in line spinners

[John McKean]

Does anyone use in-line spinners much for bluegills? I'm primarily a jig fisherman and build plenty of my own jigs , but fondly recall years ago when small , quality in-lines, undressed & also with small flies did really well. Recently I came across a small company that has an itty bitty 1/16 oz spin with the tiniest fly & small, single ,sharp hook that I've ever seen! Hand built in Oregon (omigosh, actually made in the USA !) ,they are called "Berzerkers" by www.wyldedge.com . But would be interested in hearing what others have had success with.

[Ray Danders]

One thing I know about bluegills is as soon as you think you got them figured out they will throw you a curve ball. It is great for conversation to discuss, but I think in the end, you will find that live bait fished very slowly with small hooks and light line will catch more bluegills in the long run than anything else.

Imagine my surprise when I had a nice bluegill smash a #9 floating Rapala. (The # nine is the one with three treble hooks.) I have caught them on Jitter Bugs, big spinners, and a variety of other surprising baits. On occasion I have caught them on minnows as well, but I wouldn’t recommend them to someone as a preferred method to catch bluegills.

Nothing is a sure thing all the time. Tiny in line spinners might be the only thing they will hit one day and then they might ignore them for the next year. That goes for all the other baits we have discussed lately including Gulp products, scents and other artificial baits.

I have had days fly fishing when the only spider bluegills would hit were black with white legs or a white #12 popper with black hackle and never even look at a #10 poper of the same color.

I think you will learn more about bluegill fishing on the days they are biting well. That is the time to switch to alternative methods. I read on this site a couple of weeks ago someone said when the gills were on the beds, he caught bigger fish in deeper water adjacent to the beds.

The most important lure you have isn’t in your tackle box, but in your head. Confidence catches more fish than anything else. For example, I fish deep water (12 to 20') a lot. I catch less fish, but most of my bigger fish come from deep water. Usually it takes a lot longer to find bluegills in deep water because the older fish while still in schools are in smaller schools and more spread out.

Some people don’t use fish finders and some people rely on them to much. Bluegills in my experience can be more skittish then wild trout. Even in deep water the fish will often move off well before the cone of you of your transducer captures their signal.

For that reason I use my dept finder to find subtle breaks or structure and then I anchor even if I see no fish. If you have picked the right spot and you are quiet and patient they will slowly make there way back. It is a mystery why sometimes the splash of your lure attracts every bluegill within a 100 feet one day and scatters them the next.

When I go bluegill fishing, I carry a lot of different baits, but I always include wax worms, leaf worms, nightcrawlers and crickets in the mix if I can get them. In the last few years I rely a little more on soft plastics and scents because I learned that sometimes they will save the day.

Ninty percent of the time I fish lakes I know hold big bluegills and I am always happy if at the end of the day, I have enough to eat for my wife and I and a few left over for my mom. I count the day as special if I catch one this size.

[steve b]

Have used "00" sized Mepps spinners in the past. As with the small plugs, you tend to only catch the bigger 'gills. Will check the "Berserkers". steve b

[John Sheehan]

Yes the Mepps 0 size with a red blade and those size 0 Comets with the little rubber fish work well in the summer and fall but I think jigs and bait are better early in the year.

Berzerkers...coolest name and I'm of Scottish/Irish heritage ...werent the berzerkers Scottish warriors?

Made in the USA ..I'm gettin some.I usually use Eagle Claw hooks 'cause they are made in the USA.Keep in touch I'd like to build a list with you of Fishing gear made in the USA!

I'm going to check that link now.Thanks!

[steve b]

Bezerk, bezerkers, a term applied to Vikings. steve b

[John Sheehan]

Yep u are right .Did they use to storm naked into battle...or was that a History channel dramatization?

[steve b]

Um.. At one point in history Greeks would strip before battle and fight naked. At other points in history they were amongst the most heavily armored. Things change ! Memory kinda foggy, believe the Greeks that fought naked were those serving as mercenaries in foriegn lands, When the pharouhs armies were lost when the Red Sea un-parted, some Greeks probably were lost too. Greek soldiers often train naked and competitions that became the Olympics were played naked. No use getting your Sunday best all sweaty. steve b(Mom's side of family Greek).

[John Cachel]

I caught lot of bluegills on 1/24 oz Roostertail spinner in the past! Need a tiny ballbearing swivel for reduce line problem!

[IceWarriorGill]

They will definitely work as me and one of my old Virginia fishing buddies used to use them--we'd tear'em up some days using small Mepps In-Line Spinners (I believe they were around 1/32 ozs size, size O or OO but it's been awhile since I've used them). They worked very well!! You may want to tip one of the rear trebles with a tiny piece of crawler or Gulp earthworm for scent--very tiny piece; as you don't want to mess up the lure's action.