Arbogast® Jitterbugs® - Original
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- Deep, gurgling rhythmic action
- Hard for fish to resist
- Casts like a dream
Rated 4.7 out of 5 by 181
reviewers.
Rated 5 out of 5 by YazooBASSMaster You'll want a few of these in your tackle box!
If I had to pick one lure to night fish for bass with, it would be the Jitterbug. This plug emits a steady plopping sound that is easy for bass to detect at night. I have caught several 6-pound plus bass on these lures & I never leave home without them. Use the weeldess model in heavy slop for some sure-enough heart-pounding topwater strikes! Be sure to spool up with heavy, abrasion-resistant line, because you'll catch some certified lunkers on this plug.
September 13, 2008
Rated 5 out of 5 by greenohio822 Great lure
Was out fishing on a pond after dark with the 3/8 black Jitterbug for about an hour and caught 7 bass. Topped it off with this 5-pounder and called it a night. Do yourself a favor and pick one up. You'll be glad you did.
May 1, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by profisher21 great lure
I have 14 of these lures and i caught my first bass on one. The classic plop action is unmet by all other immitaters. this bait will land you bass pike muskie massive perch and ive even caught a catfish on one. If your looking for the most wild action classic topwater bait get the jitterbug
February 13, 2013
Rated 4 out of 5 by catfishman14 nice noisy topwater
this is a good noisy topwater. wish i would get more strikes on it though, but i like the action on this lure
January 26, 2013
6 Questions | 56 Answers
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Answers
A:
Have done some hook changing over the years. Smaller 2" have looped screw that can be opened for hook replacement, back treble is collared which requires loosening looped screw. I do not like to do that. The 3” lure has small setscrews holding a holding bracket that can be taken out with an optical screwdriver.
Top 250 Contributor
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remove the screws on the hook-hangers-replace with new hooks- put the screws back in the original holes- do not over tighten!A:
You take the hooks off like a key chain.Details:
I want to know the best color for largemouth bass
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the black one has caught more for me then the green.A:
The best color is black, hands down. Nothing outperforms it, especially at night.A:
BlackA:
try black or green colorA:
CLARITY OF WATER MATTERS BUT, I HAVE GREAT LUCK WITH THE PERCH COLOR IN ANY WATERA:
Black and Green with a white bellyA:
BLACKA:
I personally like the frog color, but i fish areas that have plentiful amounts of natural frogs. Im pretty sure that the crowd favorite is the black to fish at night but i fish the frog in the day so thats the route i take with it and i have had a lot of success.A:
Depends on color of water and how sunny it isSunny days frog looking
Cloudy days Black
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The Black color is the most versatile for low light conditions (early AM, late PM, night fishing). The green/white belly frog is an excellent option if you notice frogs in your lake. I would say if you could only buy one, get the black, but if fishing with light out get the green/white.
Top 250 Contributor
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jitterbugs are typically used for night bassin. i have a few different colors and all work well for me.Details:
I have it and haven't caught anything yet on it and was wondering if I got the wrong size for me.Answers
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Yes, I have used the jointed Jitterbug but results were simular. The 2" and 3" have worked well. I have had excellent sucess with these along step cliff walls or across points later at night on lakes. Other lares work better on rivers and streams.A:
I FIND THE 5/8 OZ. SOLID BODY PERCH COLOR TO BE MY MOST PRODUCTIVE...ALTHOUGH I OWN ALL 5/8 COLORS SOLID BODY AND JOINTED VERSIONS AND MOST HAVEN'T EVEN SEEN THE WATER...WHY SWITCH WHEN YOU FIND A BIG PRODUCER?A:
Have you tried the 2inch? Ive always had pretty good luck with the original size which I think is 3inch. But this season and for the first time ive been using the 2 and it has worked great! Either way happy fishing and hope this helpsA:
You might want to try changing how you present it.A:
try and use the 3/8oz or try a different colorA:
Try different attack angles, hit points and over submereged cover and different retrieve styles, stop 'n' go, slow 'n' fast, and a burn retrieve (fast). Also, try at night or early moring. The 5/8 is the normal size I use, and black and jointed happens to be my favortie model. i have success with this lure retrieving it slowly near lily pads.A:
yes
Top 50 Contributor
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You got the size that will catch bigger than average bass. The best time to use your jointed jitterbug is at night and low-light like an hour before dark and before sunrise. If you fish it at night, you should catch bass - especially if you are fishing spots where bass like to hit top-water lures. I catch more bass when I fish it 4 ft and shallower. Try going different speeds with your jointed jitterbug too. Bass sometimes like one speed and then change to hit a faster or slower speed. I like to go pretty slow and make a small area of ripples around the jitterbug. I fished the 5/8 oz jointed jitterbug all over Michigan, and usually catch 14" to 19" bass on it. My biggest bass on the 5/8 jointed jitterbug in 2009 was 19 1/4" & 4 1/2 pounds. You need to try it in shallow spots at night that you know are good for bass and experiment with your retrieve speed.Images for this Answer
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Absoultely especially at night and over submerged weed beds
Top 250 Contributor
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experience tells me there is no wrong size unless there are no fish big enough or aggressive enough to take it. If you or others have used this lure alot and released all the caught fish they may be onto you and your lure. i landed a 4lb bass with the large non-jointed j-bug just a couple days ago.Details:
Thanks for your help.Answers
Top 250 Contributor
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ponds are your best bet for this lure due to its high action and topwater nature. pitch it up under a tree where insects are likey to fall into the water. big bass like to hang out and wait for smaller fish to come munch the bugs. or if you score a pond with an island like i got send it up and down all accessable sides of the island. dont give up on the lure to quick its action seems to get the fish cranky after a while this works well for me
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near any type of cover such as docks, trees, etc.A:
toppwater, slow retrievalA:
In the late spring thru early fall cast parrallel to banks right around dark and reel in at a steady slow pace. hang onto your rod! good luck.A:
i use a jitterbug everywhere i am fishing. if there are bass around it will get their attention. i use the weedless jitterbug cause i can throw into areas that a normal jitterbug may get snagged, and i can use it on open water. it is a great all around lure.
