......I gotta admit, in the 15 years I fished for bass, I can honestly say I I never used a Jitterbug. How sad is that.. ;D

I didn't fish them a lot, but I caught a few bass on Jitterbugs this year. It was a double rush because the bait was one of my lures that I had in the 1960s.

plop, plop, plop, plop, plop, plop, plop, plop, plop, plop, plop, plop - whoosh ! Fish on !

I did some tackle box rummaging as well and found one more to add to my list. Zara Spook. I've thrown that thing hundreds of times in conditions that should produce top-water strikes and....nothing.

Tom

I found a Zara Spook in great condition hanging on a tree limb a few weeks ago. I'll give it a go next spring - hope I can "walk-the-dog" and nab a few fish! I love value, and a bait that cost me $0, and catches a fish, is the ultimate value ... ;D

A Zara Spook and Spook Jr are my go to top water baits. Summer 2009 I had a 38lb sack in 28 minutes all on a Spook Jr. I was fishing it fast enough that it would pop out of the water about 3 inchs.

-poppers

-jitterbugs

-jigs

-grubs

-a buzzbait fished top water, i have caught fish running them underwater like a spinnerbait though

Try a 5" weightless and weedless on a 1/0 EWG. Fish them anytime you think the fish are in water 4-5 feet deep or less (or at least are at the top of the water column). Cast, let fall for a few seconds, and twitch/swim them back. Or bring them back as a topwater. Should work - I've caught 761 LMB so far this year using grubs.... :

thanks for the info, ill try this when the spring rolls back around

Years ago my dad gave me a topwater lure that I had never seen before and still haven't saw anywhere else.  It has a soft body w/ a flat hard tail.  Were the line attaches it is connected to a "rip cord" or drawstring like a kids toy.  When you cast it the string pulls out and the tail flutters on the water for about 10 seconds.  In calm water it looks pretty cool and makes a wake sitting still.  Every once and while I'll pull it out to show someone and cast it a handfull of times.  Not even a boil,  ever!

Knock off Senko...Tried several brands

Just bought NetBait Salt Licks and will give them a try. For all the money i've spent experimenting with stick baits I could have bought a couple year supply of Senkos.

zara spooks and those walk the dog baits. Covered plenty of water but unfortunately they always come back to the boat without fish :'(

It's all about the rythme with Spooks and other walk the dog baits. For me a slow constant retrieve is good when it's calm but when there is a chop on the water or the fish are really chasing you can work it with fast snaps and make it jump all over. They are by far my favorite clear water top water bait.