What useful things can be learned from the fact that the same wobbler model can have several modifications: floating, neutrally buoyant and sinking? Previously, the most popular was floating. And now the trend is “suspender” (that is, the version with neutral buoyancy - suspend). But why do we also need a sinking one? However, it is needed! Moreover, in many cases it is the sinking modification (sinking) that can radically affect the fishing result.
Today, most spinners have sinking models in their fishing boxes, if at all, then in small quantities, which, by the way, cannot be said about athletes who regularly participate in various competitions.
I've been in the sport of fishing for a long time. He participated in many competitions, including many of the highest level tournaments: Russian Championships and Cups, World Championships and various stages of the Trout Union Cup. Perhaps my sports experience will also be of interest to amateur fishermen. I will try to reveal some secrets and highlight those sports skills that may be useful to a wide range of readers.
Now let's get back to the stated topic. In various families of wobblers, sinking versions are found quite often. But in these families there are individual original baits, often of different sizes, but made exclusively in the sinking version. An example is the Rigge Flat series of the Japanese company Zip Baits. Some companies have entire families of wobblers, all of which are only sinking, but differ in sinking speed: sinking (sinking), slowly sinking (SS - slow sinking), quickly sinking (FS - fast sinking) and even sinking with medium speed (MS - moderate) sinking). Examples of such variability are the GagaGoon series from Pontoon21 or Sukari from IMA.
It is very important to understand that “sinking abilities” affect the performance of the bait and allow it to be used in conditions inaccessible to swimmers and suspenders. This is exactly what we will talk about next.
First, let's look at examples of conditions in which the use of sinking wobblers is most appropriate and justified. This will help you understand the general specifics and patterns, and in the future we will dwell in detail on each specific case and consider in detail how to apply certain models in practice.
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One of the banal situations in fishing: to catch, you just need to throw it to the fish, that is, to the place where it is located. And then just a few movements of the wobbler are enough to provoke a bite. In such a situation, sinking wobblers have an undoubted advantage due to their high specific gravity. Among them, those equipped with internal long-distance casting systems stand out. A good example is the Rigge Hunter 78S from Zip Baits. When we were fishing on the Kola Peninsula with Manabu Saito. the developer of this unique series, he said that the main goal was to make a compact and very long-range bait for catching salmon on “pressed” rivers. And he undoubtedly succeeded. A wobbler weighing 12 g flies like a bullet; it is compact (body length 78 mm), stable in any current and very “alive” in any retrieve. And Manabu Saito proved the advantages of his bait in practice. Of all the members of the expedition, it was he who caught the largest salmon, weighing more than 10 kg.
Another example is asp fishing. Here, even a small plus (just a few meters) to the casting distance can decide the outcome of the fishing. You get to watch the fish chasing the fry and hitting them before your eyes. But you cannot throw a wobbler at this distance, and the existing oscillating spoons, although they reach, the asp completely ignores them. In such cases, the Pontoon21 Dexter Minnow 71S-SR wobbler became a lifesaver for me. It casts very far, plays well on high-speed retrieves (which the asp likes), and in addition, it has another important property: at the pause it simply “crumbles” amazingly, playing with its sides. Moreover, such a game is innate in him,” that is, at the design stage, these were precisely the qualities that were sought from him. At every stop, even a short one, these fluctuations in the fall invariably take place, and in combination with active yaws from side to side, this behavior of the bait simply infuriates a predator looking for easy prey.
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Origin story
Before we understand all the variety of baits, let's talk about how wobblers appeared. The history of bait originates in America.
According to sources, the first idea to create an artificial bait belonged to the beekeeper Haddon. While watching a fish catch a wooden stick on the surface of the water, the idea of creating a similar bait came to his mind and he began experimenting with creating wooden baits in the form of fish, which gave good results.
This type of bait was very popular among fishermen, and a few years later the manufacturer began producing transparent models of plastic wobblers.
Some fishermen claim that the first to invent this type of bait was the Finnish fisherman Rapala, the creator of the fishing tackle production company of the same name.
