...Seeing from afar

is an artificial bait that resembles the natural food of predatory fish. Since these baits are voluminous, it does not matter from what angle the predator sees this bait: it still looks like a small fish, which is suitable prey for him. The movements of the bait imitate the movements of a fish. Most wobblers are made of plastic, and some are made of balsa wood. Usually the bait has from one to three treble or double hooks. The range of use of wobblers is much wider than that of oscillating or rotating spoons. They can swim or dive into water. At the front of many wobblers, a blade is installed, sometimes similar to a lip. The shape of this blade and the speed of the retrieve largely determine to what depth the wobbler will sink. The shape and design of the wobbler allows it to work at a greater depth than an oscillating or rotating spoon. For longer casts, the weight of the wobbler can be increased.

Content

• 1. History
• 2 Construction
• 3 Classification 3.1 Classification of wobblers by buoyancy 3.1.1 Floating
• 3.1.2 Drowning
• 3.1.3 Suspenders

Story

Lauri Rapala
The creator of the first wobbler is beekeeper James Haddon from America. In 1894, he observed the sharp attack of American largemouth bass on swaying wood chips, which he had previously thrown into the water. Then there were long experiments with wood baits. They ended in 1902 with the receipt of a patent for a wobbler fishing bait, called by the author “Dowagiac”.

In 1920, a wooden wobbler “Heddon Lucky 13” appeared, which had great popularity and commercial effect in the American market. Haddon released the first plastic wobbler in 1032 and named it “Ghost” (through the transparent body). By this time, several manufacturers were already producing baits.

The first Rapala wobbler was cut from pine bark by Finnish fisherman Lauri Rapala in 1936. He was the first to attach a blade to the bait, which allowed the wobbler to go deep to a certain depth and oscillate when retrieving.

Later, the Finn created, which to this day is engaged in the production of baits of this type. Rapala wobblers have become especially popular since 1952, after the Olympics held in Helsinki.

Design

In the description of wobblers, it is necessary to note their design features. Wobblers are made from wood, foam or soft plastic. The most reliable designs include wobblers made of plastic; their body is cast simultaneously with the blade, which allows their reusable use. The blade, unlike glued ones, will never fall off, and the body itself, regardless of damage and bites by predators, can serve for quite a long time.

Wobblers with glued parts and a blade are less reliable; they often fail due to the fragility of the glued parts. During operation, especially when driving at the bottom, the blade often hits the bottom and scoops up soil and stones. As a result, the glued parts become loose and eventually fall off.

Often, wobbler designs use body reinforcement (mainly for lures made of wood or foam). The wire axis running inside the body of the wobbler serves to secure the hooks more firmly. The technology used for attaching hooks to plastic baits is no less durable. In them, fastenings in the form of loops are securely pressed into plastic, which can withstand fairly heavy loads.

Wooden wobblers are less durable due to the natural properties of wood; after almost every bite, bites from the teeth of predators remain on the body of the bait, through which water penetrates. The swollen wooden body simply cracks upon subsequent drying, rendering the wobbler unusable. Therefore, after each bite, the bait should be dried and damaged areas should be varnished.

Variety of wobblers

Foam wobblers are even less durable. They are quickly cut by the fish's teeth and if they are not sealed with varnish after each damage, then very soon you will have to purchase new ones.

All designs of wobblers, according to their sound accompaniment, are noisy, low-noisy and non-noisy. Of particular interest are wobblers with a system of balls, which create a certain sound when inserted. Rolling inside the body, they change the center of gravity of the bait, which significantly affects the casting distance. Since when casting they shift to the tail part of the product, and already in this state the thrown bait has a smooth flight path with the least resistance. By changing the number of balls, it is also possible to repurpose a sinking wobbler, making it floating.

In some reservoirs, where fishermen are frequent guests, the fish become more cautious and prefer less noisy wobblers, which create noises similar to the natural noises of fish when fishing. Wooden and foam wobblers are best suited for these reservoirs; they are practically silent and create noise only by overcoming the resistance of the water and jingling at the hook connections.

