What's the best small (3" to 5") bluegill swimbait? I prefer a hard bait but definitely would want to hear about soft swimbaits as well. I have Mattlures hard gill and love that bait. Also I have his ultimate bluegill and like that too. Want something just like those two, just a little smaller. I'm also looking at at getting the blackdog mini shellcracker. I also don't really like the tru-tungsten and don't think to highly of the little spros. Is my thinking on these off?

So what else should I be considering? Any other swimbaits I should consider fishing in Michigan? Makes and colors???

Thanks!

http://www.***.com/Mattlures_Ultimate_Bluegill_Series_Swimbait/descpage-MLUBG.html

http://www.***.com/Mattlures_Hard_Bluegill_Swimbaits/descpage-MLHBS.html

Best bluegill baits ever made.

he has both of those...he is looking for something smaller

No need to go any further than the Mattlures.  I have them, they work.  And really well.

The baby shellcracker is more of a super shallow/wake bait.  Yeah, its bigger, but not big by SB standards.  I wouldn't even call it a swimbait, really.  Its a good bait too, though.

http://www.***.com/Mattlures_Ultimate_Bluegill_Series_Swimbait/descpage-MLUBG.html

http://www.***.com/Mattlures_Hard_Bluegill_Swimbaits/descpage-MLHBS.html

Best bluegill baits ever made.

Great baits and definitely a great place to buy them!!   

I found some of the fish around me are intimidated by the Mattlures on occasion. In those situations where I felt they were keying on smaller 'gills, the Tru Tungsten 5" gill worked well.

During the spawn last year, I went after a bed fish with the Hardgill and the softgill from all kinds of angles without success. My buddy tied on the TT gill, made a pitch past the fish and the bass rushed the bait like I have never seen before.  Same presentation, different bait.

Again, Tackle Warehouse is the best place to get the baits and all your other fishing needs.

No need to go any further than the Mattlures. I have them, they work. And really well.

The baby shellcracker is more of a super shallow/wake bait. Yeah, its bigger, but not big by SB standards. I wouldn't even call it a swimbait, really. Its a good bait too, though.

How are they holding up to the teeth around here? Mend-it only does so much.

They are hard baits, no need for Mend-it. 

Bring 'em with you to Kentucky Lake. I'll bet

those bass haven't seen many large swimbaits.

Maybe that's the ticket!

8-)

They are hard baits, no need for Mend-it.

Ahh....................call me stupid  I didn't click on the link, thought you were talking about the soft ones.

I was looking for the same thing a year ago so I bought one of these.....

http://www.***.com/Tylure_Kicker_Sunfish_5/descpage-TKS5.html#multiview

Tylures kicker sunfish, smaller than the mattlures hardgill and half the price. 

maybe jackall's new softplastic bed bluegill? it looks awesome

Smaller is coming very soon 

but if you have to have one now I think the Tylures is a tad smaller and Jackall has one thats a little funky looking but not too bad. I would stay away from the cheap ones

Smaller is coming very soon

but if you have to have one now I think the Tylures is a tad smaller and Jackall has one thats a little funky looking but not too bad. I would stay away from the cheap ones

Whoa, whoa, whoa.....

Soft plastic or Hardgill smaller?   :-?  I am now all ears...

I would say stay away from the reaction strike baits...everyone I have is junk, they swimm on their side and the paint sucks.  The Giron seems like a nice bait but have never fished it.

I forgot, check out the little ebby's. I think that's what it's called.

I've got a little 3" hard jointed bluegill from Academy (one of the H20 series) and it looks and swims great.  Nice action for an $8 bait.  Haven't caught a whole lot of fish on it (mainly because I haven't used it all that much) so I can't report on durability yet.

Smaller is coming very soon

but if you have to have one now I think the Tylures is a tad smaller and Jackall has one thats a little funky looking but not too bad. I would stay away from the cheap ones

It better be hard.  8-)

Awesome news from Matt, can't wait to see it.

Thanks for all the responses. You all have given me a lot to consider.

As for Matt, it is a smaller version of Ultimate bluegill. I think it's 4". And it looks awesome. He posted pics on another forum. Don't think they are available yet, but it is definitely exciting.

This is what he said about them:

"My new little U2 (Ultimate 2) gills are 4in long and 2 in tall and they sit nose down on the bottom. If a fish knocks them over, they pop back up. They come in a flat tail and a swimming tail. These are more durrable then my previous gills and they are better balanced and run truer and swim better at all speeds."

Thanks again.

ohhh cripes, now I might actually have to buy something, thats not good