Characteristics of wobblers
A wobbler is an imitation of a small, sick fish. And the predator is well aware of the health of its food and greedily pounces on it.
Divided into three types:
- floating - made of light wood. In their movements at the surface of the water, they resemble a wounded fish. They are especially effective where predators hunt in the upper layers. Some models form a trail of air bubbles behind them, which has a positive effect on fish bite;
- sinking - made from materials of greater density than water. A blade is attached to the bow, allowing this bait to float in the water. In this case, you need the experience of a fisherman to feel its movement in the water;
- diving (suspenders) - made from materials that have a low specific gravity. A blade is installed in the bow, which acts as a depth rudder. This bait can be used to fish different layers of water.
Nowadays, wobblers for fishing look not only like small fish, but also like animals and insects that inhabit water bodies. Grasshoppers and frogs, made of plastic and equipped with a blade to change the depth, are a common arsenal for anglers. But over time, the fish gets used to them and does not bite on them. Therefore, new forms of wobblers arise. For example, in the form of a banana - Tail Dancer. These are “bananas” of different colors with noisy resonators.
Form
Some fishermen prefer the pear shape to the banana shape. Others are the opposite.
Manufacturers have recently been trying to produce baits that do not differ in size and shape from certain types of fish. So they are called “perch”, “trout”, “roach”.
Size
Their sizes range from 2.5 to 25 cm, sometimes more, but the most practical baits are considered to be 4-9 cm. The smallest are trout, chub, and perch. Starting from 4 cm you can already catch carp and bream. Large wobblers, up to 25 cm, are used to catch pike.
When choosing by size, you need to remember that the larger the bait, the more stable its game, the less dependent it is on various natural reasons. The smallest ones become uncontrollable in the current.
Wobbler blade
The blade (tongue, shovel, plate, nose) is the main working body of the wobbler. It is this element that causes the bait to vibrate and go deeper. In this case, the activity of the game, the speed of immersion and the working depth depend on the position and relative dimensions of the blade.
That is, this is an extremely important element of the wobbler, which is discussed additionally and in more detail in the article: Blade (blade) of the wobbler and the depth of wobblers.
The blade of a wobbler has four main parameters: slope, length, area and configuration. Of course, their influence on the bait must be assessed comprehensively, but this topic is worthy of a separate book. Therefore, to begin with, we will carry out a simplified comparative analysis and consider three blades of floating wobblers with different depths (Fig. 2).
Fig.2. Blades of floating wobblers "RAPALA" with different depths: a) Original Floating, b) Shad Rap, c) Down Deep Rattlin' Fat Rap.
The inclination of the blade determines the rate of descent. The smaller the angle between the blade and the horizontal axis of the wobbler, the steeper and faster the bait goes down.
The length of the blade determines the maximum depth to which the wobbler can dive. The longer the blade, the greater the working depth. However, in this case, the disturbing forces from the oncoming flow increase significantly. And if the bait is not stable enough, it is “swept” to the side until it reaches the surface. To balance such a wobbler, the line loop is moved approximately to the middle of the blade, then the bait retains its deepening ability and stability of play.
The area of the blade determines the game activity of the bait. In this case, the maximum rocking effect is achieved when the blade is perpendicular to the oncoming flow. If the water hits the blade at an angle, the disturbance and intensity of the game are reduced. Here, not the entire area of the blade works “for the game”, but only its projection, perpendicular to the flow. Therefore, despite the fact that different blades differ significantly in area, the play of their baits is approximately the same.
The configuration of the blade determines various subtleties of the behavior of the wobbler. This is a rather complex and voluminous issue, which we will touch upon only as necessary. To begin with, let's remember just a few basic points:
Now a few words about the material and method of fastening the blade. As we already know, Lauri Rapala made his first blade for a wobbler from tin. However, later it turned out that the opaque “additive” gives the bait an unnatural appearance and clearly alarms the fish.
That’s why an almost invisible plexiglass blade appeared in the water. And now almost all wobblers made of wood or polystyrene foam are equipped with a transparent blade that is glued into a special groove.
