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Best Bluegill Bass Jig [Our Top Bluegill Imitation Jigs – HANDS DOWN]

A Complete Buyer’s Blueprint On The Best Bluegill Bass Jigs On The Market Today

Bluegill bass jigs have become increasingly popular over the last several years.  They remain a staple lure because bass will eat bluegill all year long. Anytime you see a bluegill a bass is probably nearby trying to eat it. In addition, bluegill-colored jigs are really inexpensive so they are an affordable bait option that you won’t regret in the future. 

But, have you ever wondered what is the best bluegill pattern bass jig? What are my options for all the different styles of jigs?  Furthermore, when should I use a bluegill bass jig for fishing? 

I have been in your shoes too. That’s exactly why I wrote this report. When you read this to the end you’re going to discover exactly what bluegill bass jig to buy and how it fish it to give you the best results.

WARNING:  There’s a lot of information about this subject you’ll probably want to come back to. No one expects you to remember all these tips. We know your time is precious, so we really tried to over-deliver in value for you. Additionally, we frequently update reports like this, so you’ll want to stay up to date with any changes or additional tips we include for you. 

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In A Hurry?

If you don’t have much time to read the detailed reviews, simply use the links below to quickly find the best drifts socks for your boat on Amazon. You can be assured we only choose the best products…

Best Overall Bluegill Bass Jig – Mythik Lures Tungsten Rock Crawler Football Jig

Heavy Cover Bluegill Bass Jig – Strike King Hack Attack Heavy Cover Jig

Best Bluegill Colored Swim Jig – Strike King Tour Grade Swinging Swim Jig

Best Bluegill Bass Jigs Roundup

Why You Should Trust Us

We used our experiences with the products and looked over hundreds of customer reviews, watched tons of video reviews, and analyzed what the professionals and experts had to say from popular sources like BassMaster Magazine.

We scrutinized the data from the product catalog pages of nearly a dozen manufacturers, and we even tried to interview some of the company representatives to talk shop and get their take.

Winner: Tungsten Football Jig - Rock Crawler

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But, why is the Rock Crawler football jig a great choice?

The quality of these jigs is what you would get from a custom made jig. The collars are hand-tied with wire, the jig heads are powder coated and then baked on for extra durability, and the hook is a Mustad black nickel that is sticky sharp.

Since the head of the jig is so small (because of the Tungsten) you can even use it like a ball-head jig.   During testing we even threaded on a soft plastic swimbait and made it into a makeshift swim jig!  

The Bull Bluegill skirt color is second to none when it tries to imitate a little bluegill fish.

Grinding and bulldozing over the submerged structure,  shell beds, or finding the transition areas from chunk rock to pea gravel, you need that extra sensitivity that only Tungsten can give you.  That’s especially useful during pre-spawn. 

We tested both the Rock Crawler Tungsten football jig and the Eco Pro Tungsten football jigs. In the end there was one clear winner.

We really prefer the Rock Crawler Tungsten jig by Mythik Lures here’s why…

This jig made by a small American-owned company produces some of the best quality jigs we found.  

Another cool thing that’s different from the other companies we listed here is Mythik Lures sells their jigs in bundle packs.  So now if you break a jig off on a big bass, you’ll have a spare! No more being forced to use a subpar football jig!

The only hang up but not a deal-breaker is they sell out really fast. 

Read all the reviews from real Amazon customers! 

This jig can do nearly everything and is well worth the investment.

Pros:

  • Excellent construction
  • Ultra sensitive
  • Great custom colors
  • Hand-tied skirt collars
  • Mustad black nickel hook

Hang up but not deal-breaker:

  • Limited available sizes
  • Sell out quickly

Tech Specs:

Best Heavy Cover Jig - Strike King Hack Attack Jig

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But, why is the Strike King Hack Attack Jig so awesome?

Produced by one of the most well-known and trusted manufacturers in the fishing industry the Strike King Hack Attack Heavy Cover Jig this jig can do everything from penetrating into heavy cover, bulldoze over rocks, and even be flipped into tight places which is why this jig won the Runner Up.

This color called Candy Craw is a perfect bluegill imitation. It has many of the same colors of a little pond bluegill.

If your targeting bass in heavy cover and you have a good feeling they’re eating bluegill this jig features a 30-degree line tie with a streamlined head design and heavy-duty weed guard that makes it a great option for penetrating grass mats and debris.

In addition to the specialized head design, these jigs also use an exclusive no-flex Gamakatsu hook that provides some extra backbone when setting the hook through heavy cover.

This jig is well made and specifically designed to be used on heavy fluorocarbon or braided lines and heavy action rods.