In hot weather, when the fish are not active, segmented wobblers provide indispensable help. They consist of two or several parts, which, when pulled quite quietly, create a game that is quite interesting for the fish, thereby forcing it to take active action. The best version of a composite wobbler has neutral buoyancy and is classified as a suspender.

The coloring of the wobbler also has a certain meaning, especially for less active baits. Bright baits that do not match the natural colors cause a kind of aggression in the fish and provoke it to attack. But they are best used in cloudy weather or in cloudy water, since in sunny weather in clear water they can create the opposite deterrent effect. In clear weather and clear water, it is best to use wobblers that are colored in accordance with the colors of the inhabitants of the reservoir.

For active baits, coloring has no role; the fish primarily reacts to the play of the wobbler. When using artificial baits, it is necessary to regularly monitor the condition of the hooks; it is best to use high-quality hooks with a high degree of sharpening. This will help avoid frequent fish runs. If the hooks nevertheless become dull, then they must be sharpened with a diamond needle file. The caught fish should be unhooked from the bait in compliance with safety precautions; never grasp the wobbler itself, but only the detachable hook, since there is a possibility of serious injury from the second free hook when the fish jerks. In this case, damage and breakage of the wobbler itself is also possible.

Wobblers consist of:

• body (body),
• blades for deepening and more intense vibrations (“games”),
• one, two, three, very rarely four hooks (three hooks are mostly used, but for less snagging on vegetation, “double” or single hooks can be used),
• loops (ears) for attaching fishing line,
• wobbler loads.

How to attach a wobbler to a fishing line

There are two methods of attaching to a fishing line, suitable for wobblers. Other methods often worsen his game.

Fastening with carabiner clasp. Fasteners are good to use with wobblers with a length of 5 cm and above; on smaller ones they can make it heavier and the wobbler will stop working.

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The second option is to tie the wobbler with a Rapala knot.

With small wobblers and where a leader is needed, it is easier to use a fluorocarbon leader, tying it to the wobbler with a Rapala knot. The leash can be attached to the fishing line using a knotless clasp. With larger ones you can use classic steel and other leashes.

Problems with wobblers

The advice applies only to branded wobblers from well-known manufacturers, who balance the wobblers at the factory and make them with stable quality.

Classification

Classification of wobblers
There is no clear and unambiguous classification of wobblers. But in practice, these baits are classified according to several parameters. However, wobblers have special parameters and characteristics that make it possible to systematize this huge type of spinning bait.

Classification of wobblers by buoyancy

Depending on how the wobbler behaves in the water after casting, three main types of bait can be distinguished.

Floating

If, after falling into the water, the wobbler floats on the surface, then this model is of the floating type. The following wobbler designations are used:

• F (Floating) - floating.
  Such wobblers do not sink in water until the wiring is done. During wiring, thanks to the presence of a blade in the front part, the wobbler sinks shallowly. But after the wiring stops, it floats safely to the surface.
• FF (Fast Floating) – fast floating.
  To make such a wobbler dive to a sufficient depth, you need to increase the speed of the retrieve; after stopping the retrieve, it quickly rises to the surface.
• SF (Slow Floating) - slowly floating.
  In terms of buoyancy they are very close to the previous category. They are able to go deeper with a slower retrieve and do not emerge so quickly when stopped.

Drowning

If a wobbler that has fallen into the water sinks to the bottom, then this bait is suitable for the sinking type. Lures of this type are compact and heavy, they have good flight properties.

Designated as follows:

• SS (Slow Sinking) - slowly sinking.
• S (Sinking) – drowning.
• FS (Fast Sinking) - fast sinking.

Suspenders

When a wobbler falls into the water, slightly sinks into the water column and hangs in it, then such baits are usually called suspenders or suspenders. It is enough to add a carabiner and the suspender will begin to slowly sink. These wobblers have the following designations:

• SP (Suspending) – wobblers with neutral buoyancy.
  Such baits remain in the water column, as if floating or hovering in the depths.
• SSS (Super Slow Sinking) – very slow sinking.
  If you leave such a wobbler without moving, it will sink, but very slowly.