Wobbler colors
Now let's talk in general terms about the color of wobblers. There are so many coloring options for them that even experts sometimes get confused. Therefore, the question is covered in more detail in the article: Colors and colors of wobblers - how to choose the best?
In the meantime, let's look at 3 main groups: natural, exotic and combined coloring.
Natural colors completely replicate the appearance of their living prototypes. Up to 80% of lures are painted “naturally”.
The exotic colors don't even come close to resembling any real fish. However, almost all predators react to them: either out of great hunger, or out of curiosity, or defending their territory from “aliens.” Most often, exotics are rainbow, “tiger” or spotted.
There is no doubt that sometimes (as a rule, not often) the catch with wobblers of exotic colors significantly exceeds the catch with the same models of “natural” colors. However, in most cases, predators still prefer baits of familiar “native” colors.
Combined colors include both natural and exotic colors. As a rule, here bright details are applied to the natural main background, for example: a yellow back, an orange belly, a red head, contrasting dots or stripes on the sides, etc.
Returning to the overall picture, from personal experience I will say that in approximately 50% of cases the best results were given by natural colors, in 25% by combined colors and in 25% by exotic colors (lemon and red).
Oscillation frequency
Frequency is a value that shows how many oscillations a bait makes per minute.
Different spinning baits create high or low frequency vibrations. It depends on the shape of the body and the blade inserted into the nose. Wobblers come in high-frequency and low-frequency types. Pike especially loves the latter. The perch grabs the bait with quick small vibrations, similar to a fry.
Degree of buoyancy
When choosing a wobbler, you usually pay attention to size, shape and color. But buoyancy is often not noticed. Two wobblers of the same color and shape can catch differently due to the degree of buoyancy.
The degree of buoyancy is indicated on the packaging:
- Floating - such baits do not sink and are designated by the letter F;
- Suspending - these are neutrally buoyant and are designated SP;
- Sinking - these are purely sinking, designated by the letter S.
For example, a suspended minnow is suitable for cold water; it floats weakly and sinks slowly.
And fast-swimming ones are useful for active fish, because then high-speed wiring is required.
Wobbler hooks
As a rule, treble hooks are attached to the wobbler using winding rings. The size of the tees is taken approximately the same as the height of the body of the bait. Only for the “highest” wobblers can tees with a smaller “span” be used.
On small models, lightweight hooks made of thin wire are usually installed; on larger versions, standard hooks are used. Most baits are equipped with special “wobbler” tees with a short forend to avoid overloading and overloading.
Some models for “paid” trout are equipped with single and even barbless hooks.
Noise chamber
One of the varieties of wobblers are acoustic (sounding, humming, buzzing).
In the body of the bait there is a special cavity (noise chamber) filled with metal or plastic balls. When wiring, they produce sounds of different frequencies.
Some anglers claim that perch loves the noise of small balls, while pike like large ones.
Wobblers Zip Baits - review of popular models
What does the ideal modern bait look like, making it easier for a fisherman to hunt a predator? This is a wobbler - it is made of plastic, and in external parameters it is very similar to a fish, because its task is to lure a large, predatory inhabitant of the water surface, it can be small fish - ide, sabrefish, roach, trout, perch or larger prey (pike and catfish).
In our article we will describe and review the most catchy wobblers of the Japanese company Zip Baits: rigge, bait, khamsin, orbit, trigger.
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Fishing with a wobbler depending on the type of bait
The technique of fishing with a wobbler always depends on its shape. Let's consider the main technical features of wiring, based on the type of product.
Minnow is the so-called twitching form.
Important! Twitching is a jerky style of retrieve that gives the wobbler a scouring motion, similar to the behavior of a disoriented fish.
For this style, gear with a fast action is used, and it is the spinning rod that bears the main responsibility for the competent execution of wiring with this form of bait. The wobbler is moved with short pulls of the cord using the tip of the spinning rod, making pauses of various ranges, during which the free thread is reeled in with a reel.
Trolling for succession of fats. These quickly sinking baits are capable of digging the bottom with a blade, arousing genuine interest in the predator. These representatives of the wobbler world have their own low-frequency amplitude of play in addition to a leisurely wide stroke. The predator is attracted to the wobbler by the vibration of the bait and its sound effect.
