Types of wobblers for fishing: by buoyancy, depth and shape

A wobbler is a fishing bait that imitates a live fish and attracts the attention of a predator. The history of the appearance of the wobbler dates back to 1894, when the American James Haddon made an interesting observation. While at the dam, he planed wood, and when he got ready to go home, he threw the waste into the water. The perches immediately attacked them.

Fascinated by this discovery, James conducted a series of experiments, and in April 1902 he patented a bait for catching fish. Since then, they have gained great popularity and a number of transformations. Japanese wobblers deserve the most attention, as well as Finnish wobblers, which are distinguished by their quality and scrupulous attention to detail. Today this fish bait is offered in a wide range and with a wide range of characteristics.

Classification of wobblers by body shape

This parameter affects the features of application, purpose, as well as the range and accuracy of the throw. All this is directly influenced by the model’s body shape.

Wobblers are:

with blade;
without blade;
compound.

In addition to the above, the presence of blades gives the bait an appropriate trajectory of movement (trembling, yaw). The angle of the blade regulates the depth of immersion.

Classification by color

It would seem that it could be simpler - the division of colors into “imitating”, that is, copying a real food object, and “irritating” - that is, not realistic, acidic, and so on has long been in use. However, it can be quite difficult to assign a specific color somewhere. For example, if the sides of the wobbler are silver, like a live fry, and the back is bright blue? In any case, there are colors that do not raise such doubts. Which ones should you prefer? I would advise choosing baits of both colors. You shouldn’t be afraid of “acid” colors, but you don’t need to move away from classic colors either.

That, in general, is all that can be said about the classification of wobblers. I hope this article will help you choose a catchable arsenal.

Blade wobblers

Knowledge of certain characteristics of baits is necessary for every fisherman. This way you can choose the right wobbler for a certain type of predatory fish.

Minnow

From the name it is clear that this model came to us from abroad. In English it means small minnow fish. It has an elongated body shape tapering at the tail. In the head there is a special blade that allows the bait to be immersed to a certain depth.

Most models of this type have blades located at an angle of 30 - 60 degrees. Some are equipped with large “nose”, allowing you to go to great depths. Due to their light weight, minnows are used as wobblers for ultralight. Thus, the hand does not get tired.

Characteristic features unique to minnows:

oblong body with aspect ratio (length/height) 5:1;
the shape can be curved (resembling a banana) or cigar-shaped;
the presence of a small blade with a landing angle of about 45 degrees;
are characterized by neutral buoyancy.

Minnow is equipped with two to three tees. The inner part has special channels and cavities that are filled with steel balls to give the necessary balance, trajectory and casting distance. The best producer of minnows is Japan.

Shad

The wobbler got its name thanks to the American Shad fish from the herring family. The model looks like a small herring. The size varies from 40 to 70 mm, and the weight does not exceed 12 grams. The shad is one of the most popular wobblers among spinning anglers. With its help, chub, pike perch, perch and pike are excellently caught.

The color scheme is quite varied, and the body itself has a clear outline of scales, fins, and eyes. In other words, it imitates real fish in detail. Unlike the previous version, Shad has a shorter shape and a tall body.

The bait is used both in shallow and deep waters. The model has an impressive blade, which is most often well suited for perch and chub. Such baits are otherwise called deep wobblers. Size 44 – 70 mm, weight 3.8 – 10 grams.

Unlike other types of bait, deep sea shad hold up well in strong currents. It is not thrown to the surface. It also performs well in standing water.

Crank

It has a short and pot-bellied body. In appearance it resembles an insect or a well-fed fry. They are distinguished by dynamic and high-frequency play with a small amplitude of movement. It is most effective to use in waters with strong currents. They are produced in various variations of buoyancy and depth.

Thanks to its unique shape, Crank holds well in the stream. That is why they are called current wobblers. They work well with uniform wiring and even at low speeds. Most often used for catching chub, asp, perch, ide and trout. Polish wobblers of this type are especially valued for the quality of their workmanship.

Fat

The least popular among all wobblers. Outwardly it does not resemble any of the natural fish. That is why this model is used less often than others. Especially among beginning spinners.

Translated from English, Fat means fat, and this is true. The bait is made in a voluminous and almost round teardrop shape. Most often, Fat is used in shallow waters. There are only a few models on sale that allow you to dive to a depth of more than 1.5 meters. The reason for this is the voluminous body and in order to drown it you will have to use sinkers, thereby heavily loading the tackle.

