jitterbug

[buckwheat]

i have one and whant more and some info. so how do you all fish them, and which one do you think is the best one to get and what color.

thanks

[Marty]

Jitterbug is my favorite topwater. I just fish them with a steady retrieve. For most of my Jitterbugging years I used the 3/8 oz., both regular and jointed, but for the last two years I have been using the 5/8 oz. about 85% of the time. Black is the only color I own. I'm not saying that I've tested colors and concluded that black is best, it's just that I have a lot of confidence in it and don't feel that owning more colors would catch me any more fish.

I modify the baits by throwing away the hook hangers and adding screw eyes, split rings and decent hooks. I also super-glue the two screws that hold the lip to the body.

The 5/8 oz. bait doesn't seem to draw any more or fewer strikes, but it casts farther and is better able to maintain its action when there's a chop on the water compared to the 3/8 oz.

[Hop]

The only color I have ever used is black. I throw it as it is getting dark on weedlines or near structure and crank it back slow and steady. I love its sound.

[moby bass]

Years ago, I purchased a red head jitterbug, but frankly, I never had any success with it. I still have it and

I have changed the hooks to red, and I will give it more use this year.  I have the perch, frog and black

and the black is the best producer, 5/8 oz as Marty said.  There is nothing quite like a black lake, on a warm summer night, no visible lure, just hearing the plop plop plop and then having a bass absolutely smash that black Jitterbug.  You can fish them steady, or I like to give em a crank and get 3 or 4 plops out of them and let them sit for a few seconds.  

[ben watson]

i have a few different colors all jointed 5/8oz, when you cast it and it hits the water i like to let it sit still for 5-10 seconds then i start to reel it slow and pick up some speed, sometimes i will stop and let it sit again and start reeling again,you will know if you are doing it right by the sound blub,blub,blub SMASH

[Cravin]

Cool ...Marty has a tricked out jet black Jitter. As much as he swears by them I think I'll get a black one real soon. I have a yellow and green one that I hardly ever use.I think its a neat bait and top water strikes are the best. Post a pic so I can see the mods better.  Your making me think I should give it another shot.

[wickyman]

I have heard about the black being great, but the favorite of mine, would be a frog colored...  Basically, I would retrieve it after 5 seconds, then jig it a couple times, make it pop a bit, then reel, jig, etc...  I get a desired effect!  

[Marty]

Post a pic so I can see the mods better.

Sorry, I may be the last man in America who doesn't own a digital camera.  :'(

[kbkindle]

hey marty   kbkindle here    great idea about changing the hook hangers    i keep getting the two hooks  locking each other   what size hook do you go to on the 5/8oz size a #4 treble hook   kb :

[skillet]

 I have always used 3/8 black jitterbug, like everyone else says "there is nothing like that sound on a dark lake" . Maybe my fault for not using it enough in lighter situations, but do a lot better early mornings, late evenings and night. I've got way too many top water baits to not have a favorite for each time of day :-[...

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[eyedabassman]

I too use the black in the big jetterbug, the muskie size. I fish at night alot and that is my number one topwater. But change them hooks, if you fish with the hooks that it come with it, you will loose too many hook ups. I trade mine out with 5/0 VMC hooks, they are like razor  sharp.I hook fish that just hit from the side,with the old hooks that would not happen.

[Marty]

hey marty   kbkindle here    great idea about changing the hook hangers    i keep getting the two hooks  locking each other   what size hook do you go to on the 5/8oz size a #4 treble hook   kb :

Ken,

I use #4's on the 5/8. On the belly hook I put the screw eye right between the two screw holes from the hook hangers or else use the frontmost screw hole.

On the rear I used to put the screw eye right in its butt so it was sticking straight out the back. However, on the last lure or two I found I couldn't make a hole with an awl and screw the eye in because the plastic seemed too hard. So I put the screw eye in the rearmost hook hanger screw hole.

Either way, tangling hooks has not been a problem except maybe very rarely.

[skillet]

Marty,

 Do you fill the extra holes with putty and sand or maybe silicon them :-??

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[boondocks]

I fish it slow and steady on cloudy days, early mornings, late evenings, and am gonna try some night fishing this year with them. Love this lure.

[Bluecraw]

I think Marty likes the jitterbug as much as me. :  It's also my favorite topwater and would have to agree that the black 5/8 oz is the most productive, with the frog color being my second best.  

I leave the hook hangers, but I do add slip rings and Gami EWG #4 hooks, with a red one in front.  And if you're real obsessed, you can polish that big lip a little for some shiny flare.

[GAMEOVER]

I always have a jointed black jitterbug in my tacklebox. They are one of the oldest and most productive topwater lures. Sometimes ill add a suspendot on the back of the aluminum lip. This will let you get the same blubin action but with a slower then your use to retrieve, give it a try.

[Marty]

Marty,

 Do you fill the extra holes with putty and sand or maybe silicon them :-??

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                                                            Skillet

Skillet,

There really aren't any extra holes. After removing the hook hangers I just put the screws back in. Although I've always thought it wouldn't matter since the holes face downward and nothing would happen that I can think of.

Good luck.

[skillet]

Marty,

 Thanks for your help

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