"Musky" Jitterbug Modifications

[Wild Bill]

I want to switch out the factory supplied hooks to new O-rings and Owner 2X or 3x hooks.

What sizes of O-rings, and what size and model hooks should I use ?

They would be used primarily for freshwater Bass.

Thanks for your help.

[Wild Bill]

Is this a "secret bait" that nobody wants to talk about ??

I am suprised by there being no responses yet on this thread.

[BassManDan]

Your kinda right, there are a handful of guys that are using the J-Bugs, but they've been using them forever, so it's not really a secret, just a quietly maintained bait that most other people over look for a new fancy Luckycraft or Lunker Punker.

Just go with some 2X Strong Gamakatsu round bends, maybe a size or two bigger than the stock size, don't want to impede the action of the bait with big heavy hooks.

[blkdog812]

talk to cooch, he's the jitter bug king

[Oldschool]

Musky Jitter Bug;
1. Buy the wooden plug.
2. Change the rear hook; VMC* round bend, same size as original and hang on a split ring. You can add chicken/marabou feather to the rear hook, if desired.
3. Keep the side hooks on the original hanger and change to VMC*.
The side hooks may tangle if hung on split rings.
4. Custom paint; standard black works good out of the box; you may want to piant the bill black. Trout or bullfrog patterns are good optional custom colors.
* VMC are sharp, work good on this lure and can be easily resharpened. Owner & Gamakatu are premium hooks, difficult to resharpen.

[brambo0311]

Tying feathers on both sides and the tail doesn't hurt. You can pop a black bird or a sparrow and part him out. If you do it right they come out a ringer. Don't forget the landing gear to epoxy on, they get ripped off but it looks cool for while.

[TomAtkeson]

Be careful not to shoot redwing black birds in california. That subspecies is considered a threatened species.

[miklanderson]

Be careful not to shoot redwing black birds in california. That subspecies is considered a threatened species.

Only if you get caught...

I have a pigeon infestation in my neighborhood....Last I checked, it's OK to kill flying rats.

[Dom]

Or you could just modify the whole bait except for the lip, this is an original Bassman Lures from WAY back in the day (before Black Dog Baits) "BATMAN" I have caught so many fish on this bait I had to remove two of the hooks to rewrap the feathers

<a href="http://s170.photobucket.com/albums/u257 ... G00077.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u257 ... G00077.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[Wild Bill]

You're always dead on with your answers....and now I have been told to ask you [once again--LOL].

[TomAtkeson]

I don't think Bass would even eat them dirty critters!

[Wild Bill]

That's way cool looking, Dom.

Thanks for sharing that photo with me.

The feathered hooks look interesting, and it looks like it has o-rings on the hooks, correct ?
Any clue as to what SIZE of either of them ?
[No good tackle shops around here to compare sizes].

[TomAtkeson]

Bill,
It does have split rings but does NOT have the original 2 screw hook hanger. Looks like Jeremy switched those out for the single eye screw.

[Wild Bill]

The "Musky" Jitterbugs have screw eyes from the factory, Tom.

I know on the 5/8 size 'bugs' I use a #2 treble, so I was thinking maybe a size 1 or 1/0 for the hooks in 3x or 2x treble, but was concerned the two side-hooks might snag each other if I go too big. especially with the O-rings involved.

Trying to trick out this old-time favorite of mine.

Figured a bunch of the guys here would know.

[Cooch]

You're always dead on with your answers....and now I have been told to ask you [once again--LOL].

Yeah, some guys just know how ta push the right buttons with me! HAR! HAR! HAR!

I am a big fan of the Jitterbug, and I love tossing the MuskieBug here and at Clearlake. And yes, I admit it, as BMD states, I just chose not to talk much about it.

I've had the best success with just leaving the damn things stock as they come out of the box. I don't see any difference between the older wooden models versus the plastic injected models, other than the wooden models are indeed very scarces these days.

The back hook is much easier to replace than the two side hooks, ya just remove the back flathead screw, loosen the front screw, remove hook, replace and tighten back down. Ya just gotta be careful here as they are small screws and it's very easy to ruin the threading creating a weekspot back there.

The side hooks are a little more of a challenge, as ya have to remove the eye screw, open it up, then remove, replace and close the eye to change out the hooks. Again, doing this, ya have two potential issues, one ya weekend that eye each time ya spread and close it to replace the hook. And secondly, you'll have a simular problem in unscrewing that hook too many times as you'll degrade the threaded hole.

Adding "O" rings is an option, but you will most definately have to go down two possibly three hook sizes to avoid the two side hooks from catching each other and fowling the retrieve and action of the bait. Using the "O" rings, will cause the hooks to ride snug right up against the body. This will create some additional sound, but it will also run a groove in the finish of the bait, which causes the hook to catch in that groove over time and again fowl the retrieve. Also with the hooks now riding tighter to the body, you'll tend to miss fish that swipe at the bait. Where as the original design affords those hooks to ride out away from the body of the bait.

I also don't really believe there is a need for any feathers, they will serve virtually no purpose other than to make the bait look "cool", when showing it off to fellow anglers. The Muskie Bug, for me, is the original wake bait, yet it makes a lot more surface commotion than the wake baits we use today. This commotion, basically negates any presence of the feathers on the hooks that one might think they would entice strikes from bass. It's different when ya use the feathers on a bait that is paused or fished slowly. That pulsating, undulating tail can make yer bait look more life like. The contrast the feathers give can do the same. But the MuskieBug is all about constant movement and it's wild commotion. Feathers are useless in my opinion.

The only other thing I'll add is, this is one of the very few topwater baits that I DO NOT use with braid. I actually still fish mine on 20# mono, in particular, 20# STREN Magnaflex. Using braid gets caught too often in the side hooks when ya cast. Using Fluoro, causes the bait to not draw and gurgle properly as the line begins to sink during the retrieve. The mono works perfectly with this bait.

That's my story, I'll stick to it and NUFF SAID! HAR!

[Oldschool]

The wooden musky size Jitterbug, for me, is easier to cast due to the density of the cedar and the side hook hangers are the same as the back hook hanger, easier to change the hooks. The wooden plugs are also a lot stronger and I like the eye detail. Other than that, same action.
Tom

[cib11b]

Jitterbug an oldie but a goodie. One of my very first lures I have ever owned given to me by my dad when I was about 7.

[Wild Bill]

Thanks for all of those great answers to my questions, Cooch.
I hugely appreciate it.

I am 55 now, and at 6[back in 1960], my first lure ever was 1/4 ounce Jitterbug.

Those "bugs" STILL work great !!