Form

The main classification of wobblers is based on the shape of the bait. Still, geometry plays a big role in the behavior of a wobbler in water. So, for example, all wobblers, almost regardless of type, that have an active game of their own belong to the Crank family, and in the last decade, the Americans gave them the somewhat offensive nickname “idiot baits”, since they do not require animation - they abandoned it and pull.

Minnow. A wobbler of linear shape, similar to a small fragment of a branch with a blade. There is either no game at all or very weak. There are exceptions, but in general these lures are passive and require active animation.
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. Underlined crank. Thanks to its “thick” figure, it actively plays even on a slow retrieve.
Rattlin. Bladeless crank. Most often it is made sinking, but sometimes there are suspenders and even floating models. A characteristic feature, in addition to the missing blade, is one or more fastening rings located on the back.
Swimbait. These baits also lack a blade, but thanks to their segmented body, they move quite actively in the water. The most common are sinking models. Initially they were developed for uniform wiring, but for our fish the best results are shown by light jerking wiring.
Stickbait. To a first approximation, it is practically indistinguishable from a walker, which will be discussed later. However, the main difference is the buoyancy, which is strictly negative for a stickbait. Sinking walkers are also found, but much less frequently. And the main design difference is that in a stickbait the fastening loop is located either strictly on the nose or above the side line, while in a walker it is located exclusively in the lower part of the head. Externally, stickbaits are either straight or have a concave back, while walkers have a curved back. The main wiring is jerky. But due to the lack of a blade, the stickbait behaves more restrained than the minnow wobbler. Thus, these two baits seem to complement each other.
Topwater. Class within a class. As the name implies, baits are exclusively surface-based. In turn, they are divided into 4 types:
Popper. The first topwater, which began the development of surfaces in the post-Soviet space. Like the previous bait, it requires jerking. But unlike the Walker, on the surface it behaves noisily, spitting and squelching. This is due to the characteristic funnel at the front. Despite the general design similarity, poppers are very different. This is especially true for the position of the bait in the water: strictly horizontal, almost vertical and at an angle of about 45 degrees. The idea is that the closer the popper is to vertical, the louder the pops will be.
Crawler. In terms of noise produced, it is between the popper and the walker. A characteristic feature of the structure are two blades at the head of the bait. Thanks to them, during even wiring, the crawler rolls from side to side, leaving behind a characteristic mark.
Proper/Propbait. Also an active surface bait. Outwardly, it most often looks like a torpedo with one or two propellers at the ends. The basic wiring for it is uniform. But it’s worth experimenting with jerk wiring, as in some cases it can be more effective.

Bladeless wobblers

The name speaks for itself. Lures without blades are most often used by experienced fishermen. This is due to the fact that this type does not have its own game trajectory. The fisherman creates it himself thanks to refined technique. Most often, such wobblers are used when fishing shallow reservoirs or on their surface.

Popper

A popper is a surface-mounted, bladeless bait that has a cup-like depression in the nose. It is attractive because during jerking it can create popping sounds and thereby attract predators. Poppers are also called chomping baits.

Walker

In English, Walker means “walker, fast walker.” These are cigar-shaped surface wobblers, usually having two tees (in the central and tail parts). During wiring, he draws a Christmas tree trajectory.

A distinctive feature of the Walker is the fastening loop for the fishing line. In this type, it is located not at the tip, but below (on the chin). This allows you to keep the bait on the surface of the reservoir. Not bad for catching asp, chub, pike, trout and pike perch.

Glisser

Despite the English name, the author is Russian fisherman Konstantin Kuzmin. The name was obtained due to the peculiarity of movement on the water surface; planing - sliding on water.

It is shaped like a wedge and imitates a mouse or other inhabitants of a pond. The design feature allows you to fish in hard-to-reach places with grass areas. The convex lower part sets the bait in the same position like a tumbler. In this case, the hook remains above the water surface. Gliders are used for catching pike in wetlands.

Jerkbait

The main feature of this bait is the way it is retrieved: a jerk and a short stop. That's what the name Jerkbait is all about. The wobbler is not suitable for smooth retrieve. The effectiveness in this case is zero. Jerking movements with pauses imitate leaping movements, which arouse the interest of aquatic predators.