Fishing with a wobbler, for those starting their practice in this exciting direction of fishing, should begin with cranks. The reason for this priority is the well-balanced and well-balanced performance of the bait under production conditions. Conventional wiring, which is based on uniform, monotonous winding of the cord onto a reel, animates the bait quite effectively. Here, the angler’s technique is largely unimportant; selecting a wobbler to suit the preferences of the fish is the main argument for success.
The jerkbait is designed for jigging types of retrieves. Having buried the bait to a certain level of the water horizon, it is carried out in steps, varying the time of pauses when stopping. The so-called pyological jig is initially aimed at trophy specimens, which is especially pronounced in the fall. The overwhelming majority of bites occur precisely during the pause, at the moment of the slow spontaneous lowering of the jerkbait to the bottom.
The popper's wiring is oriented, as with twitching, towards jerking movements. The only difference is that the popper is driven directly along the surface of the water, and this allows you to visually control the progress of the wobbler and the moment of attack of the predator. The sound effect, the so-called squelching, and a lot of splashes provoke even a passive predator.
Uniform wiring
The technique of moving a wobbler in a uniform style is the simplest technique for animating baits in spinning fishing. Here the main role, rather as an exception, is played by the factory settings of the wobbler’s game.
Important! The spinning player must have basic skills in handling only the tackle itself; the basis of attractiveness lies in the independent play of the imitator.
The fishing technique is elementary simple. After casting and reaching the desired depth according to its parameters, the fisherman begins to reel in the line at an equal winding speed, during which, waiting for the nozzle to fail, he reacts to this event with a timely hook. For fishing in the presented style, such types of wobblers as cranks, shads, fats and some types in the form of a minnow are suitable, which have a pronounced game of their own. It is with this fishing technology that it is recommended that beginning anglers begin their first steps in spinning wobbler hunting.
Twitching and jerking
Two distinct jerking styles of fishing artificial baits are twitching and jerking. Such techniques will require the fisherman to have some knowledge and skills in mastering the technique of jerk animations. First of all, according to the style, you need to select the type of hunting tool that can realistically convey movements similar to the natural food object of a predator. Most types of minnow-shaped wobblers and all types of jerk wobblers are suitable for these purposes.
These instruments are most often suspenders, which are used to fish a certain horizon of water within strict limits, but they do not have the parameters of their own game. As a result of the animation, the angler makes a sharp movement of 30–50 cm with the rod towards himself and reels out the slack line. When jerking, the wobbler accelerates in the direction of the pull, and when reeling in, it hangs in the water column. With a sharp movement it attracts fish, and stopping the prey provokes the predator to attack.
Pumping
Pumping is often considered one of the components of twitching, animation in the stop&go style, and even evenly guiding a wobbler. When performing the simulator's move through the vertical movement of the rod from bottom to top, the spinning player forces the fishing tool to sharply change the direction of movement, changing the horizon. Wobblers of completely different types are suitable for wiring, and the execution of manipulations does not depend on whether they have the parameters of their own game. The bait attracts the predator by radically changing its trajectory.
Ripping
Ripping is the same type of twitch, but unlike pumping, here, in the style of stroke, the movement of the rod sets the vertical direction of the wobbler used for fishing. All types of baits used for twitch fishing are suitable for this kind of animation. Unlike the up-down trajectory, horizontal pulls allow you to animate the bait in one place, which facilitates fishing in tight spots, for example, in windows of vegetation or in a small space between snags or driftwood.
Stop and go
Stop and go wiring in skillful hands is universal for most species of freshwater predator.
Important! Only floating wobblers are used in this type of animation technique.
Trajectories near thickets at the junction with clean water and completely clean areas of water in the shallows above all kinds of bottom anomalies are suitable for fishing. This technique can be safely attributed to one of the varieties of uniform bait management, when the angler, after a certain number of rotational movements with the reel handle, stops the stroke, making pauses. At the moment of the pause, the bait floats up from the initial horizon, which attracts the fish, prompting the predator to attack.
