Do you love big bluegill?

Best Small Spinners/Lures for Big Gills

What are the best small artificials... spinners... out there... that are still readily available. Any success stories would be nice. I use natural bait all of the time along with tiny jigs but have never used a spinner type lure. Since joining the forum it's become quite apparent that I may be missing out on some exciting fishing... I'll try anything to catch Big Mama...

Any suggestions appreciated

Rob & Jon Jon
Tight Lines

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Permalink Reply by John McKean on April 16, 2009 at 4:19am

The best small spinners I've come across are from Wyldedge Outfitters .com , very well hand made out in the Pacific NorthWest. They feature superb colors & tiny hooked flies that are just right for bluegills! They spin flawlessly at minimum movement and are easy to tip with a waxworm or maggot.

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Permalink Reply by John McKean on April 16, 2009 at 6:27am

Doug is right on the money about the old Prescott Cockatoush spinner! Perhaps the best ever praise of this spinner's merits came from famous Sports Afield angling editor Jason Lucas,maybe the foremost REAL fisherman-writer of all time, in his renowned "Lucas On Bass" book (40s/50s). Lucas claimed the Cockatoush back then was the favorite of all really expert and advanced bass fishermen.He then lamented that it was among the most useful of lures, and could see no reason why it was only used by the experts! Great to hear that Doug is reconstructing this all time great spinner and planning to tweak them for big bluegill as well! Put me on the "pals" list,Doug!!

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Permalink Reply by David on April 29, 2009 at 11:09am

I'd def. be interested. Just let me know how much!

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Permalink Reply by Kathy Gramlich on April 18, 2009 at 11:24am

hey Doug would love to try some of these ..would gladly pay for the postage..

thanks

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Permalink Reply by Jim Gronaw on April 15, 2009 at 7:56pm

Hey Rob...throughout the years I have caught some very nice gills, fish of over a pound, on silver or gold plain Mepps #0 and #1 spinners in small ponds and public lakes. I wouldn't call it a 'go to ' lure, but it will catch quality fish, especially during prespawn conditions when gill aren't quite bedding, water temps maybe 62 to 66 F. I do know that the current Pennsylvania state record gill was caught on a small Mepps spinner...2 lb 8 oz and 12 1/2 in long. I would imagine that small Roostertails or the smallest Blue Fox spinners could do the trick as well.

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Permalink Reply by Dean on April 15, 2009 at 8:10pm

Hi Rob - just this afternoon I got 7 or 8 nice bluegills on a small panther martin in-line spinner. Mostly white "body" with a gold blade. Have done okay with silver blade and colored bodies too. The gills weren't nearly a pound, but nice fill the hand size. The front went through last night (montgomery al) so it was clear skies and slow fishing but they hit when I reeled very very slowly. Got a couple micro crappies and, quite the surprise, a small channel catfish. Like Jim Gronaw I've done okay with Mepps as well. It seems I had to reel some of the Mepps a bit faster to keep the blade spinning, but overall they worked real fine.

-Dean

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Permalink Reply by steve b on April 16, 2009 at 6:45am

Like the Mepps OO size spinner, The smallest Rooster Tail. Am currently thinking of finding the smallest safety pin style spinner bait to try. More snag resistant is my goal. Haven't settled on one yet though. steve b

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Permalink Reply by Copperhead John on April 16, 2009 at 10:29am

I use Rooster Tails and Blue Fox size 0 but has anyone seen a spinner called "The Thing" lately? It was an in-line spinner with a lead keel with a Schuman's water cricket(foam spider fly) attached at the end. The fly could be easily taken off and replaced with another color or type fly. It was deadly in deep ponds or rivers but I have not seen any in the past several years.

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Permalink Reply by John Cachel on April 16, 2009 at 12:44pm

I caught lot of bluegills on small Roostertail Spinner! Lot of colors on Roostertail Spinner.Mepps on size 00 is also good for me. I also caught lot of bluegills on 1/80 or 1/64 oz jig with twistertail! You live in Calfornia and the water is clear then for lure that I would use small jig with twistertail or Gulp maggot!

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Permalink Reply by robsabloke on April 16, 2009 at 5:32pm

Thanks Doug and all you mates for the input... I'll try doing a little research into 'OLD' lures and see what comes up. I seem to recall the World Record Bluegill was caught on a Bass lure of some kind at Ketona Lake in Alabama... 4lb 12 ozs I think.

Thanks again guys... nice of you to share.
Tight Lines
Rob

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Permalink Reply by Jim Gronaw on April 16, 2009 at 7:13pm

Yes Rob...I believe that the world record gill took an Arbogast Jitterbug, a gurggling surface lure that is still one of the best for largemouths at night. Unfortunately, the Jitterbug is now made in China...sure would like to get back to some of the great classic lures made in the states.

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Permalink Reply by robsabloke on April 27, 2009 at 4:53pm

Well... I just got a Rebel Crickhopper ultralight artificial mini crank bait/floater (dives to 18 inches or so). Incredibly life like and should prove interesting.
I also purchased some 1/32 ounce fish 'n spins. These look extremely well made (I haven't fished em yet) I'll let you know the results.
Musky Mod keeps talking Spoons... and that just blows me away. Prior to joining this site I had never heard of Bluegills being caught on spoons... at least not with any consistency. Please share some more info or point me to older posts so I may learn a bit more about this method.

Thanks and tight lines
Rob