Jackbrait is mainly used for catching pike. The size of the bait allows you to hunt fish of different weights. Suitable even for catching pike up to one kilogram. Divided by depth level up to 1.5 meters and above.

Swimbait

Wobbler Swimbait is a multi-component (segmented) large wobbler, two-part or more. This feature imitates the realistic movements of fish as much as possible.

The compound is produced with different levels of buoyancy and immersion. Thus, you can choose bait for reservoirs with different characteristics.

The compound wobbler is ideal for catching pike. The design feature makes it possible to fish at different depths, including places with grass.

Stickbait

Wobbler Stickbait is a spindle-shaped universal bait without blades. Literally translated from English it means “stick - bait”. Equipped with one or more hooks (single, double, triple).

Some models are equipped with “rattles” to further attract the predator’s attention. The main feature is the aerodynamic properties. Even in strong winds, a spinning rod can “shoot” large areas of water.

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Versatility lies in the ability to play in any layer of the reservoir. The wobbler can move on the surface layers, and in some cases even jump out. This perfectly attracts active predators (asp, chub).

Rattlin

Sufficiently voluminous baits without blades with almost vertical immersion. The body has flattened sides characteristic of bottom-dwelling fish. In the back part there is a fastening for fishing line, which allows you to move almost along the bottom.

At the same time, Rattlin is capable of creating high-frequency movements with small amplitude. Some models are equipped with noise chambers, which additionally arouse the interest of predatory fish. Excellent for catching pike, pike perch and large perch.

Crawler

A surface, bladeless bait with wide wings located in the bow. This distinguishes the wobbler from other types. Outwardly, it imitates an insect (beetle) or a small mouse that has fallen into a pond. It is an excellent bait for pike and perch.

Crawlers are available in two types:

wings folded during flight, which open in the water when flying;
fixed wings in the open position.

The first type has better flight characteristics, but has poor maneuverability in grassy areas. With fixed wings, on the contrary, it is harder to cast, but they overcome hard-to-reach places well. Therefore, it can be called among fishermen as “unhooked”.

It is recommended to change the Crawler in shallow waters with low vegetation. The wobbler performs best in the following bodies of water:

river;
dam;
lake.

Can be used at any time of the year (winter, spring, summer, autumn).

Darter

It is made in the shape of a spatula and is well suited for catching pike. With even fishing, you can also hunt pike perch at night. Mainly used in shallow waters. Among fishermen, this type of bait was called “Cork” due to its high ascent speed.

Some models are equipped with two line mounts in the bow, which allows you to adjust the immersion of the bait. When jerking with pauses, Darter is able to imitate a gasping fish that rises to the surface to inhale air. This stimulates the pike to attack.

How does a wobbler swim?

When a person comes to choose a wobbler, the first thing he pays attention to is the shape, size and color. Such an important factor as the degree of buoyancy, especially among small sizes, is often ignored. And this is a big mistake. If the variety of colors has a direct commercial interest and is created in most cases for the sake of the buyer, then the developers approach the filling of the wobbler more thoughtfully. After all, it very often happens that two outwardly identical wobblers, but with different degrees of buoyancy, give directly opposite results under certain conditions. Based on this, the buoyancy of a wobbler should be, if not the first selection criterion, then at least the second.

The degree of buoyancy is indicated in Latin letters:

Floating. This word in general and the letter F in particular are used to mark wobblers that generally do not sink. However, among them there are both weakly floating SF (Slow floating) and simply floating ones. Among the latter, there are also those that, during a pause, soar to the surface like a cork. Most often, cranks are highly floating wobblers.

Suspended. Wobblers of neutral buoyancy, denoted by the abbreviation SP. In theory, they should hover in one position during a pause. But in practice, the wobbler either floats up very slowly or sinks slowly. This is due to the fact that the bait is affected by different factors: the salinity of the water, its temperature, the weight of the fittings and even the material and thickness of the fishing line. Serious Japanese manufacturers even specifically indicate on the packaging the conditions under which the wobbler will hang. You need to keep this in mind and remember that there are no ideal suspenders that stand motionless in the water under any conditions. Neutral buoyancy is more common among minnow-class wobblers, but sometimes occurs even in some cranks. You can also sometimes find the designations SP+ and SP- on packaging. The sign after the letter marking indicates the tendency of the wobbler to one or another buoyancy.

