Bluegill color options?

[Ben77]

I fish in the northeast and bluegill is the forage for most ponds and lakes here so I decided to match the hatch. So now I'm on a bluegill kick. So far I picked up a lc 1.5, a Sammy topwater and a Devine swim jig with some 5in grubs and keitechs all in bluegill patterns.

My question to all the bass pros out there is what types of lures and plastics in bluegill colors have you had the most luck with? I'm new to the forum's so I thank you! Any responses would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

[Tizi]

Bluegill Flash Zoom Super Fluke.  Deadly.

[Hewhospeaksmuchbull]

Here are a couple that I've been using. The last will need a stout MH for the four inch and the five will need a swimbait stick.

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/6th_Sense_Movement_80_WK_Wakebait/descpage-6SM80WK.html

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Catch_Co_Baby_Bull_Shad_Swimbait_375_/descpage-CCBSS.html

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Fish_Lab_Bio_Gill_Wake_Bait/descpage-FLBGWB.html

[Ben77]

Thanks guys all those baits look real good! Do you prefer the swimming or regular fluke Tizi? I do fish with a m\h rod hewhospeaksmuchbull. 

[Tizi]

48 minutes ago, Benithebass said:

Thanks guys all those baits look real good! Do you prefer the swimming or regular fluke Tizi? I do fish with a m\h rod hewhospeaksmuchbull. 

Regular Super Fluke. Fish it weightless like a jerkbait.

[Ben77]

Ok I figured thanks again.

[JFlynn97]

Sungill has been killing it for me lately, especially the Keitech Swing Impact Fats

[Dens228]

Sungill is what I use with my bluegill colored swim jigs. 

[Ben77]

JFlynn I've had luck with those especially the pearl flash one's but that sungill color looks amazing. Makes sense since it looks like a sunfish. How do you usually fish them? I've had luck fishing them on a owner flashy. Definitely will be buying some of those thanks!

[Bluebasser86]

I've had a lot of fun fishing this little guy this year.

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Savage_Gear_Pulse_Tail_LB_Bluegill_Swimbaits/descpage-SGPTLBB.html

[JFlynn97]

23 hours ago, Benithebass said:

JFlynn I've had luck with those especially the pearl flash one's but that sungill color looks amazing. Makes sense since it looks like a sunfish. How do you usually fish them? I've had luck fishing them on a owner flashy. Definitely will be buying some of those thanks!

The 3.8" on a 3/16oz owner flashy swimmer with the colorado blade is definitely my favorite way to fish it (this is especially killer in the small ponds that I fish most often, but you can upsize to the 1/4oz or 3/8oz and the 4.3-4.8" swimbaits to target bigger fish or larger bodies of water). You can't go wrong tossing it on the back of a swim jig, and try it texas rigged weightless (on a 3/0 or 4/0 EWG hook) or on a plain weighted swimbait hook too (same sizes you would use for the flashy swimmer). But especially as fall starts to come and temps start to drop, pairing it with an underspin will put in work for you.

[scaleface]

On 8/29/2020 at 12:02 PM, Benithebass said:

My question to all the bass pros out there

[Spankey]

In hard baits there are so many options. A real bluegill has so many color variations. It is endless. I won’t fish the live image types (Rapala). Back some years ago I was all amped up over that live image. Had to have some in Shad Raps and DT’s. They just never amounted to anything. I’m all about Rapala, Rapala freak I guess but I can’t boast for what is a true picture slapped on a lure. If you find the original old school Rapala Bluegill buy it in a DT or Shad Rap. Still a production color. Very productive. 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

There are so many variables that have an effect on the color of bluegills so the range of colors vary immensely.  That makes it really tough to narrow it down to just a few color patterns. 

My #1 favorite bluegill pattern is Duos' spinbait 80, rozante 63 and 77

TN 60 holo bluegill, In the winter bluegill bleach out for the most part, but still retain hues of blue, violet and pink.  TN 60s in muddy gill and sprinkle wakasagi are a close match.

LC silent 1.5 in Happy Gill, BE gill, Ghost baby bluegill and flake flake BE gill

Ima Bill Lowen Square Bill in blue gill matches the blue gill in the cedar water lakes in my area and does really well in spring and fall. 

