How to Fish a Jitterbug

Jitterbugs are a classic topwater lure that are popular among bass fishermen. They are well known for being productive when used for night fishing. In this short post, we will cover what a jitterbug is, and how to fish this lure for maximum effectiveness.

What is a Jitterbug?

A jitterbug is a topwater lure that has two cupped lips that create a side to side motion along the surface of the water when retrieved. This side to side motion is attractive to fish and helps the bait to mimic jitterbugs. They come in a wide variety of sizes and colors.

Nowadays there are a few different kinds of jitterbugs. There are models that resemble classic jitterbugs, jointed jitterbugs that have extra movement, and weedless jitterbugs that can be used over messy surface vegetation.

How to Fish a Jitterbug

When a jitterbug is retrieved correctly it will wobble from side to side. It is a pretty simple lure to use. You can vary your retrieve speed to try mixing things up, but another good technique to use when fishing jitterbugs is the stop and go technique

To do the stop and go technique, cast your jitterbug and let it sit for a few seconds. Then, begin your retrieve. Retrieve it for a few seconds, and then stop. You can stop for a few seconds or upwards of ten seconds before retrieving again. Then repeat. Oftentimes when fishing bass or northerns, they will wait for it to stop before striking. This is what makes the stop and go technique so effective.

Another useful tip when fishing jitterbugs is not to set your hook immediately when you feel a strike. If you set your hook to soon you won’t have a good hook set. Wait a few seconds after the strike to set your hook.