Sinking. Emphatically sinking wobblers. But this category also has its “gray horses”. So, in addition to the letter S, you can also find SS (slow sinking), ES (extra sinking) or H (heavy). The last two abbreviations mean the same thing, they just differ from some manufacturers (in particular Yo-Zuri). Sinking minnow wobblers are especially good for those times when you need to cast far, but cast slowly and at shallow depths. Or when fishing takes place short and the wobbler must quickly reach the desired depth. With sinking wobblers, jerking with the recoil of the cord works very well. This means that during a pause, the tip of the spinning rod moves forward and the wobbler sinks on a weakened fishing line. Some models roll from side to side in free fall, further stimulating the fish to bite. A striking example of such a wobbler is Pontoon21 GagaGoon.

The degree of buoyancy is selected mainly according to the mood of the fish. Thus, in cold water, minnow-suspenders, weakly floating and slowly sinking, would be appropriate. And ordinary floating wobblers are useful in cases where the fish is active and requires fast and aggressive fishing. Or if you are fishing in the grass and sometimes you need to let the bait float up in order to drag it through an island of vegetation.

Classification of wobblers by degree of buoyancy

Buoyancy refers to the nature of the movement of the bait in the water. Divided into three classes.

Floating

These are small wobblers that, after falling into a body of water, float on its surface. Even at rest, the bait remains on the surface of the reservoir. Shallow water wobblers are made primarily from wood, plastic or foam.

Drowning

Wobblers that immediately begin to sink to the bottom are called sinking. As a rule, these are compact and heavy baits with good flight properties. Mainly used for spinning fishing and at different depths. Also used as a winter wobbler. Period of use: winter - summer.

Suspenders

This class is distinguished by the fact that it dives to a certain depth and hangs there. They are otherwise called suspensions. The design has a unique balancing system consisting of a plastic body and an air chamber with weights.

In this way, the suspender can remain in the desired water column. The rating of the best wobblers for pike fishing shows that this type is better suited than others.

Classification by material

The first classic wobbler was carved from pine bark. Of course, this is far from the most successful material. Nowadays the following are mainly used for the production of wobblers:

Wood. Usually - balsa. Sometimes - pine, linden, something else. These wobblers have generally been produced for many years, and have been tested by more than one generation of anglers. Wooden wobblers have a number of disadvantages. These include low strength, the inability to integrate a noise chamber and a system for increasing casting range, and not the lowest cost. Wooden wobblers are made by many legendary companies, such as Rapala, Nils Master, Aise, and others.
Foamed plastic. Stronger and cheaper than wood. Wobblers made of foam plastic are made, for example, by the Polish company Salmo.
Hard plastic. The most modern and technologically advanced material, and also the most popular. The wobblers turn out to be very durable, while in their “inside” both noise chambers and long-distance casting systems are placed in the form of a moving load. Prices for plastic wobblers vary greatly depending on the manufacturer, from very cheap to incredibly expensive.
Soft plastic, silicone. There are baits that are on the border with the classic “rubber” (twisters, vibrotails), having the characteristic of a real wobbler - a blade. Produced, in particular, by Storm. Short-lived for obvious reasons. I don't see much point in using them.

Classification of wobblers by depth

This classification is indicated on the packaging of the bait and is clearly defined for each wobbler. Most often, two depth limits are specified. They depend on the fishing method (casting, trolling).

Superficial

In turn, they are divided into: ultra-shallow (depth less than 10 cm) and shallow (less than 1.2 meters). This class includes Popper, Walker, Glisser.

Medium depth

This includes baits that dive to a depth of 2 m to 3 m. Rattlins and jerkbaits have these characteristics.

deep sea

Deep-sea, super-deep-sea and super-deep-sea. The first class dives to a depth of up to 4 m, the second to 6 m and the third beyond. These include cranks and minnows.

In addition to the classic bait, there is an electric wobbler on sale that can hum, vibrate, twitch, and glow. On some models a propeller is installed. In other words, an electronic wobbler attracts the attention of a predator in various ways. The silicone wobbler also performs well. Excellent for pike fishing.

Wobbler color

Wobblers for pike
Color also plays a role. In total, there are two main color options:

natural;
bright - (provoking).

