1960s Spinning Jitterbug Lure by Fred Arbogast

The famous Spinning Jitterbug Topwater Fishing Lure was invented by Fred Arbogast, a champion
tournament caster and tackle maker from Akron, Ohio., His angler equipment company released the infamous lure design in 1937. The Arbogast Jitterbug features a distinctive concave double-cupped metal lip that creates a loud, rhythmic "gurgling" sound and wobbling action on the water's surface. Beginning in the 1920s, Arbogast carved a deep-diving lure out of a broomstick, but it sank poorly and failed to work underwater. After several “trials & errors”, a friend of F. Arbogast named Brooke Ortell experimented with the failed diving prototype by reversing the lip position, realizing it would make an incredible topwater bait. Refreshed from Brooke’s prototype experiment, Arbogast refined the concave spoon-shaped lip design, patenting the iconic surface walker that remains a favorite for bass fishing today.

Excellent Condition
Original Box and Package Insert Catalog
Double Treble Hooks
Yellow in color (non-nighttime)
MemoryLaneVintiques picked this item at an estate sale in Denton, TX


*ABOUT FRED ARBOGAST INC.
from Amazon Research and Internet Archives

In 1925, Fred Arbogast, who was an infamous tournament caster, a fisherman, and an inventor started his own company out of his home in Akron, Ohio. Having worked for Goodyear and B.F. Goodrich in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, since high school, he hit upon the idea of rubber skirts for lures. He called his creation the Hula Skirt, and he used it on his Hawaiian Wiggler (a precursor to the buzzbait), Hula Popper and Hula Dancer. His skirt design led to the use of rubber and other materials to make pliable skirts for a multitude of lures popular today. With the instant success of the Hula lure line, Fred began an angler and bait business that incorporated in 1946 called Fred Arbogast Inc. Sadly, the company founder was a victim of a untimely death in 1947 at the age of 53. Immediately following the death, the Fred Arbogast Company went through challenging times but relentlessly thrived through various structural changes. FAC became one of the country's top fishing tackle firms. It eventually was led by one of the most infamous and well-respected fishermen in the fishing industry…Richard "Dick" Kotis. Dick Kotis overwhelmingly was selected president of the firm in 1957.
As a resident of Northeast Ohio, Dick loved fishing, played football, graduated from the Kent State University, and possessed even a higher education than Kent St. Under his leadership, many new inventions were created by anglers such as as Toby Shopper, John Oney, and his batch of champion field testers. The Fred Arbogast Co. continued to thrive long after its founder's death under Mr. Kotis. Dick actually changed the name of the company from Fred Arbogast Company to simply Arbogast Lure Co. sometime in the 1970s/1980s. Arbogast Lure Co. became part of PRADCO Outdoor Brands in 1997, making Arbogast lures a memory.

ARBOGAST & B.F.H.F
In 2024, Fred Arbogast’s contributions were cemented in American Fishing History by finally being inducted into The Bass Fishing Hall of FAME. Arbogast's contributions to fishing extend far beyond lure design and manufacturing. He won his first distance casting competition at 22 years old, and within a few years he began to dominate national bait casting competitions. He held world casting records in both accuracy and distance categories, earning at least eight national championship titles in the National Association of Scientific Angling Clubs. In 1925 he hurled a half-ounce weighs 293 feet — just shy of a football field in length. He was a tireless promoter and educator of bass fishing, presenting seminars and trick-casting demonstrations in his area of the Midwest. He was a dedicated conservationist, as well. As a leading member of the Izaak Walton League and his county's Fish and Game Protective Association, Arbogast campaigned to curtail water pollution and to protect fisheries from overharvest. RIP

* The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame is located inside Johnny Morris' Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium in
Springfield, Missouri, adjacent to the Bass Pro
Shops National Headquarters.

** The classic Arbogast Jitterbug-invented by Fred Arbogast and introduced in 1938-is a wobbling surface plug defined by its double-cupped metal lip rather than a spinning blade.
Across core sizes, jointed models, weedless versions, and historical variations, Arbogast and PRADCO have produced dozens of distinct style and size combinations in upwards of 15 to 20 standard colors, resulting in hundreds of unique catalog variations over the decades.
Core Sizes and Models
• Standard Sizes: Available in three primary sizes (2-inch quarter ounce, 2.5-inch 3/8-ounce, and 3-inch 5/8-ounce).
• Jointed Jitterbug: Features a hinged two-piece body for a wider swimming wiggle.
• XL / Musky Jitterbug: An extra-large, nearly 5-inch version weighing 1.25 ounces designed for large predator fish.
• Fly Rod Jitterbug: A tiny 1/8-ounce micro version made for fly fishing gear.
• Weedless & Luminous Models: Specialty
1970s variations like the single-hook weedless skirted version and glow-in-the-dark luminous models.


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