Ima Suspending lipless crank in foiled gill has produced some of the fastest action ive ever had in <40* water

Sebile Magic swimmer(the original) in pumpkinseed is a great little swimbait, unfortunately they no longer make that color.  The originals came with a big EWG hook and 6 or 7 doughnut shaped weights that you slide down the shank of the hook so you could customize it so many different ways.  The new ones just come with a standard keel weighted EWG hook.

Dirty Jigs Finesse Swim Jig- Alabama Bream Dirty 420

Keitechs- bluegill flash, bluegill, sun gill, smoke cinnamon and Green Pumpkin 

 

 

 

[Spankey]

Many moons ago I jumped on the Bandit bandwagon. Long before they were ever in my area. (Still never made it well I my area). But anyway I got into them as a comparison to Rapalas. They were my no.1 crank on the river for alot of years. I have many Bandits and have caught at least one smallie on even their most far out Weirdest patterns. Bluegills were fed on heavily on the river, countless times tails were in their mouths. Only to hit a lure. They use to put out some great bluegill patterns. The standard bluegill, punkinseed and bream are good patterns. But they use to have special runs that had many baitfish hues that are/were awesome killer baits. Something happened to Bandit (?) colors are nothing these days. Bought out (?). Who knows. I think they were made in LA. Now probably South America. Any review of them today is nothing compared to 15-20 year ago. 
 

[Ben77]

Thanks Rusty and Spankey those are some great suggestions I appreciate it. I'll try a few different things and see what works. Been doing real good on a super spook jr in bone color lately. Now why don't they make that in a bluegill color? 

[Spankey]

3 hours ago, Benithebass said:

Thanks Rusty and Spankey those are some great suggestions I appreciate it. I'll try a few different things and see what works. Been doing real good on a super spook jr in bone color lately. Now why don't they make that in a bluegill color? 

Check out the Strike King line of top waters. Pretty sure the Sexy Dawg and Slpash comes in bluegill. I use Strike Kings version on Bluegill. They have a traditional version that work very well in my parts. Good representation of our summer bluegills. They put out a Neon Bluegill. I have it but can’t say I’ve fished it alot. I believe in it. Just need to throw it more. 

[Ben77]

That's funny you said that Spankey I have a strike king sexy dawg and a lucky strike gunfish both in bluegill coming in tomorrow. I also love my kvd 1.5 in bluegill that helped me catch a nice 3 pounder a few weeks ago. 

[txchaser]

Jackhammer in Bluegill. Just don't throw it near wood, it has a special magnet in it that helps it stick to any wood. 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

On ‎9‎/‎1‎/‎2020 at 7:49 AM, Spankey said:

Many moons ago I jumped on the Bandit bandwagon. Long before they were ever in my area. (Still never made it well I my area). But anyway I got into them as a comparison to Rapalas. They were my no.1 crank on the river for alot of years. I have many Bandits and have caught at least one smallie on even their most far out Weirdest patterns. Bluegills were fed on heavily on the river, countless times tails were in their mouths. Only to hit a lure. They use to put out some great bluegill patterns. The standard bluegill, punkinseed and bream are good patterns. But they use to have special runs that had many baitfish hues that are/were awesome killer baits. Something happened to Bandit (?) colors are nothing these days. Bought out (?). Who knows. I think they were made in LA. Now probably South America. Any review of them today is nothing compared to 15-20 year ago. 
 

Im not really sure.  I started using bandits in 1999 2000ish, I was 11 or possibly 12.  K mart always had them and the Strike King 1XS.  I think the bandit was called a 100S or 1000S until a few years ago and then started calling it a footloose.  Honestly I don't think the quality changed a whole lot since then, but the price has for sure gone way up.  Even back then the bandit felt like a cheap piece of plastic.  The 1XS felt like a better quality lure and I caught fish on them, but the bandit consistently caught more fish.   Either one of them wasn't easy to cast especially late winter early spring when the SB bite was on.  I remember cracking a bunch of em tryin to clear grass off of em.  There $8 now and IMO theres better cranks on the market at that price.     

[Spankey]

8 hours ago, Rusty_Shackleford said:

Im not really sure.  I started using bandits in 1999 2000ish, I was 11 or possibly 12.  K mart always had them and the Strike King 1XS.  I think the bandit was called a 100S or 1000S until a few years ago and then started calling it a footloose.  Honestly I don't think the quality changed a whole lot since then, but the price has for sure gone way up.  Even back then the bandit felt like a cheap piece of plastic.  The 1XS felt like a better quality lure and I caught fish on them, but the bandit consistently caught more fish.   Either one of them wasn't easy to cast especially late winter early spring when the SB bite was on.  I remember cracking a bunch of em tryin to clear grass off of em.  There $8 now and IMO theres better cranks on the market at that price.     