Types of wobblers - floating, sinking and suspending
No matter how good any model of spinners are, catching big fish with them is very problematic. After all, many predators often prefer prey that is a third or even half their own size. So it turns out that to catch a meter-long pike you will need to use a half-meter spoon? Can you imagine this? That’s why wobblers are used to catch large pike – wooden, plastic, aluminum or copper fishing lures, some models of which often reach the 50 cm we need.
Today on the fishing market there are three main types of wobblers: floating, sinking and neutral buoyancy wobblers. The first two have been in our fishing stores for quite some time and are deservedly popular. A wobbler with neutral buoyancy can be called a market newcomer. Each of them, depending on the conditions, has a certain advantage over the others.
A sinking wobbler is capable of sinking to the bottom at a speed of up to 30 m/sec. Knowing this, you can easily determine the depth of the fishing spot, which is very convenient in an unfamiliar body of water. For added appeal, some of the sinking wobbler models are equipped with ratchets. Their plates, as a rule, are much smaller than those of their floating “brothers”. All models of sinking wobblers show high efficiency when catching pike, especially deep-sea ones. This bait is also used in the middle layers of water, not only a few centimeters from the surface, but also at a depth of several meters. This type is considered unsuitable for bottom wiring, since the small area of the blade is not intended for additional depth.
When fishing with a sinking wobbler, use uniform wiring. The stepped one, due to the heavy weight of the bait, is ineffective. If we do talk about it, then you should know that in this case we do not mean stopping the bait completely, but only changing the pace of the retrieve.
All models of sinking wobblers are designed for catching large fish. With its action, the bait resembles the behavior of a wounded fish, which attracts any predator.
A floating wobbler is considered a universal bait in its class. When retrieved slowly, it floats and gurgles, and when pulled at a certain angle, the plate makes it dive. Moreover, the faster the pull-up, the deeper the dive. When the wiring stops completely, the bait floats to the surface.
Any model of floating wobbler is perfectly balanced and designed for subsequent deployment at a certain depth. Thanks to their low windage, they cast well even in strong winds.
The play of a floating wobbler resembles the behavior of a wounded fish. Coating its surface with pure silver helps this perception. An additional effect is provided by plastic balls installed in special casings. They not only balance the bait, but also emit a high-frequency sound that attracts predators.
Using a floating wobbler, you can use any wiring method.
A wobbler with neutral buoyancy is still considered an innovation. It was designed for catching pike, zander and salmon. With a cascade of movements, this bait provokes the predator to attack. Using a similar technique with floating or sinking models, the angler is faced with a number of inconveniences. In particular, you will have to constantly measure the depth of the wiring. In addition, after stopping, the floating model will float, and the sinking one will sink. By using this bait you can get many new opportunities. For example, after each pause the bait will only slightly change its location, and when fishing in the current, it will remain in place altogether. This makes it easier for the predator to carry out an attack.
When fishing with this bait, use uniform fishing with stops. Its advantages include the presence of a noise effect that attracts predators.
Happy fishing!
Game of sinking wobblers
As we can see, sinking wobblers can differ significantly both in design and in play. Therefore, each type is most effective for its “own” conditions. As a rule, propellers “occupy” the upper layers of water, bladed wobblers and sinking “jerks” are more often used at medium depths, and vibrating baits can handle even the lower horizons.
Propeller, blader or vib?
The propeller , like a parachute, slows down the entire bait, so it sinks quite slowly. Such wobblers do not make any sudden movements; their play is straightforward, smooth and slow. A wobbler with a propeller can be lifted almost to the surface, carried with the wave, and then allowed to sink into the depths. In this case, the body of the bait only sways slightly; the main game consists of rotating the blades. When there are two propellers, they spin in different directions. The rotation itself can be adjusted by changing the bend and inclination of the blades.
It is especially good if the propeller continues to rotate even in free fall.
