The Arbogast MudBug is one of the all time favorite crawfish imitating crankbaits. A cousin of the old Bomber crankbait the MudBug was one of the first crankbaits to have a chartruese color and was a hot item in tackle stores across the country. At the time the Mudbug, the Hellbender, and the Bomber were the only metal lipped divers anglers clamored for. Bagley and Fred Young at Cotton Cordell had balsa divers around that same time.
The Mud-Bugs wide wiggle with a quick diving angle created a hard vibrating action and ensured its ability to run deep and bump the bottom.(8-10 feet) Once on the bottom this bait hugged it and stirred up the mud attracting bass…thus the name. This unique action has made it a big fish favorite of serious anglers and now one that serious collectors are attracted to, as well. Its ability to float allowed it to back out of heavy cover on a slack line eliminating potential hang-up situations where old metal lures would not.
One of the best times to fish a Mud-Bug is during the early Spring when the big bass are in a pre-spawn situation and crawfish start to appear. The Mudbug works best when it comes in contact with the bottom and surrounding cover. Old timers believed heavy line was a must when fishing this lure through and around thick, heavy cover.
There were two models of Arbogast MudBug: the G22 and the G20.
From the Arbogast archives. Don’t you love the way it was marketed?
Model No. G22 – This model Mud-Bug weighs 5/8 of an ounce and is the favorite size for the big bass fisherman. Its heavier weight gives it the ability to be cast a great distance and stay in contact with the bottom for a greater distance per cast increasing your chances of getting a strike.
Model No. G20 – This smaller size Mud-Bug weighs in at ¼ of an ounce and is made to fish in shallower depths 4 to 6 ft. This lure produces a lot of bass when fished right before the spawn in early Spring. You should always try to keep this lure in contact with the bottom.
The MudBug is no longer available but can be found for sale on EBay and other auction sites.
