Wobbler (fishing)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wobblers are fishing lures designed to resemble fish of prey, or some other natural food of predatory fish. As the name suggests, wobblers swim with a side-to-side wobbling movement, and dive to some depth as well. This action is created by the bib attached to front of the wobbler. Wobblers are equally widely known as plugs or minnows. Where these names are used, short, deep-bodied wobblers are called plugs, and long, slender-bodied wobblers are called minnows.
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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 solid 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 thin sheet metal or plastic bib attached to the front of the body, sometimes adjustable to change the diving ability and wobbling movements of the lure;
- two, or ocassionally three, three-pronged treble hooks; and
- an eyelet for attaching the fishing line.
[edit] Design Parameters
Classic wobblers float but dive under the surface upon retrieval, diving either to a shallow depth due a small bib, or to a deep depth due to a large bib. Sometimes wobblers are named after their diving ability, e.g. "deep-diver" or "shallow-diver". Wobblers can also be designed to sink slowly or rapidly. 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.
Other lures are sometimes called wobblers. These include lures that swim over the surface of the water when they are retrieved due to a cup or dish attached to the front of lure (although these are more accurately described as surface lures), and lures that have no built-in action at all — lacking any bib, cup or dish — and are designed to let the fisherman create the action by his own manipulations of the rod and line (although these are more accurately described as stick baits).
[edit] Size
As a general rule large wobblers are used for large fish, and small wobblers for small fish. Fishermen casting for very small fish such as crappie will use very small wobblers, and anglers fishing for large fish such muskellunge or Murray cod will use very large wobblers — up to a foot long. 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 them by design, but good fishermen give nuance to the wobbler'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. Wobblers are often cast so they land next to places where fish may be hiding, such as a snag pile or an overhanging tree and worked back enticingly. A skilled fisherman can methodically explore many possible hiding places for fish by continually casting and retrieving a wobbler.
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.
