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Old 06-28-09, 04:07 PM   #1
Bassboss
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Question All right a few dumb questions!

Ok I've had these questions on mind for a long time, but never got around to asking them.

Number one:

How do you retrieve a jitter bug? Just slowly reel it in, or stop and go or what? I know you're gonna say let the bass tell you.. but how do YOU catch most of bass on them?

Number two:

Spooks? Like a zara spook, do you just cast them walk them back, or walk them and stop them every once and wile.

Just had to get them out of the way!

Thanks!
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Old 06-28-09, 04:11 PM   #2
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Never fished a jitterbug, sorry. The spook I like to walk the dog steady back to the boat. I find pointing the rod tip at the bait and using the reel and slight wrist acton works best.
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Old 06-28-09, 05:04 PM   #3
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The Jitterbug is truly a chuck and wind bait. All the action etc. is built in just throw it out and reel it back in. Of course throwing it near cover or ambush points help.Spooks I change it up stop and go, slow walk back, fast walk back until I find that particular times productive retrieve.
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Old 06-28-09, 05:24 PM   #4
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On jitterbugs, I usually start just like bonsai said. If that's not working, I'll treat it more like a jerkbait, twitchin and reelin in the slack, before I switch to something else.
The jitterbug is pretty much the definition of "tried and true". I've been fishing them since I was like 12. (28 years for those of you counting lol).
Caught tons of largemouth and rock bass on 'em. I like to lead with 'em early morning and late in the evening.
Not sure how much top water you've fished bassboss, but NUTHIN' beats a top water strike.
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Old 06-28-09, 05:38 PM   #5
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Ok BB, I just went to find the "official" color name of the one I use. The "official" term is.........yellow/black lol
I've used the "frog/white belly in the past but really think the best results have been on the yellow/black.
Go buy a couple colors, whatever you think would work for your area and give 'em a whirl. as bonsai alluded to, they're incredibly easy, as well as fun to fish.
i thing it was bama who said something to the effect of "jitterbugs still work?" in one of my threads lol.
all kidding aside, I'm willing to bet bass have been caught on jitterbugs as much as any other top water lure ever. hula poppers work pretty well too but jitterbugs are A#1 in my book
Bass seriously explode on 'em
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Old 06-28-09, 05:44 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dominic View Post
Never fished a jitterbug, sorry. The spook I like to walk the dog steady back to the boat. I find pointing the rod tip at the bait and using the reel and slight wrist acton works best.
For shame! lol Give the jitterbug a try
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Old 06-28-09, 10:39 PM   #7
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I agree that most often they are cast and retrieve/walk baits. However, if that is not working I will often go to a stop and go action before moving on to the next bait.
On the question of how do you fish (any bait). The fish will decide. Don't ever be afraid to vary the retrieve on any bait you are throwing.
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Old 06-28-09, 11:49 PM   #8
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1. Yes

2. Yes



Seriously-if fishing it one way isn't producing, try a different retrieve. Let the fish tell you what they want.
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Old 06-29-09, 02:46 AM   #9
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My favorite way to work the spook is to walk it back with a steady cadence for four or five feet and then give it an agressive jerk, causing it to quickly dart and glide off to one side. I fish the clear one the most.
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Old 06-29-09, 07:17 AM   #10
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A larger jitterbug in black can work well at night pulled with a steady retrieve, even the big muskie size... At other times with the smaller sizes, vary the retrieve greatly from a slow and steady, to moderate with stops, to yanking....making it ski across the water for a foot or two, pausing and then twitching a couple times trying not to move its position. When it's skiing, resembles a fish chasing fry on the surface. It's really more versitile than most people realize concerning the retrieves. An amazing lure.
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Old 06-29-09, 09:05 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MallenManson View Post
On jitterbugs, I usually start just like bonsai said. If that's not working, I'll treat it more like a jerkbait, twitchin and reelin in the slack, before I switch to something else.
The jitterbug is pretty much the definition of "tried and true". I've been fishing them since I was like 12. (28 years for those of you counting lol).
Caught tons of largemouth and rock bass on 'em. I like to lead with 'em early morning and late in the evening.
Not sure how much top water you've fished bassboss, but NUTHIN' beats a top water strike.
Basically all I do in the summer! I'll go about an hour before dark and throw a frog or buzzbait! Gonna try the weedless jitter bug next time!


Quote:
Originally Posted by MallenManson View Post
Ok BB, I just went to find the "official" color name of the one I use. The "official" term is.........yellow/black lol
I've used the "frog/white belly in the past but really think the best results have been on the yellow/black.
Go buy a couple colors, whatever you think would work for your area and give 'em a whirl. as bonsai alluded to, they're incredibly easy, as well as fun to fish.
i thing it was bama who said something to the effect of "jitterbugs still work?" in one of my threads lol.
all kidding aside, I'm willing to bet bass have been caught on jitterbugs as much as any other top water lure ever. hula poppers work pretty well too but jitterbugs are A#1 in my book
Bass seriously explode on 'em
Thanks Mallen! I dunno if I can remember that color?!?

Now all I gotta do is get a job! lol!
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Old 06-29-09, 10:12 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bonsaibp View Post
The Jitterbug is truly a chuck and wind bait.
A lot more people than just those named "Chuck" and "Wind" use them.
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Old 07-04-09, 02:48 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bassboss View Post
Basically all I do in the summer! I'll go about an hour before dark and throw a frog or buzzbait! Gonna try the weedless jitter bug next time!




