2.8" Gilley

A larger ribbed Gilley profile built for BFS bass fishing, light-line baitcasting, and compact finesse presentations. The 2.8" Gilley gives bass a bigger target than the panfish-size version while keeping the same ribbed body, rounded head, and single tapered tail that make the bait easy to swim, glide, hop, and slow down.

Short Product Description

The Table Rock Baits 2.8" Gilley is a BFS soft-plastic bait with a ribbed body, rounded head, and single tapered tail, built for light jig heads, hover-style presentations, ned-style setups, slow swims, and pressured bass that want a compact but visible profile.

Pack Quantity

Each pack contains 6 baits. Hand made to order and built for light-line bass fishing where profile, fall speed, color, and clean tracking matter.

Bigger Gilley profile. Still built for finesse.

The 2.8" Gilley keeps the same basic attitude as the smaller Gilley, but gives bass more to look at. The ribbed body adds water feel, profile, and texture. The rounded head gives it a clean forward target. The single tapered tail keeps the bait natural and controlled instead of turning it into a loud kicking bait.

That makes it a good fit for BFS bass fishing when you want something compact, but not tiny. Fish it around rock, docks, brush, standing timber, bluff ends, creek arms, shallow cover, and fish that are eating smaller forage but still want a real target. Created and tested on Table Rock Lake and Lake Taneycomo, then proven across clear, stained, muddy, and brackish water, this is a profile built to help you adjust to the bite in front of you.

Why It Works

2.8" size gives BFS anglers a compact bass bait with enough profile for fish to track.
Ribbed body adds texture, bulk, and water displacement without making the bait feel oversized.
Rounded head and tapered body help it thread clean on light jig heads and finesse hooks.
Single tapered tail follows naturally on slow swims, controlled falls, light hops, and pendulum retrieves.
Works when bass are pressured, keyed on smaller forage, or ignoring louder full-size presentations.

Best For

Smallmouth bass on rock, gravel, bluff ends, points, current breaks, and clear-water banks.
Spotted bass around docks, brush, standing timber, bait balls, and suspended cover.
Pressured largemouth that follow bigger baits but will eat a compact finesse profile.
BFS and light-line setups where you want more body than a tiny panfish bait but less bulk than a full-size bass plastic.

How To Fish It

Slow swim it: use a light jig head and steady retrieve around rock, docks, and baitfish.
Hop it: work short lifts around gravel, points, brush edges, and shallow cover.
Pendulum it: cast past the target and let the bait swing through the strike zone on a controlled fall.
Hover-style fish it: keep it hanging near suspended fish or followers that need more time to commit.

Rigging Notes

Thread it straight so the ribbed body tracks clean and the single tapered tail follows naturally.
Use lighter heads when you want a slow fall, glide, or suspended presentation.
Go heavier when wind, depth, current, or deep cover makes contact more important.
Pair it with small ball heads, finesse jig heads, hover-style rigs, or compact ned-style setups.

Color Notes

BFS color choice should start with visibility and forage. The 2.8" Gilley already gives bass a defined shape, so color can either keep it natural or add contrast when the water, light, or fish mood calls for it.

Clear Water / Bright Sun Start with green pumpkin, smoke, shad, ayu-style tones, light baitfish colors, translucent flake, and subtle natural looks.

Stained Water / Clouds Move toward stronger flake, chartreuse hints, orange, white, darker backs, brighter bellies, or two-tone contrast.

Rock / Bottom Bites Lean into green pumpkin, brown, rust, orange, black, blue, and muted craw or goby-style colors.

Pressure / Cold Front Fish Back off the flash, slow the bait down, and let the ribbed body and compact profile stay in front of fish longer.

Season Notes

Spring: fish it around rock, shallow cover, docks, spawning areas, and cruising bass.
Summer: work deeper points, brush edges, shade, bluff ends, and suspended fish with a slow swim or fall.
Fall: match small baitfish and use it around schooling fish, shallow cover, and creek arms.
Winter: slow down with lighter heads, short hops, pendulum falls, and long pauses.

BFS Notes

BFS is about control, accuracy, and light-bait efficiency, not just throwing the smallest bait possible.
The 2.8" Gilley is a good middle ground when bass want finesse, but still need a bait they can see and track.
Use lighter line and controlled casts to place it around cover without overpowering the presentation.

Table Rock Baits 2.8" Gilley Soft Plastic Bait

2.8" Gilley