$100 for lures, what should I get

[Chris Roberts]

Lets say I have 0 lures (that's not true of course) and have $100 o spend.

What MUST I go out and buy?  This is strictly for panfish.  

[DAVID L EITUTIS]

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOTHIN! Just look around this site and someone will have something on that works up in your neck of the woods . Then all you have to do is ask em how they are useing what ever they are using and 9 times outta 10 they'll give you all the details! Then give what ever they are using a test drive ! If it works buy alllllllllllllllll you can cause like I've told my boys, IF YOU FIND SOMETHING THAT WORKS BUY EM ALL ,CAUSE THEY'LL QUIT MAKING EM, THE COMPANY WILL FOLD, NATURAL DISASTERS WILL KICK IN, SSSSSSSSSSSSOMETHING WILL HAPPEN TO MAKE YOU FAVORITE UNAVAILABLE TO YOU!

[Jeff Soto]

If you need to spend your money on lures, and seriously fish for big Bluegill, you have to buy and use these!...  I would not go out on my lake without them.

1.  Dardevle "Skeeter" spoon in the hot mackerel color.  (Fantastic during the spawn!)  

2.  Rapala Countdown Minnow size 01 in Green Muddler and/or silver colors.   

3.  Kastmaster spoon in 1/12 oz.  nickel/blue and red snap. (That red is important!)

4.  Shrimpo jig in size 8 in pink (made by Custom Jigs & Spins)          

[paul sach]

New ultra light Rapala crankbaits ..
New panfish selection from jaminjigs
Good success with both products ..

Paul

[Vince Fusco]

Be sure and buy a few small Beetle Spins, and some small jigs. 1/64 to 1/16th oz. and some curly tail bodies for them.  Your jigs can be fished alone, tipped with bait, or swapped out for the ones that come on your beetle spins. To me, the jig is the most versatile lure in anyone's box, as most all fish will hit them, and there are so many different way's to fish them.  A few small rooster tails never hurt either. 

[Walt Foreman]

I'd spend half that on getting all of the right terminal tackle for fishing live bait: several boxes of #6, 8, and 10 aberdeen (fine-wire so it bends when you hang up, rather than always breaking your line - also presents live bait more naturally) hooks; ten or so panfish floats from Gapen (super-sensitive), some center-slider slip floats either from Gapen or Thill, some 4- and 6-lb. quality monofilament (much better than "super" lines for UL fishing) - I use Trilene XL but Tony prefers Sufix Elite, some BB split shot, some 1/16 oz. bullet slip sinkers for fishing on the bottom when the fish are deep.  

For lures, when I use lures for bluegill, I seldom use anything other than a crappie slider (far and away my #1), or sometimes a Gulp minnow fished on a 1/64 oz. jighead.  Get some 1/32 oz. and 1/64 oz. jig heads, making sure the hook size is smaller (should be #6) and not a #1 or #2 like you see on some crappie jigheads.

[Chris Roberts]

I'm enjoying reading some of these posts.  I think I'll be putting together a christmas list from some of these.  I love seeing what other people use!

 

Like I said, my go to lure tends to be Mepps Trophy Spinners.  I have them in all the colors, but I always end up going to the squirrel tail.

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

The ones I catch fish on are these:

- Jigs 1/32, 1/64, 1/80th - BLACK, WHITE, CHARTREUSE and any other colors you choose

Twist tail grubs, 1-1 1/2" black, white, chartreuse and any other colors you choose

- In line Spinners, #0 size (I've come to appreciate the Colorado and Idaho styles, along with hard wire forms)

- Beetle Spins, #0, yellow/black, white/red

- Johnson's Silver Minnow, 1/12th ounce

- Micro crankbaits in minnow and crawfish mimic patterns.

 

Assuming you wont be fly casting:

Casting bubbles and a selection of dry and wet flies in dark (spring/summer) and light (spring/fall) colors.

Small poppers in white yellow and black.

 

P.S. A worm cooler/keeper and a cricket cage - trust me on this.

[Joe Angelucci]

If your fishing from the bank , I would recommend a Mr Crappie 9 foot telescopic pole, 2 pound test line , #8 Aberdeen hooks, small B sized split shot, trout magnet small floats   and about a dozen #12 adams flies. I went super light this year and had a blast. Over 650+ fish in 20 sessions. All from the bank. About half on the fly and half on the hook. 

Complete set up should run about $60.00. Fishing a 000 weight rig, priceless

[Bill "Musky" Modica]

I would have to second Jeff Soto's suggestions.......if you seriously fish for big bluegill, Do Not overlook modified spoon options, and small plastics.

[Allen Morgan]

My go-to lures for panfish:

Rebel 7700 series crawfish crankbaits, various colors

Mepps size 0 Aglias, white dressed hook, yellow dressed hook, chartreuse (if you can find it).

Rapala F5 in silver/black

Rebel minnow baits in natural colors, small as you can get.

Beetle Spins - I buy the plain spinner wires, then use my own jigs and whatever bodies I have.

If you're fly fishing, various poppers, Wooly Buggers, and foam grasshoppers are my go-to during summer.  Right now I'm having some success with Furled Extended Body Deer-Hair Caddis patterns in size 16.

[chris kowaleski]

I've had good luck with Joes Flies inline spinners, small beetle spins, super pro tiny worms, and crappie sliders. I usually tip all of em except the Joe's Flies and catch a wide variety of fish, but the sunfish are #1

[Jason Preslar]

The beetles off of the beetle spins on a jig head are great IMO.