Brush Hog in Watermelon/Red

[justin jones]

A small.cricket rattle. Trap

[Michael]

I have a history of numerous lures.

 

Smaller plugs and crankbaits have always been the trick for me.

 

Rapalas that I kill them with include Jointed, Original Floater, Shallow Shad Rap, Jointed Shad Rap, and Husky Jerk.

 

Rebels that I've always had luck with include the TadFry, Teeny Wee Crayfish, Teeny Wee Frog, and Crickhopper.

 

When it comes to the Rapalas, the sizes I throw for them have to be 7cm or smaller. 6cm Husky Jerks work pretty well with tiny twitching action. 5cm and 7cm Shallow Shad Raps, Original Floaters, and Jointeds are killers whether it's steady retrieve or surface twitching. 4cm Jointed Shad Raps are nice on a slow retrieve or suspending jerkbait retrieve.

[Michael]

One other lure I just remembered is any sort of ultra light action hair jig.

 

Those nice Zoom Marabou Jigs are killers. I've been hitting crappie and spawning bluegills, redbreasts, and pumpkinseeds on an ultra light white streamer jig recently.

[John Sheehan]

Feather jigs . Mister Twister Lightnin' Bugs work well!

 

[Vic Tankersley]

My one lure for Gills would have to be a 1/64 oz. squirel tail jig tipped with Gulp spike under a small float.. It works for spring spawning Redear and Bluegills..other than that, I'm a cricketier.