Pitchin' plastics...

[Tony Livingston]

It probably comes as no surprise to any of the BBG faithful to learn that soft plastics are one of my favorite go-to lures for taking big gills'. Sure, I'll fling a spoon, or throw a micro crankbait when the occasion calls for it, but a plastic equipped jighead always occupies a prominent position in my tackle box.

Many of the plastics I use to try and entice summertime Bluegills come straight from my ice fishing paraphenalia, where tiny, whisper thin plastics can sometimes make the difference between going home cold and empty-handed, or grinning from ear to ear with a warm and fuzzy feeling inside..... okay, I'm usually still cold, but you get the point.

In the heat of summertime, I like to use jigheads from 1/100 to 1/32 oz, and will usually try a larger plastic than I would normally use during the cold water season. I prefer a plastic with a long, slender, whiplike tail, as those respond well to just the slightest movement of the jig, and I think the undulating motion encourages strikes.

Two of my favorites are the "Slug Bug Buggy Tails" from Northland Tackle, and the "Finesse" plastic series from Custom Jigs and Spins. Both offerings are available in a dazzling array of colors, but I tend to have my best luck with red, although I will substitute pink, or orange with good results. Tip em' with a waxworm, or fish them naked..... cast and retrieve, or suspend under a slip float....

If the fish are aggressive, I've also had success using the 1" Berkley Gulp Minnow on a larger jighead, usually a 1/32 oz in my case. Again, cast and retrieve, drift under a float, or, if the water is deep enough where you're fishing, simple vertical jigging can be dynamite. I look for a weededge, or a dropoff where it transitions into deeper water.

Top:  Slug Bug Buggy Tails, from Northland Tackle. Bottom: Finesse, by Custom Jigs and Spins.

Left: Nuclear Ant Legs, by Custom jigs and Spins. They have a hole in the center, allowing them to be slid up next to the jighead, mimicking a "hackle" of sorts.

 

[Marcus Bullock]

This is gonna sound real funny to some of you, but after the other day, I'm going to target redears with 3 inch grubs.

I watched one grab the grub tail-first, and the only reason I hadn't caught it, was because I was using a 2/0 wide-gap hook! Perhaps if I use a regular 1/0 worm hook, i would have caught it. One thing is certain- they really like pumpkin salt n pepper worms! (made by Kalin's) try it!

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

You might want to add a stinger to the tail. Ive become a fan of stinger tails - they are extra work to add, but they snag those fish that would otherwise get away.

[Marcus Bullock]

Oh that's even better! I only used that technique in saltwater.

Never thought to try it in freshwater! Now ill catch those monsters for sure! Using big plastics for panfish.. such a neat idea! Thank you

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

I do it with plastic bass worms. I generally go with those in the 4"-6" range. Often I use left over ones that have been torn up and discarded. The ones people toss away around boat ramps and shoreside fishing sites are good for this. I pick them up and cut them down, salvaging the "good parts." Then I trim them to length and and add a small #8 stinger in the tail.

Or I use new ones when I want what they offer. Heres a recent one with details: http://bigbluegill.com/photo/img395?context=user

[Tony Livingston]

It can certainly be a problem Larry. Most of the micro plastics I use are designed for ice fishing, where the angler is perched over a hole fishing vertically. In that situation, most "takes" are pretty mild, with the BG simply flaring its gills and sucking the entire bait in. Usually, damage to the plastic is minimal that way, although eventually you need to replace the tail with a fresh one. However, during warmer weather when these plastics are utilized in a cast and retrieve manner, they will not hold up nearly as well...a pursuing fish, especially a smaller fish, will hit the tail and weaken it, making replacement much more frequent.

But, our own Jim Gronaw has a tie which has done very well for me in warmer water, and holds up much better than a micro plastic. I'm looking forward to trying it under the ice this season as well....

[Jim Gronaw]

Hey Larry...I think Tony will agree...both he, I and LedHed on this site have had some problems with larger fish swallowing the 1/80th oz jigs on an aggressive bite, resulting in some mortally wounded trophy-class hybrids and gills that we would otherwise want to release for another day. At times the '80's' are deadly, and I mean it literally, and some times all they want is that tiny size and little else. LedHeds auto and semi-auto jigs, with the filament legs from buzz-bait skirts, are an excellent option for a tied jig on the 1/80th oz head, tipped or not. Check 'em out on his page.

[Tony Livingston]

 Isn't it awesome how BBG members are willing to share info, and help steer someone to some info that may be useful to them?? Larry's been to see Jeffrey, myself, Jim Gronaw, and now Ledhed.... I'm sure he will find something of interest in the mix somewhere...

Nice job guys.

[Jim Gronaw]

Hey Larry...check my blogs on my page about them...they are the simplist of jigs to tie and the materials are very basic, #8 thread, sparkle and core braid wrapping for the bodies and craft hair, marabou or rubber skirt material for the tails. Combinations are endless.

[Jason Preslar]

I actually caught a redear while bass fishin a few weeks back on a 6 inch worm with like a 2/0 widegap hook. The funny thing is that the redear wasn't even maybe 7-8" lol

[Jason Preslar]

Jordan, I used the trout magnets yesterday under a cork and for some good hits but didn't hook up with anything. I was using them tipped with a crappie nibble.