Blue Streak Posted January 30, 2009 Posted January 30, 2009 I was cleaning out an old tackle box and found six of them. Used to catch many, many bass at night on them. Had a friend that used to fish them all day. Is anyone still using those or have they been replaced by buzzbaits and such? I bet you could still kill the bass on them. Quote
SMfisher Posted January 30, 2009 Posted January 30, 2009 use them all the time at night. caught a lot of fish on them this past year, some nice ones mostly smallmouth. catch a lot of redeyes too. its a lot of fun! Quote
NEKvt Posted January 30, 2009 Posted January 30, 2009 I have a kid that is always in my boat that throws these things non-stop. It is weird because that bubbling sound is just the background noise on the boat now. If that stops it takes a few minutes to notice but then you have to turn around and see if he fell out of the boat or something cause something must be wrong if he isn't throwing the jitterbug. He catches some fish Quote
Super User retiredbosn Posted January 30, 2009 Super User Posted January 30, 2009 I don't think they ever were great, they still work. Depending on when you fish them a buzz is more efffective during the day and a black chatterbait is more effective at night IMHO Quote
Super User CWB Posted January 30, 2009 Super User Posted January 30, 2009 You bet your arse they are. Although they have lost some of their luster anyone who has ever used one will testify it's one of the greatest baits ever made! They might not be one of the "in" baits, but they do still work. I wonder why you don't see any pros sponsored by Arbogast? Do their baits sell because they work and don't need to be hawked on every other fishing show by Bill or Roland? Quote
Super User Muddy Posted January 30, 2009 Super User Posted January 30, 2009 One of my biggest producers. 5/8 Black at night or low light situation or Perch Jitter stick or Musky Jitterbug in the day. They have always been a great bait and I love seeing posts that they are not, the fish see less of them that way : The trick is to get that steady Bloop, bloop , bloop thing going on. Some times you have to bend the bills slightly inwards to get the right sound on a steady cadence also It pays to cut ( do not unscrew the hook holders) off the stock trebles and add some split rings and hang a better treble on them Good Luck and have fun, great old dependable lure! Quote
Steven Ladner Posted January 30, 2009 Posted January 30, 2009 Yes! They are still great. Went to a lake on vacation last summer to do some night fishing. It was the only bait I was catching bass on. They catch the lunkers too. It is the simplest topwater, just reel it straight in. My go to bait for night fishing. Quote
ptomacbass Posted January 30, 2009 Posted January 30, 2009 Yes, Jitterbugs are one of the best night fishing lures ever. I like the black jitterbugs the most for night fishing. Quote
Super User Micro Posted January 30, 2009 Super User Posted January 30, 2009 I can't argue they aren't great baits. They must be. But I don't think I've ever caught anything, ever, in my entire life, on a jitterbug. Quote
basser89 Posted January 30, 2009 Posted January 30, 2009 Jitterbugs produced for me last year on several occassions when nothing else would. I will throw this bit of caution out there. They seem to be having a problem with the quality of the newer jointed ones (like Muddy, I'm using the 5/8oz size). The tail unscrews itself from the main body. I've lost a couple tails off 2 of my newer ones that I've bought in the last two years. LBH gave me a simple solution to resolve this. If you see one starting to come off, take the tail section off and add a drop or two of super glue to it and put it back together. After doing this, I haven't had any problems with those baits. Quote
fathom Posted January 30, 2009 Posted January 30, 2009 have had some of my best heart attacks fishing a jitterbug at night. Quote
Big-O Posted January 31, 2009 Posted January 31, 2009 I think they are and always will be good baits...Fished all sizes of them for years before buzzbaits were introduced. The key to Jbuggin is matching the bait and equipment to get best sound and action results. Also choosing the time and the place and working correct cadence depending on wind and light conditions. Fabulous night time bait..... Back in the day, I fished Florida lakes at night with Muskie Jitterbugs and Jigger poles.....Many multi 10 lb fish nights so I'm kinda partial to the Jbugs Big O www.ragetail.com Quote
SMfisher Posted January 31, 2009 Posted January 31, 2009 i agree with fathom about the heart attack there's nothing like it, in the still of the night your jitterbug is slowly comming toward you and you hear a sucking sound behind your jitterbug-you stop for a second then SPLASH you see the water explode in the moon light you know its a big fish you can tell by the sound of the splash, your clutch is singing and your mind going wild, the fight is on hold your pole high and enjoy the moment. just hope its not a muskie you might not get it in if you're not using steel leaders. i wade fish at night 2 to 3 times a week. my favorite ones are black or the chartuse ones but i'll try other colors if i'm not getting any hits. Quote
