Jitterbug Love

[jleonard91]

My grandpa gave me an old jitterbug he says he get back in the early 80s. Since he has given it to me it has been my main objective to catch one on it. Finally was able to land a decent one last night with it. Probably about 3.5. Love the action this lure has. You can reel it in real slow and the front of the lure just wobbles back and forth or you can really burn it across and let the lure just dance everywhere. I think this lure is going to become my new favorite topwater. 

[Bluebasser86]

Jitterbugs are a classic lure that still catches fish for sure. 

[Red Bear]

i bought a black jitterbug, first cast i caught a fish on it, havent had any luck on it since lol

[davecon]

Black Musky at night in Florida . Been using them for over 40 years. I have an old wooden one. Took it to a hobbyist wood worker and had him make a duplicate body, bought a new plastic one, they are good but have a different sound plus on a large fish the hooks will pull out of the "seam", took the hardware from the new plastic one and put it on the new wooden one.

That's how much I like the wooden Muskies.

They sure work here in Florida at night.

[Team9nine]

1 hour ago, davecon said:

Black Musky at night in Florida . Been using them for over 40 years. I have an old wooden one. Took it to a hobbyist wood worker and had him make a duplicate body, bought a new plastic one, they are good but have a different sound plus on a large fish the hooks will pull out of the "seam", took the hardware from the new plastic one and put it on the new wooden one.

That's how much I like the wooden Muskies.

They sure work here in Florida at night.

 

 LJ Brasher

[primetime]

I wish they made one with a clear lip instead of the metal color. I use the Jitterbug sometimes and it acts almost like a wake bait, but for some reason I have never done well with them on a consistent basis.

I maybe need to throw them more since fish probably are not seeing them much these days. I still have a few old Jointed Jitterbugs and weedless versions, maybe I should try painting the Front black with a shaprie like on a chatterbait.

You can bend the lip up and down and get different actions. The one I have caught fish on has a dressed treble on the back. It looks awesome and rides high in the water, I bet it would be great over weeds almost topped out during the day. Need to use it on my next trip. I was just thinking about older lures I have forgotten about. 

Today's Bass do not learn about Jitterbugs in class, They are Naive to the bug.

[*Hootie]

5 hours ago, Team9nine said:

 

 LJ Brasher

That guy always waded around in those alligator infested ponds barefooted. More nerve than I have. He caught some huge bass. 

Hootie

[Bankbeater]

The jitterbug is probably my favorite topwater.  It casts out good, and you can retrieve it in a straight line if you have a clean path between vegetation.

[iiTzChunky]

This site is really gonna start to hurty pocket, I'll probably try to pick one of these up this weekend and give it a try. 

[Josh k]

I have to say jitterbugs were exclusively all I used years ago and they are still some of my favorite lures, I have almost every color in jointed large mediums and a few small ones and they catch fish like no other. My favorite would have to be the rattling large black one close to night time

[bassin is addicting]

Top 3 topwater I use at dusk, dawn and in night tournaments. Change the hooks, add split rings and a drop of super glue when putting the little screws back in. 

[JPascavage52]

Black Jitterbug is the only topwater lure I'll use at night. 

[timsford]

I like the black ones at night. Change hooks to owner stingers and add split rings. Cast out and reel slow and steady. There was a thread back at the start of summer about a guy catching a new state record smallmouth on one at night

[Crestliner2008]

The first lure I ever bought, back in the 50's, with my paper route money. Red & white. Caught a lot of bass on that bad boy.

[the reel ess]

I took my bother in law out bass fishing on a pond I know really well. He took an ultralight rod and an assortment of panfish lures. I schooled him in bass because he's used to fishing for trout or panfish. And he caught a bunch of bluegills and small bass. But when it started getting dark he took out the small black Jitterbug and schooled me. He couldn't keep them off the thing. Meanwhile I couldn't buy a bite with whatever topwater I tied on.

I bought a couple Jitterbugs and a Hula Popper afterwards but they haven't produced for me. Well, I did catch one on the Hula Popper first try. Topwaters are my favorites and I'll keep a couple tied on even during the midday just in case of some surface action. I just took a look at my rod rack. I have 5 out of 7 combos rigged with a topwater.

[Tmmytomato]

I have about maybe ten Jitterbugs, some old wooden and some newer plastic in a couple sizes. I have put a feathered treble on the rear of a couple of them and it seems to help the catch rate. I have also added a split ring between the hook hanger and the hook to give the fish less leverage to toss the bait once hooked - seems to help in keeping them pinned. I love the big black Jitterbug but throw four different colors.The Jitterbug is a classic.

[Haze]

I have some that I was given but I have never fished them.  May have to give it a shot this weekend on a pond i've been meaning to hit.

[jleonard91]

I went out for about an hour last night and caught 4 on it. Nothing worth bragging about, but still fun.