I'm sure it's been discussed....Jitterbugs!

[crappieflopper90]

As you can tell by the name... Crappie is my Gold. But my Grandpa instilled bass fishing deep into my DNA. I'm newer to the experienced bass fishing. About 7 years in and I gotta tell you... my two favorite lures to use are a Green/chartreuse minnow on a black Jighead during morning and at night? My grandpas Jitterbug. No lure is more fun. And so easy.... so so easy. My son loves watching the bass jump up and smash it!

 

Yalls thoughts on the bug? Whata your go to lures for lakes

[king fisher]

Blurp Blurp Blurp greatest sound in bass fishing.

[Bird]

They were a hot item many years ago but I've not thrown one in decades.

Prefer a buzzbait or whopper plopper due to better hookup ratio, imo

[GreenPig]

Jitterbug is good. I'll fish a Musky Jitterbug at night when I need something slower than a Buzzbait and less obnoxious than a big crawler but noisier than a rat.

Go lure for lakes? Depends on the lake, species, water temp, clarity, season,.........

[casts_by_fly]

I prefer a buzz bait myself but only because we have weeds and the trebles on a jitterbug are a problem. At night in the ponds growing up a jitterbug was unstoppable. 

[DaubsNU1]

Love me some Jitterbug! 

[Justin Collier]

I like a jitte bug. My favorite top water lure is the storm chug bug in molten steel. You can walk it or fish it like a popper   

[RRocket]

I also love the Jitterbug but prefer something a bit noisier but along the same lines...the Jackall Pompadour.

 

Same sort of unique topwater sound..but with loud rattles and more bubble trail.

 

But I agree wholeheartedly...these are just about the most amusing and easy topwater baits to throw! 

[Tackleholic]

A frog color Jitterbug was my Dad's favorite lure, introduced to him by my Grandfather, probably in the 1930's.  In succession, Dad taught me to use a bait caster with a Jitterbug tied on, probably around 1950.  Fast forward to today, I still catch fish every year on Jitterbugs;  always have a frog color and a black one in my top water box.

[Pat Brown]

I just ordered the last XL Jitterbug that BPS had in stock and I'm excited to throw it during evenings on flat rocky banks!

 

Hopefully catch my first jitterbug bass here soon and share with y'all!

[Mobasser]

My favourite Jitterbug fishing is at night.I like a dark, humid night. I like the standard black Jitterbug in 5/8 oz. Second would be the last half hour before dark, with the same black Jitterbug.                                            Jitterbugs and night/ dusk fishing go together like apple pie and ice cream.

 

[Fallser]

It's one of my favorite lures.  Probably because I caught my first 4+ pound bass on one.  I have a few in my tackle box and even made up a couple to toss with my fly rod.

I picked up the ones I have at fishing flea markets.  Most cost me $1 to $2.  I just clean them up and replace the hooks and they're good to go.

 

[scaleface]

One of the first lures I had. That along with a Hula Popper, Lazy Ike and Flatfish that I got for Christmas one year .. Never caught much with any of them.

[Zcoker]

Nothing like the bug, espeically the original wooden jitterbugs. If your grandpa's is an old original Arbogast wooden jitterbug, then don't loose it! Those things fetch a hefty price nowadays. Might wanna just grab a plastic one to be on the safe side. In any event, there's something special about the bug, espeically the old wooden ones. Some of the biggest bass around nail them. They shine at night. A calm, quiet night working the bug will produce some of the most vicious strikes imaginable!

[Skunkmaster-k]

Jitterbugs are fun. 

[Zcoker]

16 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

I prefer a buzz bait myself but only because we have weeds and the trebles on a jitterbug are a problem. At night in the ponds growing up a jitterbug was unstoppable. 

 

You can use a rubber band to secure the two side treble hooks against the body of the bait. Helps out a lot in weedy areas. I do that sometimes out in the everglades, which is loaded with hydrilla and just about every weed imaginable. Haven't really noticed any difference on the hookups, all about he same, secured hooks or loose hooks. With the bigger bass (which are usually the ones that hit) the hooks break loose anyway. 

