Wobbler (fishing)
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A wobbler (or "plug") is a fishing lure designed to resemble a fish of prey, or some other natural food of predatory fish. As the name signifies, it makes wobbling movements that are caused by the mouth dish or "bill" on the plug which causes it to wobble and dart as it moves through the water.
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[edit] History
The concept of an attractant tied to the end of a line to entice fish goes back to prehistoric peoples, but the modern concept of the wobbler is attributed to James Heddon, a beekeeper who was whittling a piece of wood one day in the late 19th century while relaxing alongside a millpond. When he rose to leave, he tossed the carved scrap of wood into the pond, and a large bass struck at it as it wobbled down through the water. Intrigued by this, Heddon began experimenting and perfected a design he dubbed the "Lucky 13" - a wobbler that is still sold today. By the early 20th century, many companies were in the business of designing and selling wobbler lures.
[edit] Construction
The typical build of a wobbler consists of:
- a body made out of light wood or plastic, sometimes separated into two pieces joined by a small flexible link to enhance the impression of a fish whipping its tail fin.
- a mouth dish, or bill, sometimes adjustable to change depth and wobbling movements of the lure.
- Hooks, often in groups of three hanging freely on a maximum of three points (front, middle and rear end) as this is the maximum number of hooks allowed on a single lure.[citation needed]
- A ring for attaching the fishing line.
[edit] Design Parameters
Wobblers can be designed to float on the surface of the water and stay afloat when they are retrieved, or to float but dive under the surface upon retrieval. They can also be designed to sink slowly or rapidly, or to dive deeply on retrieve, by use of a steeply angled or longer-than-normal mouthpiece. Some have a small metal ball inside to "rattle" when retrieved. They can be finished in a wide variety of colors and color patterns, or printed with very lifelike "fish" patterns. Some wobblers have no built-in action at all, being designed to let the fisherman create the action in the plug by his own manipulations of the rod and line.
[edit] Size
As a general rule large wobblers are used for large fish, and small wobblers for small fish. Fishermen casting for crappie (a panfish) will use very small wobblers, and anglers fishing for muskellunge will use very large plugs - up to a foot long - for this large predator. But trophy-sized fish are occasionally caught on very small wobblers, and fingerling perch will sometimes strike - and hook themselves - on a wobbler as big as they are themselves.
[edit] Fishing Technique
Most wobblers have their "action" built into the plug by design, but good fishermen give nuance to the plug's action in many ways, such as varying the speed of the retrieve, occasionally "twitching" the rod tip during retrieve, or even letting the lure stop completely in the water, then resuming retrieve at a very high speed.
Theoretically, any wobbler design will catch fish - fish will, out of curiosity, anger or territorial protection, occasionally strike at any small object moving or falling through the water. But some wobblers have become famous for their high degree of effectiveness in the hands of a good fisherman, while others come and go from the market quickly when found to have limited success.
