Reading past forums I notice that I'm not the Lone Ranger who still uses a Jitterbug.  My question is "do any of you other diehards add a split ring to the hooks?"

I have changed out the hooks and added split rings. I also go with one size smaller hook when I do this.

Cut the original hooks off and add better hooks with split rings. You will lose less fish with the split rings as the fish have less leverage.

 

Allen

This is an inexpensive plastic musky jitterbug ($8 bucks from Amazon) which catches just as many giant bass as the ridiculously priced wooden ones…imho. This bug is setup for very large bass, 8lbs and up. Heavy duty split rings all the way around, including the front nose with a 180lb swivel. I replaced the two side hook holders with extra heavy duty heavy gauge hangers. The puny stock ones get ripped off. BKK Fangs are about the stickiest hooks I’ve ever encountered; if a bass even touches them, they’re coming in! Front cup has been “tuned” for the big girls.

 

On 6/16/2024 at 4:39 PM, Zcoker said:

has been “tuned” for the big girls.

tell me more?

2 hours ago, txchaser said:

tell me more?

Check out the "Bass After Dark" and "Big Bass Podcast" on youtube for the episodes featuring a guy named Jimmy Zinker.......hours of knowledge on fishing for monsters at night with modified jitterbugs.      Some of my favorite stuff I've watched on Youtube.  

7 hours ago, txchaser said:

tell me more?

 

The front aluminum cup is bent for a specific sound, high pitch, low pitch….any change to that cup causes the bait to physically react and sound differently. I fish very shallow water so a low pitch hallow-like plop plop plop and side to side kick is what I was after. The aluminum cup is malleable. Have to experiment, is what I did, until I got it just right for my area fished. As mentioned, there’s a great video out about this very subject that explains some of the details. I just did it with the readily available affordable product which has worked very well. 

 

 

On 6/15/2024 at 10:24 PM, Munkin said:

Cut the original hooks off and add better hooks with split rings. You will lose less fish with the split rings as the fish have less leverage.

 

Allen

Thankyou Munkin, both you and Log Catcher have the solution I wanted.