[crappieflopper90]

10 hours ago, Zcoker said:

Nothing like the bug, espeically the original wooden jitterbugs. If your grandpa's is an old original Arbogast wooden jitterbug, then don't loose it! Those things fetch a hefty price nowadays. Might wanna just grab a plastic one to be on the safe side. In any event, there's something special about the bug, espeically the old wooden ones. Some of the biggest bass around nail them. They shine at night. A calm, quiet night working the bug will produce some of the most vicious strikes imaginable!

It absolutely is wooden. He repainted it about 8 years before he passed. Thankfully I have a kayak on me at all times. I will never lose it. 

A lot of you guys are saying they're best at night. How about early early mornings? I'm a 5 am fishing til 930-10 kind of guy. Best lures for the morning? I'm usually fishing in fairly clearish lakes. Most medium sized lakes 

[Bankbeater]

I don't see many people fishing with Jitterbugs any more.  A lot of people tell me it's and old lure.  I consider it their loss.

[NavyToad]

I caught my PB (6-14) on a Jitterbug. It was about 10 minutes before it got dark. The mosquitos were bad and I could have just as easily packed it in but I had to get in "just one more cast". 2-3' of water in August.

[Captain Phil]

On 5/15/2024 at 9:55 PM, GreenPig said:

Jitterbug is good. I'll fish a Musky Jitterbug at night when I need something slower than a Buzzbait and less obnoxious than a big crawler but noisier than a rat.

Go lure for lakes? Depends on the lake, species, water temp, clarity, season,.........

 

I started fishing with my grandfather while sitting on the bank.  My parents didn't fish, but they found a male friend from church that did.  He was a Navy Chief that I thought was the greatest bass fisherman in the world.  I was only 12, but he took me fishing with him at night in the everglades.  He fished while I rowed and we would switch every hour or so.  All he every used at night was a Musky Jitterbug. We tried all colors, but all black was the best.  I still remember the sound they made in the dark.   We caught many big bass on that lure.  Some years ago, I found a NOS wood Musky Jitterbug for my collection.  When I look at it, it reminds me of those early fishing trips.

 

[GRiver]

@Captain Phil what makes them a musky jitter bug to a regular jitter bug? Is it the hooks on the side? Mine has only two hooks with one on the bottom and one at the tail.

[MAN]

Are the new ones still wood, or have they changed them over to plastic? 

[Bluebasser86]

On 5/20/2024 at 7:42 AM, MAN said:

Are the new ones still wood, or have they changed them over to plastic? 

They've been plastic for quite a while now.

 

I use to fish a muskie jitterbug occasionally. I don't fish any of them anymore. Treble hooks are a no-no at night for me.

 

A similar bait that I do like is the Livingston Walking Boss Part II. Only Livingston bait I've ever used and liked. Something about it really seems to fire them up. 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Livingston_Walking_Boss_II_Tournament_/descpage-WAL.html

[Captain Phil]

23 hours ago, GRiver said:

@Captain Phil what makes them a musky jitter bug to a regular jitter bug? Is it the hooks on the side? Mine has only two hooks with one on the bottom and one at the tail.

 

The Jitterbug in my photo is an antique that has never been fished.  This is the way they were made when I started fishing 60 years ago.  Mine is made of wood.  I believe they are all plastic now.  I was not aware that the hook positions have been changed, but I wouldn't be surprised.  The major difference is the size of the bait.  Sixty years ago, casting reels were not free spool and lures were much heavier.  I am not sure if the hooks are internally wired. We never had a bass pull them out, but a large musky might.  What I do remember quite well was the night we both got splashed with water when a large bass hit right at the side of the boat.   Pretty exciting for a youngster. 

[Functional]

its just about the only lure I fish once it starts getting dark and until a little past first light. I had 2 lures growing up...purple worm with a split shot and a jitterbug. Every time I fish either one it brings back my childhood.

 

This thread is making want to dig out my father's old "Crazy Crawler" lures and see how they do now. It's another lure I never see anyone throwing and might do well.