Super User fishfordollars Posted January 31, 2009 Super User Posted January 31, 2009 July 16, 2005 night tournament on Lake Nacogdoches. Black jitterbug produced five that weighed 24.89. Quote
Super User Marty Posted January 31, 2009 Super User Posted January 31, 2009 Jitterbug has been my favorite topwater for 10+ years. I don't fish at night, but I catch fish on it in sunlight and low light conditions. I don't know what I'd do without them. Quote
fisher of bass Posted January 31, 2009 Posted January 31, 2009 One of my biggest producers. 5/8 Black at night or low light situation or Perch Jitter stick or Musky Jitterbug in the day. They have always been a great bait and I love seeing posts that they are not, the fish see less of them that way : The trick is to get that steady Bloop, bloop , bloop thing going on. Some times you have to bend the bills slightly inwards to get the right sound on a steady cadence also It pays to cut ( do not unscrew the hook holders) off the stock trebles and add some split rings and hang a better treble on them Good Luck and have fun, great old dependable lure! muddy, i have a bunch of old jointed jitterbugs,[coachdog color,black] 5/8oz with the original rusted hooks, what size split rings and treble hooks should i replace them with ? tia Quote
=Matt 5.0= Posted January 31, 2009 Posted January 31, 2009 Black Jitterbug in the rain.... cha ching. Quote
Super User Dan: Posted January 31, 2009 Super User Posted January 31, 2009 I don't know why I don't use Jitterbugs more often. Everytime I have used them I have done well but for some reason I tie on other topwaters first. Quote
Super User Muddy Posted January 31, 2009 Super User Posted January 31, 2009 VMC's #1 >>>I do not know what size the split rings are, I bought them with a bunch of stuff at a yard sale and they were in an unmarked medicine vial, sorry Quote
Super User eyedabassman Posted January 31, 2009 Super User Posted January 31, 2009 I guide at night and the Jitterbug is my top, topwater bait! But I fish the BIG black Jitterbug. But I change all the hooks and I use VMC 5/0 hooks. When smallmouth come up and slap at it, they get hooked because the VMC's one if not the best hooks for this bait! Quote
Super User Muddy Posted January 31, 2009 Super User Posted January 31, 2009 the 5/8 come stock with #1's the Musky with 1/0 or 2/0. On the 5/8 I like ther action and hook up ratio with the #1's, Marty is more knowledgable on this as I have only switched out o for this year and Marty gave me my first pointers If you can find some of the old JITTER STICKS, not too expensive on ebay They Slay Smallies Quote
dave Posted January 31, 2009 Posted January 31, 2009 A friend who is a guide also guides at night. He uses a musky size jointed jitterbug. Long cast on a long, stout rod. Quote
Super User Muddy Posted January 31, 2009 Super User Posted January 31, 2009 Hey Dave: Do you have a link for the jointed Musky Jitterbug, all I can find is the straight and all they list in the current catalog is straight I would love to try a Jointed model, I didnt know they even made one Thanks! Quote
BassFishingMachine Posted January 31, 2009 Posted January 31, 2009 Yes, Jitterbugs are one of the best night fishing lures ever. I like the black jitterbugs the most for night fishing. Agree 100%, the black jitterbug has to be one of the best, if not the best topwater night lures. Also works great in overcast conditions. For day I like the bluegill pattern (particularly around spawn), I've caught some real quality fish on that lure. I kill em every season with the bluegill pattern jitterbug just before the spawn when the bass are really aggressive, they really go crazy on it then. I do pretty well with the jointed frog pattern jitterbug too, I like that color in more of a padded/weeded enviorment. Only thing I have against them, is the hooks are garbage, but other then that its a truly great bait if you ask me. Quote
Super User eyedabassman Posted January 31, 2009 Super User Posted January 31, 2009 A friend who is a guide also guides at night. He uses a musky size jointed jitterbug. Long cast on a long, stout rod. Yes, that is the size that I use too! Gander carrys them too. Try fishing them at night in the post spawn, and hold on to the rod. I was guiding last summer on a night trip and the guy did not have a good hold of the rod and I lost rod and reel! :'( it was worth about $ 200. But what the hey it happens. He did offer to pay for the rig. I told him to just forget it, he was alot of fun to fish with! Quote
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