Classification by depth

Wobbler is a unique type of spinning bait. Its uniqueness is due to the range of depths at which the bait can be used.

According to the depth of immersion, wobblers are divided into 3 classes

Superficial

Those models that practically do not go deep during wiring (up to 1 m) and go along the surface of the water are called surface ones - SSR - surface (Super Shallow Runner).

This type of bait most often includes:

• poppers;
• gliders;
• chuggers;
• crawlers;
• walkers.

Surface wobblers either have a small blade, which is located at a strong angle to the direction of the fishing line, or have no blade at all.

Medium depth

SR - Shallow Runner

— the next type of bait refers to medium-depth wobblers (1-2 m).

• jerkbaits;
• rattlins;
• darters.

Most often, medium-depth models are bladeless wobblers, but they also come with blades (an intermediate model between surface and deep-water ones in terms of inclination and blade size).

deep sea

MDR - Middle Deep Runner

or
DR - deep diving (Deep Runner)
- wobblers that dive deeply when retrieved (from 2 to 10) are called deep-water.

This type most often includes:

• minnow;
• fat;
• shad;
• crank.

Depending on the size and shape of the blade, as well as on the angle of its inclination, the wobblers are buried more or less. If the blade is small and at a large angle to the line, this means the wobbler is shallow and is unable to dive deeply, while wobblers with a wide blade and barely deviated from the axis of the line are deep-sea.

Classification of wobblers by body shape

Wobblers have different body shapes. Some lures are thin and long, others look like little fat ones.

Types of wobblers with blades

• Minnow
  - a characteristic visual feature of the Minnow class bait is its elongated body. A secondary sign (not always mandatory) is the absence of any play or vague attempts to “wag the tail” on a uniform retrieve. Lures of this class resemble fish such as gudgeon and bleak.
• Shad
  - this form can be said to be “identical to natural”. Thus, wobblers of this geometry are similar to juvenile carp fish, in particular dace, roach and rudd. They already have their own game, which is facilitated by their tall, flattened body.
• Fat
  is a bait with a drop-shaped body, which is shorter than that of a minnow and larger than that of a shad. Underlined crank. Thanks to its “thick” figure, it actively plays even on a slow retrieve.
• Crank
  is a wobbler with a tall and laterally flattened body, occupying a position between Shad and Fat.

Types of surface wobblers

• Popper
  is a wobbler designed for fishing from the surface. The model does not have a blade. In the front part of the “head” there is a rounded depression, due to which the popper makes sounds that attract the predator during wiring. One of the varieties is Chugger.
• Stick Bait
  - due to its shape, this model received the unofficial name of a stick or stick. The wobbler does not have a blade. The performance of the bait mainly depends on the method of wiring.
• Crawler
  is a specific bait that has a wide blade mounted across the head. Sometimes the blade is bent into the shape of ears or like wings.

Types of wobblers without a blade with an average immersion depth

• Rattlin
  - wobblers shaped like a diamond. The ring is located on the back of the bait and is distinguished by the presence of rattling balls inside the body.
• Jerk Bait
  are large wobblers that require a jerk retrieve. There are 3 types:

1. divers (Diver);
2. gliders (Glider);
3. Pullbait.

• Darter
  is a wobbler with a narrow and long body, and has a front part cut at an angle. It is distinguished by its own low-frequency play.

Wobblers components

Wobblers-components (Jointed) stand separately

, in which the body consists of two or more parts connected by a hinge. composite models made of soft materials are called swimbaits. Cicadas are wobblers that imitate frogs, rodents, crustaceans and insects.

Types, type of structure of wobblers

Wobblers can be floating or sinking, the depth range is mainly from 10 cm to 10 meters.

Wobbler body structure

According to the structure of the body, they can consist of one, two, three or more elements.