But bladed sinking wobblers are similar to their floating counterparts not only in appearance, but also in play. They sway in the same appetizing manner when retrieved, imitating the movements of a wounded fish, and when jerking they make peculiar leaps, as if trying to escape from pursuit. But when stopping, alas, they behave unnaturally: they drown flat. Therefore, there are no bites on the fall here at all.
Vibrating wobblers are more versatile in all respects. They cast far, sink quickly, and work on almost any line. The combination of rapid vibrations of the body with internal noise quickly spreads in the water and attracts predators from afar. And when falling on a stretched line, such baits slide forward and down along a “natural” flat trajectory, partially maintaining their game and remaining just as attractive to a predator. Sinking jerks behave similarly. There is no need to yawn here - a bite can follow at any moment!
By the way, heavy “vibes” are practically the only wobblers that are suitable for spinning fishing deeper than 3-4 m. Even outwardly, these baits resemble typical schooling bottom fish - bream and silver bream. Therefore, if suddenly a pike, pike perch or perch does not take the “rubber” or foam rubber, “probe” all layers of water with a vibrating wobbler. Unexpected stop? This is true!
Fishing. Hook!
It goes without saying that these baits are heavier than water. A sinking wobbler that falls into the water does not stay on the surface, but immediately begins to sink to the bottom. But not all baits in this class sink at the same rate. Those whose density significantly exceeds the density of water sink into depth at a speed of 0.3 m/sec, and those whose density is only slightly more than 1 g/cm3 sink very slowly.
It is clear that the heavier the wobbler, the faster it tends to the bottom, and vice versa. Based on this feature, all sinking wobblers are divided into two groups: slowly sinking, or light, and quickly sinking, or heavy. There is no clear boundary between these two groups, therefore the division itself is to some extent arbitrary. However, the properties of the heaviest sinking wobblers are still noticeably different from the properties of the lightest baits of this class.
For example, a bait whose density is 1.2-1.5 g/cm3 sinks at a speed of 1-3 cm/sec. And in order to speed up its immersion, it is necessary to start reeling in the fishing line. This is very convenient when you have to lead the bait from the shallows to depth, fishing the bottom layer of water. Most often, such situations arise when fishing from a boat, if the bait is taken from the shore, or when they are caught by wading, leading the wobbler parallel to the shore. sinking wobblers
Externally, light and heavy wobblers do not differ from each other. Both can be of any size (from 3 cm to 30 cm), all kinds of colors, shapes and designs. With rare exceptions, the sinking blades are small, and they are installed at an angle of 30-60° to the longitudinal axis of the bait.
Compared to floating wobblers, due to their increased weight, all other things being equal, they are more stable during movement. For this reason, they are very productive when fishing at significant depths, where swimmers are unable to adequately prove themselves. Light sinking wobblers are used for fishing at a depth of 2.5-4 m, and heavy ones can be successfully used at a depth of 5-6 m or more. But many practicing spinning rodists, following authoritative fishing theorists, express the opinion that sinking models are of little use for bottom fishing, when guiding the bait near the bottom or along the ground. Such a statement, to put it mildly, cannot be called correct, despite the fact that it is supposedly theoretically justified. The fact is that all - almost all - sinking wobblers cannot be used to perform stepwise retrieves. But no one claims that step-by-step wiring is the only possible or most effective method of bait fishing.
The movements of a floating wobbler are so varied, unpredictable, and sometimes surprising that it is at least immodest to talk about purposeful imitation of the behavior of a potential victim. And in general, a stupid fish, even if it has a rich sensory system, should not be endowed with fabulous mental abilities. The behavior of fish, and especially predatory ones, is controlled by blind instincts. The spinning angler must always remember this, and he must consider any bait used primarily as a tool necessary to achieve a certain result.
But let's return to our wobblers. The excess weight and small blade of sinking models allow them to be used for ordinary horizontal wiring. Moving horizontally, both light and heavy sinking baits play equally well at the surface of the water, in the middle layers, and at depth. Their movements attract the attention of the predator at the slowest, medium or fast pace of the retrieve.
