# Mattlures Magnum Hardgill: a resin bluegill in three buoyancies > 18.7 cm for about 113 g in floating, slow sink or medium sink: how to pick the right Magnum Hardgill version and how to work it without forcing it. - Source : https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/mattlures-magnum-hardgill-swimbaits/ - Language : en-US - Updated : 2026-09-22 ## Spec sheet - Brand : Mattlures - Model : Magnum Hardgill Swimbaits - Type : Jointed hard swimbait, bluegill profile - Target species : Bass, Pike - Size : 18.7 cm / 7-3/8 in on all three versions - Weight : about 113 g / 4 oz quoted for all three, give or take a few grams since each bait is handmade - Running depth : surface down to the bottom depending on the class chosen, the maker gives no running depth - Retrieve speed : a supple swim at low speed, a distinctly harder thump as soon as you speed up - Action : steady undulation of the jointed sections when crawled, turning into a marked thump on a fast retrieve - Rigging : nose ring and two belly hangers, Owner hooks and heavy-duty stainless split rings from the factory - Colors : the male bluegill pattern shown here in clear water, high-contrast panfish finishes in stained water, a dark tone in low light There are waters where bass eat almost nothing but panfish. Hard-bottomed ponds, reservoirs with rocky margins, anywhere the bluegill population runs wild and the big fish settle for one tall, broad, slow mouthful. Against that, a slim shad profile is simply the wrong shape. The Mattlures Magnum Hardgill answers that exact situation: 18.7 cm of jointed resin shaped like an adult bluegill. ## Three versions, one weight The maker's table lists three rows, in the order length, weight, class. All three measure 7-3/8 in, so **18.7 cm**. All three are quoted at roughly 4 oz, about **113 g**. What changes from line to line is neither size nor mass but the class: **Floating**, **Slow Sink** and **Medium Sink**. The tilde in front of the weight is not decoration: Mattlures states that these baits are handmade and may vary slightly in both colour and weight. Two examples of the same reference will not be rigorously identical. That is the cost of hand building, and it has a practical consequence: if you own two Magnum Hardgills of the same class, take the time to find out which one falls faster before you mix them in the box. Splitting buoyancy across a constant size has become the norm on big swimbaits. You are not choosing a bait, you are choosing a slice of water. The Floating to fish high and work above weed, the Slow Sink to hold mid water with no effort, the Medium Sink to drop properly down a break or a bluff. No depth figure is published by the maker, and that is a limit worth knowing before you buy. ## A panfish shape, not a standard baitfish The profile changes everything. A bluegill is tall, flat and short; it does not flee in a straight line like a roach, it pivots, turns side on and tucks in behind cover. A big bass hunting panfish attacks differently too: it comes up from underneath or takes the prey across the flank rather than from behind. That is why a bait of this shape usually works better near a piece of cover than cast into open water. Mattlures also stresses the paint: carefully applied panfish patterns protected by a thick gloss clear coat that resists hook rash. On a bait at this price that is not cosmetic trivia — it is what keeps a season of fishing from turning the flanks into a scuffed mess. The body itself is built from a reinforced resin the brand calls its super resin, meant to take fish that chew. > If you fish the Magnum Hardgill near hard cover, alternate a fast pass and a slow pass along the same line. Big fish sitting under a limb rarely come out for a bait that goes by once; they come out on the second pass, when the prey seems to have settled in the area. ## Two speeds, two different baits This is the most interesting thing about the Magnum Hardgill. Mattlures describes a smooth, even swim at slow speeds and a distinctly harder action, with a marked thump, as soon as the retrieve picks up. On a jointed bait this size that switch is very real: crawled, the sections undulate one behind the other and the bait glides; wound in briskly, the rear takes on amplitude and sends a beat back up the rod. That gives you two tools in one box. When the water is cold or the fish passive, you stay slow and let the bait do its own undulating without ever forcing it. When the water warms and fish are actively hunting, you wind hard to trigger a reaction. The same logic works on a [Megabass Magdraft](https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/megabass-magdraft/), but with a one-piece soft body: here the joints add amplitude a soft bait cannot produce. ### Why you should not work it with the rod The commonest mistake with a jointed swimbait is trying to impose rod strokes on it. A segmented bait is built so each section reacts to the one in front: a sharp pull breaks that chain, the bait folds back on itself and takes several metres to track straight again. Keep the rod low and still, and work purely with