"I can hunt isolated structure and show the fish a bait they haven't seen and maybe catch a bigger fish. I can stay in contact with the bottom, plus this jig has a larger profile to appeal to quality fish... I can make it look like a shad, a crawfish or a bluegill. Whatever they are feeding on, I can make the jig replicate that."

This jig can do nearly everything and is well worth the investment.

Pros:

  • Made to hold up in heavy cover
  • Exclusive heavy duty Gamakatsu hook
  • Streamlined head design
  • Multiple weights and color options

Hang up but not deal breaker:

  • No option for Tungsten weight
  • Heavy weed guard can make hooksets tricky.

Tech Specs:

Best Punching Jig - Catch Co. Trashmaster Flipping Jig

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About Catch Co. Trashmaster Flipping Jigs...

photo: @strugglebusfishing

A relative newcomer to the jig fishing scene Catch Co released their Trashmaster heavy cover flipping jig. This jig is very well designed with a massive amount of features that will help anglers catch more fish. 

One of the most striking feature is the arrow-like pointed nose of the jig.  This allows the jig to quickly and easily penetrate any floating vegetation mats. 

The color Bluegill that Catch Co released is incredibly unique. In the sun it has a really cool metallic sheen. It’s not shiny like glitter, but semi-reflective. 

Another feature that sets this jig a part is the swing head design.  I love the screwlock head design. I can basically rig the plastic trailer like a Texas rig. 

Even the heavier weighted jigs are smaller in size. It also seems that the skirt comes pre-trimmed which is also nice.

Pros:

  • Great mat penetration
  • Arrowhead profile
  • Easy to use screwlock keeper
  • Heavy duty 5/0 hook

Hang up but not deal breaker:

  • Difficult to pull out of mat due to head shape
  • Priced higher than most

Other Recommended Colors: Green Pumpkin, OG Sexy, Texas Craw, Blue Craw

Tech Specs:

-- Featured Article Of The Month --

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Best Swim Jig – Strike King Tour Grade Swinging Swim Jig

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About Strike King Tour Grade Swinging Swim Jigs...

If you’re looking for an innovative edge or a new option for swim jigs, Strike King has reimagined the traditional jig with this new product touting increased action.

The color Bluegill that Strike King provides is bright and vibrant. It has the perfect amount of purples, blues, and a touch of chartreuse. The head of the bait is painted green pumpkin and even comes with an orange painted chin!

The Strike King Tour Grade Swinging Swim Jig comes with a hook that is connected by an eyelet instead of fixed into the casting of the jig head.  This type of connection offers an increased overall swimming action of the jig.

Adding your favorite minnow style jig trailer to the free-swinging hook provides maximum swimming action that outperforms any other swim jig on the market. 

This swim jig’s head was also professionally designed to ensure a sleek and balanced profile helping it to cut through the water with little resistance.

Pros:

  • Innovative swinging hook for “maximum action”

  • Highly durable premium paint

  • Black nickel needlepoint hook

  • Swinging action helps prevent fish from slinging the hook

  • Unique weed guard for fishing heavy cover

Hang up but not deal breaker:

  • Limited weight and color options

  • Pricier than standard jig styles

Recommended Colors: Black/Blue, Green Pumpkin, Bluegill, White

Tech Specs:

Best Finesse Jig – War Eagle Heavy Finesse Jig

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About War Eagle Heavy Finesse Jigs...

When it comes to finesse jigs, most guys think of small, lightweight jigs with a minimalist approach.  However, the War Eagle Heavy Finesse Jig gives the best of both worlds.

The color Pond Scum Perch is a phenomenal Bluegill color to use during the bluegill spawn (late spring) and early summer when the bluegill are still small.  It’s not flashy like some of the other choices, but that exactly what you want! Thread on a smaller craw or small swimbait like a 3.3 Keitech Fat Swing Impact and fish it around wood, rocks, docks, and vegetation.

This beefed up version of a finesse jig is perfect for fishing heavier line in deeper cover.

The oversized head and thick, heavy duty weedguard allows this jig to be fished into heavy habitat, but still offers a finesse style action.

With a 3/0 Gamakatsu flipping hook, these jigs are sure to stick monster bass and keep them pinned until you land them in the boat.

Pros:

  • Oversized head and beefier design

  • Heavy duty weedguard

  • Gamakatsu brand hook

  • Large range of color options

  • Excellent Value – 2 per pack

Hang up but not deal breaker:

  • Lacks ultra light options

  • No options for Tungsten weight

Other Recommended Colors:  Phantom Craw Brown, Black/Blue, Peanut Butter & Jelly

Tech Specs:

Best Hair Jig – Haggerty Lures Flippin Jig for Bass

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About Haggerty Lures Flippin Hair Jigs...