The quality and pattern options is not there today as the 80's and early 90's. Heck there were full line Bandit dealers if you could find one. Carried them all. They were sold a time or two. Maybe Lurenet now. They own Bomber also. That said Bomber is not what I use to be. Bandit price is high, you are correct about that. Back at one time they were at $5.00. They are a good lure. But there is alot of others more superior. But I'm not going to dis them, I had good time with them on the river for smallies. I have some nice vintage patterns of 100 and 200's not own them all but have my share of them. I'll post a pic sometime.

[plawren53202]

I'm torn on how necessary it is to "match the hatch" when fishing a bluegill pattern. Of course as has already been said in this thread, bluegill can have a wide range of color variations. Sometimes I think that matching the color pattern of bluegill in your area as closely as possible does make a difference. For instance in the water I fish most often, my subdivision pond, the bluegill tend a little toward the paler side and in particular have a very pronounced light blue patch on their throat. I have done really well with baits that have that blue color, including the KVD 1.5 Neon Bluegill (other KVD crankbaits have the same color options), Blue Craw TRD Finesse, and "Bream" Yum Dingers which is green pumpkin on top and blue on bottom. I know other places the bluegill can be super dark, almost black. The KVD crankbait line offers several bluegill color variations.

 

Other times I think it is not a big deal. For instance yesterday I was fishing a lake with fairly clear water (3-4 feet visibility). It was a little cloudy, and I could tell the bass were chasing bluegill up in the weeds. I tried throwing a swim jig that mimics bluegill very closely (one of the SK swim jigs that has mainly brown with some purple and orange strands) and a green pumpkin Rage Swimmer trailer. No luck on that. It was overcast so I switched to a black and blue swim jig with green pumpkin Rage Swimmer. Bingo, second or third cast in the same spot I was fishing the more "realistic" looking pattern, I caught one and had a couple more bites. Obviously black and blue with green pumpkin trailer sort of mimics a bluegill but certainly isn't a dead ringer "match the hatch", yet obviously the fish liked it better than the more realistic looking version.

[Jermination]

On 8/29/2020 at 1:02 PM, Benithebass said:

I fish in the northeast and bluegill is the forage for most ponds and lakes here so I decided to match the hatch. So now I'm on a bluegill kick. So far I picked up a lc 1.5, a Sammy topwater and a Devine swim jig with some 5in grubs and keitechs all in bluegill patterns.

My question to all the bass pros out there is what types of lures and plastics in bluegill colors have you had the most luck with? I'm new to the forum's so I thank you! Any responses would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

1/2 oz jackhammer bretts bluegill. throw a razor shad on as your trailer in "the deal" and you're good to go. straight killer

[Ben77]

On 9/1/2020 at 10:51 PM, txchaser said:

Jackhammer in Bluegill. Just don't throw it near wood, it has a special magnet in it that helps it stick to any wood. 

Got one of those coming in thanks and good joke ?

[GetFishorDieTryin]

On ‎9‎/‎1‎/‎2020 at 7:49 AM, Spankey said:

Many moons ago I jumped on the Bandit bandwagon. Long before they were ever in my area. (Still never made it well I my area). But anyway I got into them as a comparison to Rapalas. They were my no.1 crank on the river for alot of years. I have many Bandits and have caught at least one smallie on even their most far out Weirdest patterns. Bluegills were fed on heavily on the river, countless times tails were in their mouths. Only to hit a lure. They use to put out some great bluegill patterns. The standard bluegill, punkinseed and bream are good patterns. But they use to have special runs that had many baitfish hues that are/were awesome killer baits. Something happened to Bandit (?) colors are nothing these days. Bought out (?). Who knows. I think they were made in LA. Now probably South America. Any review of them today is nothing compared to 15-20 year ago. 
 

I was watching a mikeyballz video and he was at a this awesome shop called flippers in Tennessee.  They were talking about Bandit and the lady who worked at the pointed to a rack of bandits and said this is every current production pattern they make.  She then pointed to another rack and said all of these patterns were discontinued after they were bought out.  I cant remember who it was but it started with a c.