Any of you guys fish top water lures for any of the basic sunfish?( Bluegill, Redear, Redbreast, etc.) I have used top water spinning lures on sunfish but not all that often. Going to use them more this year. What do you use?



Side Note: I have used the Bass Pro 1/4" swim baits, and the 4 inch Rapala's top water baits. My friend Steve uses small frogs, and crawdads.

As a lot of you know I have never fished for Bluegill but love reading all of the post in this section. I have however years ago caught Bluegill on top water lures. Frogs and Rapalas did the trick while fishing for bass in lily pads.

When not using a fly rod, I use a casting bubble or a torpedo float with my spin casters or spinning reels. There are several types available. I prefer the solid type with the screw in eyes on both ends. You can get some really good range casting with those and can use near any type of fly or micro lure behind them.

Nope...I find them usually pretty close to the bottom...

I would try rigging a Berkley Power Worm and go weightless.



Side Note: Like Steve aka Vogey I also catch most of my sunnies off the bottom. Steve uses the Gulp Minnows while I use the "BOC" live worms.

Straight body & tail soft plastics nose-hooked are usually good producers for surface or near surface biting pan fish.
example:


wacky rigged straight soft plastics do well either with no weight and just a hook or with a 1/32oz or lighter jig:

I have to give the lure some rod tip action same as for any finesse type lure.

Floating minnows do well when twitched on the surface such as this Floating Rapala:


If fish are in shallow areas - mostly those with some kind of weeds - I've found that spinners and other steady retrieve lures don't do as well.

If I want them on lures I normally toss out Bobby G's in baby shad in bluegrass or monkey milk. The reason I use those is the crappie on Lake Athens like those as well. Never really target gills on lures but they do hit the Bobby G's. Worms on a small jig hook is my go to tactic.

Some good information right here !

These crickhoppers from rebel were my goto topwater lures for gills in the spring thru fall. That was before i started tying my own jigs.
I can fish these 1/32 jigs just like a topwater or swim or jig them and catch more and bigger fish than any other bait I've used

Used the crickhoppers also years ago as well as soft plastic crickets which have become rare to find and even harder to find a injector mold for them.

Nice baits Leo.

Thank you Chuck!

Great lures Leo and pm sent thank you

Thank you Ken! I believe in your mission

Love threads like these!