Check this thing out. These are pretty trick little baits. Someone needs to take this thing to the Delta }(

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/descpageSWM316-MFBG.html

Cool looking bait but I am sure it will not work on the delta, so it would just be a waste of time to try it up there. Trust me! GRIN


FIT

Yeah whatever you do, don't throw this bait over grass beds where bass are eating bluegill. Or something...

It actually swims pretty darn good. The one that I have tried, you can burn it on top super fast and it doesn't roll over. No fish for me on it yet, but it sure looks fishy in the water.

Have any of you used the Rago Bluegill? If so how would you say they compare?

I have a Rago Bluegill that has absolutely NO tail movement! I've even done the ol' boiling water trick, and it really loosens up, but once it gets in the water it's just stiff.

Did I just get a bad one? I don't want to say anything bad about them if they are normally a good bait. I'm thinking about cutting a couple of notches in the sides of the tail to help it kick a little.

I do have two of the smaller size rago bluegills. Jerry gave them to me when they were very very prototype. The ones I have are actually pretty soft. They swam good at first, but I didn't store them right and they are a little off now. It's probably because of the plastic being so soft too.

I don't pour plastic lures myself, but from what I understand with swimbaits there is a very very fine line between too soft and doesn't swim (too stiff). Other factors like how you store the bait or if it gets cooked one day in your tackle box can affect the baits too.

I kind of look at the fancy rubber baits like this... I figure that sometimes they are going to work really good because they are very realistic or have unusual action. I also keep in mind that most of these baits are not "workhorse" type baits that you can throw all day every day for 5 trips and expect them to still be intact. I also figure that off the top a certain percentage of them just aren't going to swim quite right. It happens, what can you do .. I don't know. It's all about the usual tradeoffs of realism, durability, and fish-ability. If you want to make 10,000 casts with a bait and still catch fish on it, buy a Slammer. If you're fishing super clear water, smart fish, etc, it might pay off for you to buy some of the fancier rubber baits. They DO work, you just gotta be ready to deal with the torn baits etc. I am by no means talking bad on anyone's rubber baits. Jerry and Mickey's baits are top notch, no doubt. I fish them and will continue to fish them in hopes of landing that super toad :)

The bait does look pretty good but $16 for one bait is a joke. I used to pour and that bait might cost .25 to make. Another major downer on this bait is the rigging setup. Just like all the Mission Fish lures, there just isn't a good way to rig them without missing strikes. Yeah, they are hella weedless but they don't hook the fish that well. I don't mean to rip on the maker of the lure because he certainly has an eye for designing.

Kevin, why so grumpy? I hope it's not the butterfly avatar making you feel blue :P

Henry had some useful comments. I myself am about 2 for 10 on the regular mission fish when it comes to bites vs. hookups, but in all those cases I was casting and retrieving it like I would with a Big Hammer.

Talking to people who have actually caught a lot of nice fish on the bait recently, it is like Henry said, apparently they are getting the fish fishing the bait like a jig and sticking them like you would when jig fishing. This I can understand. I wish I had gotten this message a few years ago! I don't think the regular Mission Fish will ever be a super hot bait for me personally because I tend to do poorly with deadstick/slow type baits, but I am going to try it this summer, especially at night fishing it like a jig and see what's up with that.

Kevin,

Did you actually fish the bait, or is that just your opinion when it is sitting in your hand. I myself think it has a great hookup ratio. I have only thrown it on 3 different occasions, but I think the 20 something fish I have caught on it has me convinced. Especially since I have only missed about 5 or so. And let me tell you, this time of year, no metter what you are going to miss some swimbait fish because most of them are not eating it they are just attacking it.

Oh well, just my thoughts, now I'm off to win Castaic on the new Bluegill bait tomorow...:)

Cam

Hi Guys:

After reading the posts regarding the Mission Bluegill and the Mission Fish I am compelled to write. I worked with Mickey Ellis in the development of the Bluegill. There have been a lot of painstaking hours to get this bait to do what it does, catch fish. The bait swims straight, kicks hard and the hook-up ratio is high. During development a 12 #er was taken on this bait. The hook system is a “break-a-way” treble. When a fish is hooked the bluegill slides up the line, which makes it tougher for the hook to be thrown. By the time the summer is over this newly introduced bait will have a lot of fish next to it’s name.

I have used the Mission Fish religiously and have done quite well. I see this bait used wrong all the time. The bait is designed to be used like a jig. It you want to swim a bait I can recommend some baits that work better. Mickey has two fish over 16# and a 17# (non site fish) on the Mission Fish. During development the biggest problem was hooking the fish. There is an alteration essential when using this bait. After the bait is rigged the hook needs to be offset. Take a pair of pliers and bend the hook point towards the side of the bait until the point is even with the side of the plastic. Skin hook the point. Hope I cleared up some things.

Catch a whopper

Henry

Oh and uh, don't even bother to waste your time by bringing it to Spring Lake.
Those fish ONLY eat stocked trout. :+