Depending on the design of the blade and the frontal part, by changing the speed of rotation of the reel drum, you can speed up or slow down the immersion of the bait into the water column. However, each model reacts differently to changes in the wiring pace. Therefore, a fisherman, having equipped a spinning rod with a new bait, must first thoroughly study its properties. And it’s most convenient to do this in clear water, i.e. in fairly deep areas of the reservoir with a clean sandy bottom.
You can diversify the game of sinking wobblers using rod movements. So, for example, by bringing the tip of the spinning rod closer to the surface of the water and without stopping the uniform, leisurely reeling of the fishing line, you can force the bait to sharply go into the depths. In this case, the yaw motion will be replaced by frequent, narrow oscillations. If you speed up the reeling of the fishing line, the vibrations of the bait will turn into small tremors, and the wobbler itself will take an almost vertical position with its tail up and slow down its descent.
You can move a sinking bait from the depths to the surface by raising the top of the rod as high as possible above the water. The average speed of reeling in the fishing line will ensure its smooth rise along a moderately winding path. By accelerating the rotation of the reel, the wobbler can even be brought to the surface of the water and made to move towards the spinning player in a wide arc.
By reeling in the fishing line and moving the tip of the rod either to the right or to the left, you can give it a smooth zigzag movement. With an increase in the speed of the bait and the frequency of movements of the rod, gentle turns will be replaced by sharp throws from side to side with frequent but shallow vertical jumps. In other words, a spinning angler mastering the bait will not be bored.
A.M. Smekhov “Spinning”
Review of sinking wobblers
The main purpose of sinking models is to conduct spinning fishing at any depth. The design of the bait, its design features and the degree of loading allow the tool to go deep enough quickly, regardless of the forces of the current. Such products go on sale under the abbreviation sinking . The difference between other simulators and sinking models is that their levels of immersion in water are limited by the properties of the material, and it is more convenient to fish with floating or suspended baits at depths not exceeding levels of three meters, the so-called shallow waters.
In some ways, sinking vobs can be considered a universal tool that allows fishing at various water levels, and with some fishing techniques, even surface fishing.
Deepening sinking wobblers
The maximum depth of the simulator in standing water is practically unlimited. After all, under its own gravity (the only question is the amount of time), a model that does not have positive buoyancy will sooner or later reach the bottom. Another thing is fishing on currents, which affects both the speed of immersion and the depth level. The tension force of the tackle cord, combined with the influence of current forces on it, will limit the possibilities of rapid deepening and sinking wobblers will not always be able to reach the bottom. This is where the design features of the bait, its shape and the size of the load begin to play a dominant role when choosing.
Important! The larger and heavier the simulator, the faster its likelihood of reaching the bottom on currents.
Small models will require a certain wiring technique to achieve optimal operating conditions and promising fishing horizons.
Blade sinking wobblers
Bladed sinking wobblers are similar in appearance to the classic bait of this direction, the working tool of which is a blade or tongue installed in the front part of the simulator. Deepening occurs to a greater extent due to the unloading of the body, which is achieved both by the bait material itself, which has negative buoyancy, and by special weights embedded in the internal insulated chambers of the product.
Some products are deepened by installing the blade at a certain angle. Depending on the density of the material and the size of the shipment, the bait reaches a certain depth in a certain amount of time, thus allowing the fisherman not only to control the levels of the retrieve, but also to determine the depth of the fished reservoir.
Jerky
The jerk bait, which is quite familiar to spinning anglers, can also be endowed with the properties of a sinking tool. These qualities are obtained by jerks due to high shipping weights. In appearance and design they are similar to jerks with positive buoyancy. Manufacturers achieve interesting variants of simulator play by manipulating the placement of the center of gravity in the body of the product.
Some models are shipped with masses shifted towards the head, resulting in play with a slight twitch in the front. The rest are loaded closer to the tail, which leads to the movements of the fish with the front part of the body raised to the top. Evenly loaded jerks demonstrate a classic stroke, the pattern of which will depend on the wiring technique.