Photo: Haggerty Lures

If you’re looking for a quality hand-tied hair jig, Haggerty Lures Flipping Jig is one of the best.  With multiple color options, these natural looking bucktail jigs are sure to entice even the most hesitant lunkers.

This color Olive/Orange is great for ultra-clear water and if there are smallmouth bass around.

Coming in three different weights/sizes, these hair jigs can be used in multiple fishing scenarios from finesse, to flipping, to swimming.

With it’s heavy duty weedguard, these Haggerty Hair Jigs can get into and out of places that many other hair jigs wouldn’t dare to tread.

Fitted with an eagle claw black nickel hook, you can count on consistent penetration when you set the hook.

Pros:

  • Natural hand-tied bucktail

  • Heavy duty weedguard

  • Eagle Claw brand hook

  • Small profile, but multiple weight options

Hang up but not deal breaker:

  • Skirt durability

  • Most colors are rather monotone

Tech Specs:

Best Bladed Jig – Z-Man Jack Hammer Chatterbait

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About the Jack Hammer Chatterbait jigs...

When it comes to bladed jigs, you can’t go wrong with a bait that’s designed by top professional anglers Brett Hite and Morizo Shimizu.  Together, they worked with legendary lure makers Z-Man and Evergreen International to come up with one of the best bladed jig on the market.

The color Brett’s Bluegill perfectly matches a male bluegill swimming in a panic. The watermelon, chartreuse, and orange skirt is perfectly matched with the gold blade.

I’ve had success with this jig from early spring to fall. But the best time I catch bass with this is on cloudy overcast days. 

The Z-Man Chatterbait Jack Hammer vibrates back and forth quickly to replicate a frantic baitfish as soon as you start your retrieve.

Its signature blade and head design deflects easily off of cover making it possible to be skipped into tight places like under docks and tree limbs.

This chatterbait also features premium paint and 3D eyes for the most realistic presentation.

As the blade makes it’s flashy presentation, it also knocks against the specially designed grooved jig head making a knock-knock noise off of Z-Man’s patented “Chatterblade” setup.

Read all the reviews on Amazon from real customers – HERE

Pros:

  • Low gravity head shape allows for skipping

  • Large range of colors and weights

  • Gamakatsu 5/0 hook

  • Dual wire trailer keeper

  • High-end paint scheme and 3D eyes

Hang up but not deal breaker:

  • Expensive

  • Skirt slides down a little too easily. Fixed with a drop of superglue.

Tech Specs:

DIY - BUILD YOUR OWN JIG

If you don’t want to buy a premium jig, but rather think it’s the best idea to build your own jigs, then check out this YouTube video.

How to Build Or Replace Jig Skirts

So before you even think of making your own jig you have to understand how they are made up and what qualities they should carry. You have to ensure you are getting the best quality components to get you the best result, otherwise you’re just wasting your time.

Here is what you need to get started:

Bulk Weedless Football Jig Heads – click here to learn more

Bulk Weedless Swim Jig Heads – click here to learn more

Jig Head Replacement Skirts – click here to learn more

FAQ

Where is the best place to find pre-spawn bass?

Fortunately there are several places you can narrow down to find bass during the early-spring. 

Channels, drop offs, main-lake structure are good places to start. But there is so much more to it. 

If you’re struggling to find pre-spawn bass then you must read the report I wrote all about that exact topic.

Read more: How To Find Pre-Spawn Bass [The Official Insanely Easy Blueprint]

What is the best way to set the hook with a jig?

A hard upward hooksetYou need to set the hook hard with jigs because the weedguard can present an obstacle for driving the hook into the fish’s mouth. 

Depending on how heavily weeded the area is, you should fine-tune the weed guard to increase your hook-up chances. 

You can do this by cutting or spreading out the bristles, and/or trimming them down a little shorter.

If you’re new to jig fishing fishing, strongly recommend you read the article Beginners Blueprint To Jig Fishing, where I give you 50 different tips that actually work!  Click here to find out what skills you are missing.

Read More: What is Jig Fishing For Bass? [A Complete Beginners Guide]

What type of line is best for bass fishing?

Most can be fished with braided, monofilament, or fluorocarbon line.   However, different types of baits perform best using different types of line.  Fortunately, I wrote a thorough article that goes in to much more detail of what are the best lines for bass fishing and more importantly what lines you must stay away from! 

Read more: 21 Tips To Choose The Best Bass Fishing Line

Should I use lead or tungsten weights?

This is really a personal preference, but like Tungsten jigs the weights have game changing advantages.  Tungsten is heavier, so it can provide you with more weight in a smaller profile bait.  Since the density is higher, it also provides better sensitivity to bottom composition.  The trade off is that Tungsten is pricier than lead.

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