This gives them the following options:

Two-component wobbler Rapala Scatter Rap, photo Rapala.ca

A multi-component wobbler moves in the water in a “snake” manner, which improves and makes the game more natural and attractive to the predator, but it creates less vibrations in the water, so the predator does not feel it well with its lateral line.

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Suitable mainly in places where there are a lot of fish, and especially for a lake, or when you are absolutely sure that a predator is present in the place where you will fish, for example, after checking the place with an echo sounder. In this case it will be quite effective.

Not suitable for fishing a reservoir when searching for a predator.

A common problem with them is that when it falls on the water, it catches on the leash with hooks, and also does not fly far when casting.

There are two ways to solve the problem:

• Before a multi-component wobbler falls into the water, it needs to be stretched; this can be done by slowing down the line a little before the fall. You need skill and be careful not to cut or burn your finger on the fishing line;
• Use baitcasting reels. They solve this problem completely.

Single-component wobbler
A single-component wobbler, on the contrary, has a less active and attractive game, but creates a powerful wave and more noise, which is caught by the side line of the predator and attracts it. A universal option.

The body shape of the wobbler should be selected based on the food supply of the predator in the pond. The bait should imitate the natural prey of the body of water where you are fishing.

Fishing with a wobbler

Fishing with a wobbler
Upon arrival at the fishing site, you should carefully inspect the reservoir to determine exactly which wobbler is best to use. In standing waters with thickets of algae, it is best to fish with poppers. They can be easily carried across the surface of the water. The popper will not sink and will collect all the algae that gets in its way from the bottom.

Suspender wobblers can be used either floating or with a shallow depth of penetration, which makes it possible to conduct them in overgrown reservoirs. It should be borne in mind that any wobbler of this type can become sinking. The metal fastener used for coupling adds to the weight of the wobbler, and it naturally loses its original parameters.

A sinking wobbler, heavier and naturally more compact, is used for long-distance casting on reservoirs without dense vegetation. This type of wobbler can be used at different depths. To do this, several preliminary casts are made, during which the time for complete immersion of the wobbler is determined. Knowing the sinking speed of the bait, it will be possible to fish the reservoir at different depths along the very bottom, along the water column, and at the surface.

All wobblers, as a rule, are equipped with several hooks, so it is better to store them separately in small boxes neatly placed in a special container or suitcase. This method of storing baits will allow you to take one box with the necessary wobblers upon arrival at the fishing spot, and leave the rest in a tent or car.

Using a wobbler you can catch, first of all, any predatory freshwater fish: pike, pike perch, perch, catfish, chub and a relatively predatory asp. It all depends on the type of wobbler, size, reservoir in which you intend to fish and, of course, your skill. If all the circumstances are successful, your first trophy will most likely be a perch or a pike. Spinning fishing with a wobbler is very popular. Any good store will definitely help you choose the most successful bait for your conditions.

What kind of fish can you catch with wobblers?

A wobbler is the best bait for large predators. Having several different models in your arsenal, you can safely go out to catch pike, asp or pike perch. However, in order to get the coveted trophy, you should take a responsible approach to the choice of bait, which largely depends on the time of year and fishing technique.

• Pike . This large freshwater predator is excellent for spinning. In the spring (after spawning) it is better to catch it with small sinking wobblers, using a leisurely retrieve with pauses. In summer, the same leisurely retrieve and brightly colored floating wobblers are effective. In autumn, it is recommended to fish with deep-sea fatties, shads and minnows of natural colors, diving to a depth of 6 meters;
• Sudak . This strong fish is a desirable prey for many anglers. To catch pike perch, you need to choose wobblers that look like fry or bleak. By depth of burial - SSR or SR. As for the size of the bait, it all depends on the size of the fish. Wiring - horizontal with minimal acceleration;