Sinking wobblers with propeller
Models with one or two propellers located in the front and back of the bait’s body give the wobs a kind of uniform and non-aggressive play with a noise effect. The appearance of such specimens quite accurately imitates the body of a real fish. The game does not require complex wiring techniques, because the predator is played by appearance. The design features of the simulator make it possible to carry out fishing in the upper layers of water, where the tool reliably holds the horizon under resistance from the water, pushing out a slowly driven bait from the depths, the course of which is characterized by wide, but small amplitude oscillations.
Sinking wobblers for different depths
When deciding on the depth of bait placement, it is worth noting that for levels up to three meters, small models that do not have large masses are suitable. If you plan to fish at horizons of five meters and above, you need to select massive and heavy tools with bright colors. Objectively speaking, a sinking wobbler is most effective when fishing reservoirs with depths of up to five meters. Anything below this mark is more practical and convenient to catch with classic jig baits, the delivery of which to the hunting horizons is much faster, and the wiring itself is much simpler in technical terms than the animation of wobblers.
Types of wobblers without a blade:
Popper
– a wobbler that works on the surface of the water. It has a cup-like recess in the nose, with the help of which, when jerked, the popper makes a gurgling sound that attracts a predator. This wobbler readily attacks any predatory fish. According to the developers, the gurgling sound can lift a pike from a depth of one to five meters. I don’t know from what depth the popper lifts the fish, but the spectacle when biting is unique, a lot of positive emotions are guaranteed!
Stickbait
– another surface, bladeless wobbler. Popularly, a stickbait is often called a stickbait because of its shape. These wobblers do not have their own game, so they are completely dependent on the correct wiring technique. Stickbaits, in turn, are divided into categories: Walkers and Proppers . The picture above shows Volker. Proppers have the same shape, but in addition have 1-2 propellers that are attached to the front and back of the model. When guiding the Propper, these propellers create additional sounds and vibrations in the water that attract the predator to the bait.
Swimbait
– bladeless wobblers, shaped like Compounds. They also consist of several parts, which are connected according to the principle of a hinge, but are made of soft material.
Rattlin
– a wobbler without a blade, which has noise balls inside to attract predators with noise. Another characteristic difference from other wobblers is the location of the ring for attaching the fishing line, not in the bow, but on the back. Thanks to this fastening and the flat shape of the wobbler, an original and interesting game is created, accompanied by sound effects.
Darter
- a bladeless wobbler, shaped like a Minnow. It has an angled cut in the nose, which gives the Darter its own low-frequency play. This lure is very popular in sea fishing and is designed for long casts due to its shape and the transfer of weight to the tail when casting.
Wiring sinking wobblers
Depending on the specific model, the wiring of the bait is also selected.
Wiring wobblers-propellers
Wobblers-propellers allow not only uniform wiring, but also wavy wiring, when the bait moves at a variable speed, set by swinging the rod or uneven rotation of the reel.
And if even when falling the bait retains an attractive game, then stepped wiring becomes especially effective. After all, the “inhibited” movements of prey are in the teeth of not only the active, but also the most sluggish predator, so on unfavorable days, a wobbler with a propeller may well become a lifesaver for us.
However, the “slowness” of such baits does not allow them to sink quickly, so they are usually used in near-surface layers of water or a little deeper.
Wiring of bladed sinking wobblers
Bladed wobblers are preferable for fishing at medium depths. After all, the blade on a sinking model not only swings, but also additionally submerges the bait, so it is no longer possible to move it over the top at normal speed.
But it won’t be possible to deepen the blade too much, because when reeling in, the fishing line “lifts the nose” of the wobbler and forces it to rise higher. Therefore, in fact, bladed sinking wobblers also have their own maximum depth, determined by the design of the bait itself. For example, for different sizes of “Countdown” wobblers it is 0.6-4.2 m. And only the “Countdown Magnum” variants, due to the long blade and heavy body, work at depths of 3.0-7.5 m.
Wiring of bladed wobblers is possible only in uniform or “wavy” versions. In this case, composite baits are especially attractive.
But any falls here look unnatural, so stepped wiring is practically not used. However, if you suddenly find a sinking blade with an overloaded head, which will not fall flat, but with the desired slope, it can also be used for stepped wiring.