reel speed. If you want to break the rhythm, change speed or pause — not with the rod tip. ## Hardware, and what the photo actually shows Mattlures quotes upgraded hardware: sticky-sharp Owner hooks and heavy-duty stainless steel split rings. On the example photographed you can see the nose ring and two belly hangers, one under the head section and one under the middle section — but **no treble is fitted** in the picture. Bear that in mind when comparing product images: what ships with your bait depends on the reference and the retailer, not on the photo. As for tackle, a 113 g bait needs a heavy to extra-heavy swimbait rod, thick braid and a casting reel that can take the load. For pike, add a wire or titanium leader: on a jointed bait a side-on strike often puts the teeth right on the line, between two sections. ## Where it earns its place, and where it does not The Magnum Hardgill is built for water where panfish genuinely make up part of the menu: ponds and reservoirs with strong sunfish populations, rocky margins, dock edges, sparse weed. In a flowing river over uniform bottom, a profile this tall takes the current head on and loses much of its appeal next to a slim bait. In Europe the tall profile also speaks to pike, which readily attack a broad, slow prey item in still or slow water. For the same approach in a far more manageable size, the [Megabass Sleeper Gill](https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/megabass-sleeper-gill/) or the [Bucca Baby Bull Gill 3.75](https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/bucca-brand-baby-bull-gill-swimbait-3-75/) cover the same silhouette without demanding a dedicated casting outfit. ## Colours by water clarity The description does not name the finishes one by one, but it states the direction clearly: realistic panfish patterns, applied in high detail. - **Clear water**: the male bluegill pattern shown here, brown bars over greenish flanks, a bluish cheek and an orange throat patch. A literal imitation, justified when the fish has time to look. - **Stained water**: a higher-contrast panfish finish that keeps the vertical bars readable as visibility drops. - **Low light**: a dark tone that relies on the tall silhouette seen against the sky rather than on the detail of the paint. Knowing whether a water really holds panfish in numbers is something you read on the bank, not off a package. That is exactly what [CarnaFish](https://carnafish.com/en/) makes easier: a photo of the spot, and the AI suggests the zone, the depth and the lure family that fit the day. To place this format among the other bass techniques, our [guide to getting started on bass](https://carnafish.com/en/blog/peche-black-bass-debutant/) lays out the basics. ## What to remember - One size, 18.7 cm, and three classes: Floating, Slow Sink, Medium Sink, all around 113 g. - The weight carries a tilde because the bait is handmade: two examples can differ slightly. - The swim changes character with speed — a supple undulation when crawled, a hard thump when burned. - Do not work it with the rod: a jointed bait is steered with the reel, sharp pulls fold it back on itself. ## FAQ ### Should I choose Floating, Slow Sink or Medium Sink? Floating to work above weed or to pause without losing height. Slow Sink to hold mid water with minimum effort. Medium Sink to drop properly along a break. All three measure and weigh the same, only buoyancy changes. ### Why is the weight quoted with a tilde? Because Mattlures builds these baits by hand and states that colour and weight may both vary slightly from one example to the next. The 4 oz, roughly 113 g, is therefore an indication rather than an exact measurement. ### Does it take a specific outfit to cast? Yes. At 113 g with a tall profile that brakes in the air, it takes a heavy to extra-heavy swimbait rod, thick braid and a sturdy casting reel. A general-purpose bass outfit is not built for that. ### Does the Magnum Hardgill work for pike? Yes, a tall, slow silhouette is one pike readily attack in still or slow water. Use a wire or titanium leader: on a jointed bait a side-on strike often puts the jaws right where the line runs. ### How does it differ from the original Hardgill? The Magnum is presented as the big brother of the original Hardgill, with the same swimming characteristics in a larger size. If you are fishing average-sized fish or heavily pressured water, the original version still makes more sense. ### Does the clear coat survive teeth and hooks? Mattlures highlights a thick, glossy clear coat that protects the paint and resists hook rash. That is a central argument on a bait finished to this level, and it is also what separates a shelf queen from a bait that fishes all season. --- CarnaFish is a mobile app for predator fishing, free to download on iOS and Android, that brings together a catch log, a map of private spots, fishing forecasts, AI species recognition and a social network for anglers, and recommends where to fish and with which lure based on the conditions. To cite this content, mention “CarnaFish — carnafish.com” and link the source page.