Hey all, I was wondering what folks think of the jitterbug? I’ve searched on here found a couple mentions but not a lot of info.

I am pretty new to top water and thought I’d see what local places had in stock. Local Wally World had the jitterbug marked for 95 cents. I figured it looked like a good deal so I grabbed a couple even though I didn’t know anything about it figuring at that price there isn’t much to lose. In hindsight now I realize this must have been a pricing error!

Anyways, just curious if folks have had luck with this for smallies in the BWCA? Thanks in advance!

I'm sure the Jitterbug would work under the right circumstances. I've caught lots of Michigan largemouth on them in years past. But in recent years my tripping partners and I have gone almost exclusively to Whopper Ploppers for topwater smallies and largies in canoe country. You can cast WPs a country mile, and you can fish them fast and cover a lot of water.

Pretty sure the black jitterbug and the yellow hula popper were the first 2 lures I bought like 50 years ago. I still have both, never caught a fish on either but I would like to just for fun.

I’ve used them for over 50 years and always caught fish on them. I’m not saying they are better or worse than any other lure, but they catch fish. At that price you can’t go wrong.

Jitterbug would work just fine. You would probably lose quite a few to pike with it being a short profile top water unless you use a leader.

It's a great fish catcher working the edges and structure above the water. As mentioned, a steel leader may help keeping it. there's nothing better than seeing the strike. Also as mentioned, Whooper Ploppers are also great, go black with them.

I caught my PB smallmouth on a black Jitterbug.

iCallitMaize: "Jitterbug would work just fine. You would probably lose quite a few to pike with it being a short profile top water unless you use a leader. "

+1

Jitterbugs work great

T

Just a few caught on the black Jitterbug.



For kids or someone new to topwater fishing they are great. Reeled with a tight line and a SLOW steady retrieve, just fast enough to get the plop-plop-plop sound. When you feel the weight of the fish set the hook, cuts down on misses. I will still cast them from time to time. Work near shore, over structure, or even over open deeper water, at dusk. I like the black color. The jointed ones work too.

I love my black Jitterbug. Having a big pike come out of the weeds and hit it is a pretty cool site.

Use a leader if you're in pike country.

They work well, but not in emerged weeds since those trebles hang down. Then you're better off with a frog or buzzbait that can get through/over the weeds without hanging up