Thread: Most surprising lure to catch a bluegill

I've caught several hybrid bluegill on Whopper ploppers while bass fishing. All were in the 8-10 oz. range.

Oh I have another one, not super surprised but not expected at all. it shows how aggressive bluegill can be. He think he can swallow fish bigger than his mouth?

I think sometimes they're not trying to eat it but kill it

Originally Posted by Happyfisherman

I think sometimes they're not trying to eat it but kill it

...I guess even fish get p.o.d which makes more sense. Besides which, treble hooks don't go down well.

I know that bass jump out of the water as a natural mechanism for dislodging something too big for them to eat or ate it backwards. But a lot of times I think they detect an artificial as something unnatural and their instinct is to kill it/get it out of their environment

But a lot of times I think they detect an artificial as something unnatural and their instinct is to kill it/get it out of their environment

Natural/ unnatural, what does it matter as long as a fish bites what I cast? I'd rather take these points into consideration:

1. the type of retrieve
steady or slow with pauses using rod tip twitches that make the lure do what I want whether mid-depth, off the bottom or on the surface

2. specific lure movement/ action examples
waddles back & forth (like some crankbaits) using a steady retrieve
darts back & forth (allowed by stinger or straight tail lures on light jigs)
tail flutters like a flag (curl tail grubs like Mr. Twister) on a steady retrieve
tight wiggle with rattles (Rat L Trap)
subtle tail action when worked slow (flat thin tail grub)
surface ripples (Floating Rapala) vs noisy surface splashes (Zara Spook or Pop R)

3. colors and color brightness
clear hard of soft plastic
subtle colors like pearl
bright florescent color
Color gives the lure and its parts a visual shape that holds a fish's attention and a target to strike. See if these shapes ring a bell as to their unique actions:

There are other considerations, but you get the idea. The most experienced anglers already know what I mean, so this is an unconventional way to look at lures, in general, for beginners. Plus, lure variety-choices based on the above opens up exponentially.

Does the lure have to look like something? I'd rather consider 1. and 2. far more important when choosing lures and let fish tell me what lures provoke them. Believe it or not but all the lures shown caught fish on the same day.

Originally Posted by JUNGLEJIMJIGS

I've caught several hybrid bluegill on Whopper ploppers while bass fishing. All were in the 8-10 oz. range.

Wow bro that is a big lure at 8 to 10 oz. …..

Originally Posted by Happyfisherman

I think sometimes they're not trying to eat it but kill it

Yep , kill it first , then , they eat it one peck at a time