Thanks Mallen! I dunno if I can remember that color?!?

Now all I gotta do is get a job! lol!
Just an FYI, I picked up a new Jitterbug and Hula Popper today. Both 3/8 oz (smaller than my yellow/black) and both in Perch pattern
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Old 07-04-09, 03:58 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MallenManson View Post
Just an FYI, I picked up a new Jitterbug and Hula Popper today. Both 3/8 oz (smaller than my yellow/black) and both in Perch pattern
Cool! Thanks Mallen! Still have yet to use the mine, have not gone fishing in a week, I think I'm gonna melt! But we should be going tomorrow!
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Old 07-04-09, 04:39 PM   #15
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Good luck!
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Old 07-04-09, 05:14 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MallenManson View Post
Good luck!
Thanks! You too!
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Old 07-04-09, 05:18 PM   #17
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Cool! Thanks Mallen! Still have yet to use the mine, have not gone fishing in a week, I think I'm gonna melt! But we should be going tomorrow!
I feel your pain man i have not been out since fathers day hopefully tomorrow i will be able to sneak out for a bit .

Jim
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Old 07-04-09, 05:41 PM   #18
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I feel your pain man i have not been out since fathers day hopefully tomorrow i will be able to sneak out for a bit .

Jim
Wow! That sucks! Hope you catch something!

Where going to previously private owned chain of lakes! I hear there's some good bass in there! Well see though!
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Old 07-04-09, 09:54 PM   #19
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Wow! That sucks! Hope you catch something!

Where going to previously private owned chain of lakes! I hear there's some good bass in there! Well see though!
Sounds like a winner there!
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Old 07-05-09, 01:37 AM   #20
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most of the time i get my bites on a spook when the bait is moving, so i usually keep walking the dog all the way back to the boat. but there are times when i come to a piece of cover or structure when i will pause the bait. if a fish boils and misses the bait i think you are better off to keep the bait, if i pause the bait i usually don't get the fish to come back and hit it again.
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Old 07-05-09, 09:19 AM   #21
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Sounds like a winner there!
Yeah, Some kids from school have shone me so big bass caught from there! Most of them caught on worms.

Quote:
most of the time i get my bites on a spook when the bait is moving, so i usually keep walking the dog all the way back to the boat. but there are times when i come to a piece of cover or structure when i will pause the bait. if a fish boils and misses the bait i think you are better off to keep the bait, if i pause the bait i usually don't get the fish to come back and hit it again.
Thanks a lot c-rig! I'll keep that in mind!
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Old 07-06-09, 01:52 AM   #22
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My favorite way to work the spook is to walk it back with a steady cadence for four or five feet and then give it an aggressive jerk, causing it to quickly dart and glide off to one side. I fish the clear one the most.
Clear because you really do not want bass getting a good look at that jackass-looking thing , lest they detect it as the imposter that it is. Other colors do take precedence over that goal, however, such as using a firetiger pattern in murky water when fish may need to get a look at it from a distance so they can decide to go after it.

With all topwater floating plugs, I am a fan of the prudent pause.

This, at minimum, includes after the initial splash after casting, since fish may be either somewhat spooked or exiting cover to investigate the splash. The goal of the prudent pause is to the keep the lure in the strike zone, which is to say not remove it from the strike zone prematurely.

During retrieve, wherever you pass an area where you think bass may be exiting cover to get a look at it but need a bit of time to reach its general vicinity, take a pause there, lest you retrieve past the strike zone. This on sum takes less time than multiple casts, which is especially important whenever you are using a spook as a seek bait.

A Zara II is the first artificial I learned to fish, as a teen. Not the best one to cut your teeth on but it worked out. Still today, although my top-producing lure type has been spinnerbaits, there's no lure I'd rather thrown when conditions are right for it than a Zara.

I've had fish "torpedo" a Spook. This means they leap from the water and land atop it in a mouth-first attack. No fishing excitement is higher! None!

Last edited by Stew; 07-06-09 at 02:26 AM.
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Old 07-06-09, 08:19 AM   #23
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Wow! That sucks! Hope you catch something!

Where going to previously private owned chain of lakes! I hear there's some good bass in there! Well see though!
AAAAWWWW!! Didn't go yesterday, I'm now in the proses of melting!

Quote:
Clear because you really do not want bass getting a good look at that jackass-looking thing , lest they detect it as the imposter that it is. Other colors do take precedence over that goal, however, such as using a firetiger pattern in murky water when fish may need to get a look at it from a distance so they can decide to go after it.

With all topwater floating plugs, I am a fan of the prudent pause.

This, at minimum, includes after the initial splash after casting, since fish may be either somewhat spooked or exiting cover to investigate the splash. The goal of the prudent pause is to the keep the lure in the strike zone, which is to say not remove it from the strike zone prematurely.

During retrieve, wherever you pass an area where you think bass may be exiting cover to get a look at it but need a bit of time to reach its general vicinity, take a pause there, lest you retrieve past the strike zone. This on sum takes less time than multiple casts, which is especially important whenever you are using a spook as a seek bait.

A Zara II is the first artificial I learned to fish, as a teen. Not the best one to cut your teeth on but it worked out. Still today, although my top-producing lure type has been spinnerbaits, there's no lure I'd rather thrown when conditions are right for it than a Zara.

I've had fish "torpedo" a Spook. This means they leap from the water and land atop it in a mouth-first attack. No fishing excitement is higher! None!
Thanks a lot Stew!
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