Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ms Data on July 26, 2014 at 21:35

Great topic Tobias.  I have my fathers tackle box which contains many old lures going back to the 1950's or so.  I'm not sure if I should fish with them or not.  Some of these things are huge.  I know he was using them to fish for muskie or northern pike but I've seen fish smaller than these lures.  Others are still in their boxes, I don't think he ever fished with them.  Then again, others have 50 year old fish guts on them, I need to clean them.  I have been planning on going through his tackle box because it is a mess of lures and old fishing line all tangled up together.  Maybe I'll get some pictures when I get it cleaned up.

FeaturedPermalink Reply by Charles Sample on July 26, 2014 at 21:41

Tobias, get a Jitterbug and a Hula Popper.  They are top water lures.  Seeing a big bass smash one of those is really exciting.

Permalink Reply by jeff on July 27, 2014 at 7:12

you,ve got to have an old jitterbug, for sure..

Permalink Reply by James Cole on July 27, 2014 at 10:12

Tobias,

The guys are right, jitterbug, hula popper, and this one "redhead". The last one, the redhead, has a body shape like the tiny torpedo in your photograph.

Back in the 40s and 50s every outdoors magazine had ads for those three.

Jim

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Robert Burris on July 27, 2014 at 12:13

They look good, Tobias. My wife caught a large Bass on a Hula Popper, years ago. We would use those to fish for Bass down here. I make or tie my own Sac Au Lait [Crappies] Jigs. That's what I fish with most of the time. I catch a lot of other fish with them also. Like Bass and Blue Gill. Good luck if you go fishing.

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Robert Burris on July 27, 2014 at 12:14

Oh, I forgot, I have a friend that collects vintage fishing lures.

Robert Burris said:

They look good, Tobias. My wife caught a large Bass on a Hula Popper, years ago. We would use those to fish for Bass down here. I make or tie my own Sac Au Lait [Crappies] Jigs. That's what I fish with most of the time. I catch a lot of other fish with them also. Like Bass and Blue Gill. Good luck if you go fishing.

Permalink Reply by Ms Data on July 27, 2014 at 13:00

I agree. I still have my Hula Popper and Jitterbugs I got when I was in high school.  Caught many bass on them.  It is fun to watch them come up and grab that popper and set the hook.  Love it.

FeaturedPermalink Reply by Charles Sample on July 27, 2014 at 23:21

I dug these out of my tackle box.  The Jitterbug is on the left, the Hula Popper on the right.  The Jitterbug is a little scarred up but not to bad.  The Hula Popper has lost its skirt but that can be replaced.  Both are top water floating lures.

The Jitterbug you just reel across the top of the water.  The lip makes a gurgling sound as it wobbles side to side.  You reel the Hula Popper in jerks.  Each time you jerk it, it chugs the water.  It is really exciting to see a big bass smash either one of those lures.  I once actually had a bass leap out of the water and come down on the Jitterbug.

At the top is the ubiquitous Zebco 202.  I caught many a fish on a 202.  To this day the rod and reel that I have caught the most fish on was a Zebco 202 and a rod I got with my mother's trading stamps.  The knife is an Imperial fish knife.

But as a kid growing up on the farm, my outfit before I got a rod and reel was a persimmon sprout with maybe fish line but most of the time just that white store twine.  Sometimes a cork, sometimes not.  Bait would be worms that I dug at the wood pile or a piece of bread that I would make into little dough balls or catch grasshoppers or little frogs at the pond edge.  We had several ponds on the farm and a creek.  I caught hundreds of fish that way!  They were just small sunfish but to me they were as good as whales!  (It doesn't take a very big fish to put up a good fight on a persimmon sprout!)

Ah memories!

 

Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on July 28, 2014 at 13:17

What would you say is a good price for an older jitterbug and hula dancer?  Also would you fish with a modern equivalent of either.   What do you guys think of the Shakespeare Glo-lite?

Permalink Reply by jeff on July 28, 2014 at 15:03

tobias.. you can get a variety pack on amazon for 10 bucks... but if you get into the large jitterbugs, and special colors you can spend quite a bit more than that.. i believe the variety pack is the smaller sized ones, but they come in any different sizes and weights. i hava only ever had luck with the small ones. they do make a lot of racket...lol  which is gopod in alot of situations, i have had my best luck with the fat bob type top water lures tho. and the rubber worm  is always my backup.  the shak4speare ugly stik is a great rod.little on the flimsy side.. but very sensitive and tough.. i dont know about thier lures tho' i havnt had alot of luick with thier reels.. to be fair tho' i;ve never used thier upper line stuff,  mainly a shimano ,or penn man myself.

Permalink Reply by jeff on July 28, 2014 at 15:16

btw.. ive fished the fl keys my whole life, mainly backwater in a small 14 ft boat.. now i live in tn, and fish the rivers and lakes..   i will tell you that if you ever want to fish tarpon, in the channels of flats, a cheap shiny spoon works great ! In the channels , a large stick bait is my favorite. It can get to be expensive using artificial lures tho. have fun ! and look out for the trees !!  lol  and  {edit}  oh boy, i could talk fishing all day.. you can find some good deals in yard sales, but main reason for edit is.. on your lures, like the one in the middle of your pic.. the scoop on front can be adjusted with  a pair of plies carefully, to make yourf lure dive quicker, or run deeper {or shallower} depending on situation... if you find a slow day, finicky eaters, you can adjust your lure to dive hard and bounce the bottom.. alot of times the big boys lay close to the bottom... good luck !

Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on July 28, 2014 at 16:12

Thanks Jeff.   I saw that variety pack (actually two different packs plus a few other three-fer packs all for under $10.

I've got an old Shakespeare Cirrus AXL reel (see picture) on a seven foot unidentified pole.  The pole was left in my home by the former owner.  I bought the real at a flea market for $5.  Both work and look great but a seven foot pole is more than I really need. (I'll need to take a  better pic of the rod handle and reel.)   Shakespeare has been making fishing tackle for around 100 years or so.  They must be doing something right. I think they have some type of association with Berkley.

 I've  mostly  used low end Zebco rod/reel combinations.  My latest was one in the Duck Commander (Duck Dynasty) line.  I bought the CEO.  It was on sale for $20 and I needed a pole.  It's really better than I thought it would be especially for $20.  We nicknamed it the "Willie Stick" LOL

I'm looking at picking up a something more mid range.  Right now I’m looking at the Pflueger GX-7 Trion  but need to see it in person.  I'm looking for something around 6 feet long.

I'm also looking at the Wright & McGill Tony Roach Ice Light Spin Fishing Combo, 24-Inch, Brown for Ice fishing.   I’ve got a nice little one by a company called Ice Cold right now.     I haven’t done much Ice fishing but want to try my luck this year.  Plus the 24 rod and reel combos are great for confined areas and bug-out bags!   But  considering you're using a 4 pound line, it isn't going to land you that trophy bass!  

I’ve also thought long and hard about the 4’ 6” Ugly Stick but would probably match it with a different reel. 

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