• 
  Perch

  . This predator, leading a gregarious lifestyle, loves water shelters. It is caught well on small crankbaits (SR and DR), minnows, shads, poppers, and jigs. The choice of gear is of great importance. Optimally, a rod with a medium or slow action, the test weight should not exceed 15 grams, the reel should be inertia-free, the cord should be braided with a diameter of 0.14 mm;
• Chub . And here, when choosing the most catchy wobbler, you should take into account the season. At the end of May and beginning of June, small minnows are good. At the height of summer, it is better to choose larger baits. In the fall you can fish for cicadas that imitate tadpoles, waterfowl and flying beetles. In general, different wobblers are suitable for catching chub: poppers, rattlins, darters, jerkbaits. The main thing is to choose the right place. You should look for the predator near steep banks, near sharp turns of the river and rapids with a fast current;
• Asp . Floating models and suspenders are suitable for asp fishing. Color doesn’t matter much, but if hunting is done from a boat or under overhanging trees, then bright wobblers are beyond competition. Particularly interesting are models with pronounced animation. For example, Jackall Bros Cherry, Imakatsu Crank IK, Lucky Craft Flat CB MR.

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Wiring techniques

• Uniform wiring.
  This is the simplest wiring. We throw the wobbler to the desired fishing point and evenly pull the bait. This method works great when a predator is actively biting. This method is also good when using wobblers that have their own game: swimbaits, cranks.

• Stop & Go (Stop & Go)
  is a method in which uniform retrieving is performed with pauses of 1 or more seconds after 3 or 4 revolutions of the spinning reel. This wiring technique is used for catching pike, which tends to grab the bait while paused.

• Twitching
  is a wiring method during which the wobbler constantly twitches. This wiring causes the bait to make chaotic movements to the sides. Minnow is usually used. This wiring has proven to be excellent when fishing for perch.

• Walking the Dog
  - this method is good for swimbaits and walkers. Wiring can be described as slow twitching.

Tying a wobbler

Rapala knot
To attach a wobbler, experienced fishermen prefer to use a knot called “Rapala”. To do this, follow these steps:

1. We retreat a small distance at the end of the “braid” and knit a simple loop without tightening it.
2. We pass the remaining tip through the wobbler ring.
3. We return the tip back and thread it through the previously tied loop.
4. We wrap the missing tip around the main part of the fishing line with three or five turns.
5. We return the tip back to the loop and thread it through it again.
6. Returning the tip in the opposite direction to the beginning of the winding, we thread it into the loop formed after the previous step.
7. Tighten the knot and cut off the tip.

Wobbler selection

All the variety of these baits requires certain skills, abilities and good knowledge of the reservoir. Since not every angler can afford to have a whole box of “fish for all occasions,” to select a wobbler, determine the following characteristics of the reservoir:

• depth;
• current speed;
• water color.

For deep areas and murky water, choose bright colors. For fishing in the current, do not take wobblers with large “blades” and excessively high frequencies - their play will be disrupted. It doesn't hurt to know what kind of fish you want to catch. Pike loves large slow-moving baits, pike perch loves elongated mines for bleak, and give perch any little thing, as long as it moves quickly.

Now a few words about the cons. The only but huge disadvantage of wobblers is their price. We are not talking about cheap Chinese counterfeits costing $1.5-2. The reason is the lack of play (they float like a piece of tied wood) and, as a result, a zero result. Therefore, advice, it is better to buy one branded working wobbler, and not ten Chinese ones, and do not repeat the mistakes of others!

Choosing wobbler color

In most cases you need to experiment, but there are some recommendations.

• Wobblers of bright, acidic colors are clearly visible in dark and turbid water;
• In clean water, you should use the natural colors of the fish in the reservoir you are fishing in.
• You should take into account the state of the environment: if the sky is cloudy, you can try colors such as yellow, red, neon, even acidic.
• In cloudy or night weather, you can use wobblers with a black stripe on the belly; they contrast better in the water against the sky, since most predators look, observe and attack from the bottom up.
• There are wobblers whose pattern is clearly visible under the influence of ultraviolet light, it is important to understand that not all fish can see UV, they should be purchased only for certain species, in other cases there are no advantages.