Top 250 Contributor
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I like to use it in the early morning and when dusk is coming I cast the JitterBug from my boat and most of the time I will get a 2 to 5 LB bass on the first couple of casts
Top 50 Contributor
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I like to use it at at dusk and when it gets dark on calm water. A slow steady retrieve seems to do the job. Let the water settle when you cast it before you start reeling.A:
at night along weed beds or lillypads,a nice slow or sometimes fast twitch retrieve the bass ussually explode after it!A:
Use it in shallows near cover at sunup/sundown. And all you need to do is reel it in slowly - just fast enough to get that side-to-side head wag with the plop-plop-plop sound - listen for that and try to make the sound nice. If you want to get fancy, pause in your retrieve for 3-10 seconds maybe every 6-10 feet. Be ready for explosive hits!A:
I use it during the day in spring and late fall but almost always after dark in the summer. It's best cast parallel to the shoreline or other structures in shallower water less than eight or ten feet long. I have had great success in larger reservoirs and small farm ponds as well. I prefer black for nigh fishing and almost always use the larger lures for castability and larger fish. If I was to use it just for smaller fish like Rock bass I would downsize my lure.
Top 50 Contributor
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You cast it out and slowly reel in when it's cloudy or windy and around an hour before dark. The brighter or calmer it is, I go to a moderate but not fast retrieve. Where to use it is a shallow area and shorelines are good out to 3 or 4 feet deep. Warm water is best for Jitterbugs since they stay on the surface. Also, use mono or braided line to fish surface lures because fluorocarbon sinks and can hurt the action. Cast it out and reel it in, but change speeds to see what fish want.Details:
Getting started in bass fishing, no idea what size hook to choose.Answers
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the smaller the better
Top 250 Contributor
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size dosent matter unless the fish are not big enough or aggressive enough to take it. for me repetation is key to this lure dont put it away after only a few casts if nothing hits itA:
You just gotta play around with them to get a feel for sizes. Its best to pick the middle size and go from thereA:
The smaller size will definitely get more strikes and hook-ups, but the larger jointed one will provoke larger bass and cast easier on baitcasting gear.
Top 250 Contributor
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I use the smaller hook for my lake (30 acres) but in a large lake like Oconne.Hope it helps
Top 50 Contributor
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No need to worry about hook size, there is no choice for hook size. The bait is pre-rigged with its own size. I use the 2 !/2 inch size.A:
the bigger the lure the bigger the fish.....A:
use the larger sized ones for easy casting, Just throw it out and wait for the ripples to dissapear before retrieving. Many times bass will eat it while it sits. If that doesn't happen then start a nice methodical retrieve that makes the lure go plop plop plop. When a fish strikes it wait util you feel the weight of the fish before you rear back then set the hook hard cuz it might be the biggest bass of your life. If it's a small one he will get a exciting flight. LO
Top 50 Contributor
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Use the 3/8 size to catch a lot of fish, but go to 5/8 for the bigger fish. Replace the hooks with similar size Gamakatsu hooks.
Top 50 Contributor
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Bass got big mouth larger size works fine try 5/8 oz #1 hook (BIG BAIT BIG FISH)Details:
I bought two of these, but while I was tying my rapala knot (what i usually use for my poppers), it slipped out very easily through the open part of the eye loop. This worries me because I'm afraid that when I cast out, it'll fly off.Can anyone help? I even tried closing the little open part of the eyelet with plyers, but no luck.
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definitely polomarA:
Tie a Palomar knot to a size 7 snap swivel. Then you can just take stuff on and off in secondsA:
You are on the right track pinching the eyelet closed with pliers. Use either an improve double clinchknot or the palomar knot. The action on this lure doesn't need the loose loop like many lures do because you reel this lure in at a steady pace, or a stop and go. It uses the action from the lip wobbling to entice the fish, not any twitching or loose loop non-restricting knot action.
Top 250 Contributor
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You have to use a larger line like 10 or 14 pound line but I like the improved Clinch
Top 50 Contributor
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Try a palomar knot and you should not have to close the end, which could change the natural action of the bait.
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im originally from NJ but i recogmend using a quality swivel snap!A:
Don't mess with the eyes, they are a important part of the balance of the lure. I simply use a double improved clench knot or trilene knot and we don't have a problem with it.
Top 50 Contributor
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Always use Palomar knots. They are the strongest knot that will hold at the same strength as your fishing line. There is another knot, "the fishin' fool" knot that is equally strong, but more complicated to tie.
Top 500 Contributor
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use a mono loop knot. if you dont already know how to tie it go to the bps outdoor library.A:
Although you can use a swivel it does take away some of the action , I have used a rapala knot for years and never had a problem with lure coming off.If you are concerned use a good knot & go for it .
Top 1000 Contributor
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I would just use a palomar knot with a swivel snap.1 of 1
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