Jitterbug help!

[Muddy Water Master1301600203]

So, I have recently been throwing a jitterbug almost every night. The bites are amazing and explosive, however the only problem is the fish miss waaaayyy to much. At night it produces more bites than a pop-r, or other top water lures ive tried. Is there anything I could do? Ive even slowed my retrieve to the point that its barely gurgling and the fish lose interes. Trailer hooks? maybe try the XL one? I dont know any help would be appreciated

[bilgerat]

Rule # 1: When the fish hits, DO NOTHING !.....until you feel the weight of the fish on your rod. Then set your hook(s).

Rarely will you get one on a steady retrieve. I usually cast, a couple of cranks and a pause. Repeat this pattern. I get a lot of strikes on the pause.

Another thing, upgrade the hooks. Stock Jitterbug hooks are crap.

[PondHunter]

Replace the hooks with Mustad triple Grip trebles, and add a split ring to attach them with. If you dont have any choice, at least sharpen the stock hooks.

[Muddy]

Ad split rings and change out the hooks for a decent grade hook, everyone has their favorites, I like VMC's for this

also: If you miss a Jitterbug bite, keep a rod handy with a Weightless ,T rigged worm on it ( dark Color) and threw it a little past where you missed the Jitterbug Bite, make sure your heart can stand it

[iceintheveins]

Replace the hooks with gammies, triple grips, or owners.

At night though when it's dark it seems like a steady retrieve works better than stop and go. Other times working a jitterbug, such as normal topwater time, stop and go works much better.

[Muddy]

Jitterbugs are my primary nighttime topwater bait, I can tell you from experience that Owner switch outs, are a little bit too heavy and are detrimental to the action of Jitterbugs, for me.

 Keeping it moving will greatly out fish stop and go. Get that steady Blurb-blurb noise going and you are in Like Flynn.

You can also bend the lips, this can help with getting that blurb sound more pronounced.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Slow

it

down

Steady retrieve, barely gurgle it

Like Muddy said, ok to switch out hooks but only if you match weights.

[Koop]

Never used a jitterbug myself but plan on trying one out, anyone recommend a brand?

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

There's only 1 Jitterbug

[Marty]

Follow the advice already given about adding split rings and replacing the stock hooks--they're absolute junk.

Rarely will you get one on a steady retrieve.

This couldn't be further from the truth in my personal fishing although I can't make a generalization. I use a Jitterbug a disproportionate amount of the time and my retrieves are almost always steady, at what I'd describe as medium speed. Jitterbugs have accounted for my biggest fish this year and many high-quality fish.

For what it's worth, I use 5/8 oz. and can't see a productivity difference between the regular and jointed.

I don't fish at night, but my Jitterbugs produce from bluebird afternoons through dusk.

[Blue Streak]

I also like the steady retrieve. I fish them "by ear". I listen to that steady sound, you will learn it after a few bites. The bass just seem yo love it, and if they miss just keep it coming they will find it.

[The Green Lizard]

The Jitterbug is the best for night fishing.  I started with one and was having the same problem, lost more than caught the first night.  Went to Gander Mnt. and got another black one thinking the other was bad.  Same thing happened the next night missed more than caught.  I am going nuts by now, so I ordered the 1.5 oz giant Jitterbug knowing I was getting bit on the lure but was just not hanging on to them.  I got the lure and fished the night it came in the mail, missed more than I caught on the big lure but noticed I was hooking bigger fish.  I was nuts by the time I got home the next morning.  Went back to gander Mnt. and was talking with this older Gent(approx70yrs) took me the the Mustad hooks told me to get 2 'auts then to the split rings and told me to get a bag of them and my problems would be over.

 That night back out and caught several fish on both the large lure as well as both 3/8 lures, now I have 3 black jitterbugs and have not missed a single fish on either of them.    

[Kayakist]

I fish off the bank at dusk with jitterbugs.  Was missing many hook ups until I switched to braided line.  Non-stretch properties of braid over mono made all the difference for me.

[Muddy]

It's the other way around for me, I use mono, wait to feel the full weight of the fish, and make sure the hooks are set. No stretch = a lot of ripped out trebles

[IdahoLunkerHunter]

One thing about fishing top water is a lot of fish will bite on a reaction bite. They see something moving across the top of the water and they will miss the bait completely. Always have a worm ready to throw right back where the fish blew up. I will guarantee that you will get bit with the worm 95% of the time after a miss.