Natural colors correspond to the color of peaceful, less often predatory, fish - silver or yellowish; there are also color options that repeat the pattern on the scales of pike or perch.

The use of naturally colored wobblers is mainly recommended in clear water and good lighting.

Provocative color options imply that the bait is painted in bright, saturated, non-natural colors, which attracts the attention of a predator in muddy waters or in poor lighting.

Decoding the symbols on wobblers

The type of wobbler is determined by the marking. This is a description of the model's characteristics. We present the main notation in the table.

Buoyancy markings
F/FT - Floating
Type	Description
FF	Pop up quickly
SF	Slowly float up
SFF	Float up very quickly
SSF	Float up very slowly
S - sinking
FS	They're drowning quickly
SS	Slowly drowning
SFS	They drown very quickly
SSS	Drowning very slowly
SP – neutral buoyancy or suspenders

Depth marking
Type	Description	Depth
SSR	Super-surface wobbler	0.3 m
S.R.	Surface	1.2 m
M.R.	Medium depth	2 m
MDR	Medium - deep	3m
DD/DR	Deep-sea wobblers	4 m
SDR	Super deep	6 m
XDD/XDR	Superdeep	6 m or more

In addition, the length of the bait is indicated on the packaging.

For example:

60F – SR, where the numbers indicate:

60 wobbler length in millimeters,
F – type of buoyancy (floating),
SR – surface depth.

Top 10 best wobblers for pike

Through many tests and experimental studies, spinning fishermen compiled the top 10 wobblers, which, in their opinion, are the best choice for catching pike with a spinning rod:

Rapala X-Rap 10 is one of the most popular in this series. It features excellent retrieving performance, an attractive appearance with holographic foil and a special system that allows you to cast bait over very long distances.
Zip Baits Orbit 110 SP is a legendary type of large-sized wobbler, which was originally intended specifically for catching pike. Designed for trophy fishing and catching the largest predators.
Jackall Tiny Magallon is a suspender bait. Stably maintains its game with various types of wiring and is suitable for hunting pike in any conditions.
Yo-Zuri L Minnow 66 is one of the most popular types of sinking wobblers, designed for long-distance casting. It features a very realistic design that allows it to closely resemble real freshwater fish.
Pontoon 21 Crackjack 58 – exists in the form of many different modifications. Equipped with a special magnetic system that allows you to cast as accurately as possible and allows you to take the correct positions in the water.
Megabass Vision 110 is a classic suspender, one of the most popular.
Megabass X -120 – gained great popularity immediately after its appearance on the market. For the most part, this is due to its shape, which gives the bait ideal aerodynamics, allowing it to make long and at the same time very accurate casts.
Megabass Lates 120 – made in the shape of a large minnow. Ideal for jerk wiring.
Ima Flit 120 – the special shape and the presence of noise holes create specific acoustics that can attract even an inactive predator to the bait.
Jackall Squad Minnow - has a high level of sensitivity and balance, is available in a large assortment, which always allows you to choose the appropriate type of bait.

Varieties of wobblers

Among the variety of wobblers is o, which has some of its own characteristics.

Various manufacturers advise you to pay attention to some types of similar baits:

floating,
drowning,
suspenders.

Experienced fishermen note that in cases where near-bottom fishing is expected, it is advisable to take a closer look at those models that have large blades.

Due to the vertical trajectory of the dive, the bait quickly reaches the desired dive level.

Experts note that such elements are good if fishermen are going to fish on a lake whose depth does not exceed four meters. Otherwise, the part will not be able to perform the task that was not assigned to it.

If the river chosen is calm and shallow (no more than two meters deep), then you can pay attention to the Jackall Soul Shad , which is made in different variations and has a rich color scheme. The use of this wobbler is good when a large ide is expected to be caught.

Classification of wobblers: floating, sinking, suspenders

The advent of wobblers revolutionized spinning fishing. The bait appealed to most species of predatory fish. Thanks to wobblers, it has become possible to catch trophy fish not only for experienced spinners, but also for beginners.

Wobblers have special parameters and characteristics that allow you to systematize this huge type of spinning bait.

A wobbler consists of a body made of different materials (plastic, balsa, wood, etc.), one or more treble hooks, and a blade or depression in the nose. The bait is characterized by such basic parameters as buoyancy, immersion depth, and body shape.