Arbogast Jitterbug

[doyle8218]

Does anyone here fish this?

 

I use them  quite a bit here in Florida and they work well for me but they hang up easy with all the vegetation here. I was thinking about cutting the stock hooks off and adding a split ring and smaller treble hooks. Has anyone tried this and if so:

 

Does it work better?

What size split rings and treble hooks work best?

 

Thanks for the help.

[daiwaguy]

I fish them alot with great success. Some of my biggest fish have come from these. I have never changed the hooks on one. I believe they will still get veg. on them if you do that. I would thing you would have to get some sort of weedless or snagless treble hooks to keep this from happening.

[Preytorien]

I've used them quite a bit. Likewise I have issues with them in vegetation. I think that's just an inherent nature of the bait - like a buzzbait, in bad vegetation you just can't avoid getting fouled up. You could replace the trebles with single hooks, but I've found most of the salad I catch hangs on the scoop and eyelet on the front.

[Jar11591]

I use the jointed Jitterbug a lot. It's deadly, especially after dark. I've never changed hooks, mostly because Arbogast lures make it a challenge to do so. I usually just run mine on the edges if surface vegetation. Any topwater that I use on vegetation will be a frog.

[Grizzn N Bassin]

Never tried to fish it in vegetation, but as close as i can to,it. If you find a better way to fish it in heavy vegetation, im all ears!

[tholmes]

I use the jointed Jitterbug a lot. It's deadly, especially after dark. I've never changed hooks, mostly because Arbogast lures make it a challenge to do so. I usually just run mine on the edges if surface vegetation. Any topwater that I use on vegetation will be a frog.

 

^ Same here. Jitterbegs are my all-time favorite top-water baits, especially after dark, but they aren't designed to run through weeds and slop. I fish 'em on the edges and over the top of submerged grass and weeds with deadly results.

 

Tom

[ClackerBuzz]

they are great for open water but first i'd reach for a spro poppin' frog in the conditions ur describing

http://www.***.com/Spro_Dean_Rojas_Bronzeye_Poppin_Frog/descpage-SPBPF.html

[aavery2]

I have changed the hooks and added split rings, but you have to modify the existing hook hangar a bit for it to work just right.   I also add a feathered trebble to the rear .  I will post a pic sometime.

[AnglerNo.2112]

They make a weedless version that has just a frog hook on the back. I've never used one before so I can't say how well it works.

www.arbogastlures.com/LureUsage.htm

[doyle8218]

They make a weedless version that has just a frog hook on the back. I've never used one before so I can't say how well it works.

www.arbogastlures.com/LureUsage.htm

I have never seen a Jitterbug like that I do have a Arbogast Buzz Plug that has a dual frog hook. But that has a rotating buzz blade.

[CWB]

They make a weedless version that has just a frog hook on the back. I've never used one before so I can't say how well it works.

www.arbogastlures.com/LureUsage.htm

For some reason they are hard to find lately. Good thing I've got a few. Probably find them on ebay.

[Sherlock 60]

The Jitterbug is great for sandy flats at dusk.

The hooks aren't great, but I've never bothered to change them because never had any hookup problems.

Black 1/2 ounce is my favorite.

[Marty]

Jitterbug is my favorite lure and I throw it so much, I may be overusing it, but I have a load of confidence in them.

[flyfisher]

the weedless versions work very well but the thing is, in heavier vegetation it won't give you the same action if the vegetation is on the surface.  now if it is right below the surface they work great.

 

black jitterbug at night has resulted in more huge blowups for me than any other technique.  

[frogflogger]

The musky size is good for big bass and guys use to pull the side hooks up and hold them together across the top with a rubber band and cut one barb off the rear treble and fish them across vegetation for some explosive strikes

[Jeff H]

I've been putting double hooks on mine since the 80's.  Will fish right over everything you can drag it across.  

[Raul]

Does anyone here fish this?

 

I use them  quite a bit here in Florida and they work well for me but they hang up easy with all the vegetation here. I was thinking about cutting the stock hooks off and adding a split ring and smaller treble hooks. Has anyone tried this and if so:

 

Does it work better?

What size split rings and treble hooks work best?

 

Thanks for the help.

Dude ..... There's a weedless version.

[RoLo]

the weedless versions work very well but the thing is, in heavier vegetation it won't give you the same action if the vegetation is on the surface.  now if it is right below the surface they work great.

 

black jitterbug at night has resulted in more huge blowups for me than any other technique.  

 

Bass that cling to heavy cover all day, tend to rove into open water at night.

On summer nights, bass are particularly vulnerable to a noisy black jitterbug.

 

Roger

[iceintheveins]

Awesome lure, especially at night. However over heavy vegetation on the surface, the rage shad gets the call for me.

[0119]

Baby gator's love 'em!  They'll chase them right to your feet.

[Crestliner2008]

First top water bait I ever threw (maybe back in the early 70's) was a Jitterbug. Great little bait back then and still is today.