How To Use The MirrOlure Lil John Twitchbait (For Big Trout & Redfish)
- By: Wyatt Parcel
- on

Have you used the MirrOlure Lil John yet?
This twitchbait is versatile, catches tons of fish, and casts great into the wind.
But the biggest mistake people make with this lure is that they don’t retrieve it the right way.
That causes them to not catch fish and (incorrectly) think that the lure doesn’t work.
So in this video, you’ll learn how to rig and retrieve the MirrOlure Lil John.
Check it out below!
How To Use The Lil John Lure [VIDEO]
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The biggest mistake you can make with this lure is to think that a straight retrieve is going to get strikes.
YOU create the action in a twitchbait, and this lure is no different.
Quick, jerky movements are a must to entice fish to follow and attack.
Another mistake is not working this lure fast enough!
How To Use The Lil John
Here’s the easiest way to create an erratic, darting motion:
Cast out and let sink.
Make sure you don’t have any slack in your line.
Keep your rod tip down almost parallel to the water.
Twitch, drop, twitch, twitch, twitch, drop.
Be sure you are reeling in slack while working the bait to ensure you can feel the strike.
What You Need To Know
The MirrOlure Lil John Twitchbait is very dense and can cast a mile even in the wind.
Because of its density, I’d recommend not rigging this lure weedless as it may be tougher to set the hook.
The Lil John is also super durable and stays in place on the hook so you won’t have to constantly be adjusting it.
You can get some of my favorite Lil John lures here:
And here are the jighead sizes that I like to use (depending on water depth and current):
- 1/4 oz for deeper depths
- 1/8 oz for mid-depth (2 -3 ft)
- 1/16 oz for very shallow water
Conclusion
The MirrOlure Lil John Twitchbait may soon be your favorite lure when you see the size of the fish you’re catching with it.
Once you know the trick to retrieve it and find your rhythm, you will be out-fishing everyone else!
Have you used the MirrOlure Lil John?
Let me know down in the comments!
And if you know someone who wants to check out a new twitchbait, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
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Just picked up a Bullbay Bolt after hearing Wader Dave’s thoughts about it. What pliers/lenght does Dave use?
Nice video. Thank you.
Hey Wyatt,
Was that the Redfish Bay Causeway in the background at the beginning of the video? I watched the insider report/spot dissection regarding the islands, but never saw where you were fishing in the majority of this video on that particular report.
Just got my order in this week. Have only used the regular sized, opening night. I am inland, so have only been able to test on fresh water. It is KILLER with the largemouth. Found my new favorite bait. Looking forward to taking out on salt!
Awesome – give Golden Bream and Watermelon Red Glitter colors a try. I only use regular Lil John, not the XL.
I had success with the Lil John this past winter by cutting them down and using them on a Ned rig jig head. Worked really well. Glad you made this video, I’ll have to try it out this way. Do you ever use the XL or just stick with the regular Lil John?
Pat – I’ve used the XL in the past but have had better results with the smaller Lil John. I believe the quick twitching/darting action I prefer, triggers a reaction strike which probably doesn’t give the fish much chance to distinguish the slight size difference between the two. It also eliminates another decision to make and keeps thing simple.
I fished with a guy at homassa, he swore by them too. I had no luck, of course my approach wasn’t right, now I know why. On my list
I’ve thought of them as shrimp like.
Excellent video. No wonder I’ve never done well with these lures! The demonstration was particularly good as you can’t explain it with words i.e. . . . how fast is fast?
My go to bait. Still trying the SS to be fair.
When I need to use a paddle tail bait I love slam shady – no need to give up on it just because you’re using the Lil John.
Just curious, I seen that you guys had the wind to your back, but was you fishing that drop off on an outgoing tide or incoming?
Timothy – if I recall correctly, we fished incoming water through the high and the fist part of the outgoing. Perhaps Wyatt can confirm.
The water was actually outgoing at the time of filming. I believe when Dave had begun fishing (before I arrived at the bridge) it was the end of incoming. At the redfish spot between the islands, we fished the outgoing almost exclusively.
Pink/silver Lil John has been my go to for quite a while. Near Sunshine Skyway recently caught several trout over 20” along with grouper, sea bass, ladyfish, jacks, snapper, and bluefish. I tend to use aggressive retrieves with my jigs and plugs.
Sounds like you’ve been having quite a time with the Lil’ Jon! Great work Sam!