How Do You Know A Good Wobble When You See One?

[CarverGLX]

So for a bait with the line tie on the nose there is only so much bill you can have at a certain angle before you have a bait that won't work at a certain speed(faster, more pressure... Blowout.) the line tie must then move lower on the bait and out on the bill to rebalance the pull and decrease the force acting on the lip of the bait causing diving and wobble.

[BobP]

To the original question, yes wobble is subjective to some extent.  I don't fish walleyes so can't comment there but when I compare bass baits, I want a sharp regular thump that I can feel through the rod tip - the sharper and more distinct the better.  In the case where "the other guy" was catching and you weren't, sometimes it is impossible to hone in on what is making the difference unless you really look at ALL the critical variables.  Is your bait diving to the same depth?  Are they being worked at the same speed?  Is yours the same size bait?  Same color?  If those factors are identical to "the other guy's",  then you can forget them and look at the wobble.  Baits that seem almost identical via casual observation can have very different actions.  For instance, I've never found a knock-off to have the same action as an original bait.  It may catch fish in its own right or it may not, but it's always different.

 

It's a complicated can of worms and it can be quite difficult to isolate a cause unless you can control all the critical variables - which most of us rarely if ever do. 

[nedyarb]

I bought some from Home Depot and lowes, I did not like either product. I found some real "azek" at a local store and really like it much better!

[joliepa]

I think with the last few days of posts, looking at my lures, similar templates  That I am less concerned with it then I was.

It is clear to me that trial and error is the best teacher.   It was also significant to me that most of my goto lures are very similar and shape, yes the basic "japenese metallic minnow".

as was said in the lure template thread, you can use photographic methods to copy a lure as best as you can.  but in the end, there's so many variables its going to be its own special creation.  

 

If got it right, if you don't like the action the best thing you can do is not to waste hardware and paint on it and try to get it right on the next lure...

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for the sake of any one interested in similar fishing situations.   My goto crankbaits are all short lipped suspending minnows.   I shore fish the tailwaters of a small river for walleyes.  while there are a few deeper holes, the better spots are invariably tight to cover near heavy current in relatively shallow water.   The walleyes play peek-a-boo with big minnows and other fish in behind big boulders or along current eddies, or lying along the rocks of river channels and in sudden drops in depths.  

 

The basic forage is (especially) golden shiners, fingerling trout, and yellow perch.   All my goto lures are  elongated shiny and have golden or blue hues to them.   We throw lures into heavy current then jerk them into slack water seams.   Lures need to be stable in heavy current yet have subtle action in slack water.   ...the banana shaped baits seem to have a big slow wobble that's too dead looking as the lure comes to a stop in slack water. 

 

instead you want the minnow to "run" for cover then pause in some slack water, then wiggle to head near some protective rock.   The second wiggle in slack water is a major trigger for the bite.

 

Also clearly deep dives or a buoyant float make it hard to "keep" the minnow in the strike zone.   you want the minnow to follow the terrain of the river, and you get used to playing with your rod angle to get it to the right depth. 

 

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I've taken to staring at the last few feet of a retrieve several times each night and this good habit will help me I think quite a lot get a feel of whether I like my new creation.  

Edited October 20, 2013 by joliepa

[joliepa]

my first plastic blank is done and has already caught a fish. (Yeah!)

 

Subjectively it seems to wooble a litte slower (and prolly wider) then my goto.  but the balance and weight is excellent.   it sits nearly motionless in the water, head down waiting to dive towards the rocks.   on the other hand, it seems a little more sluggish to respond. 

 

my first wooden carving is at  a sanding state.  I tried to get with the template.  a very small thin whittled stick indeed.   perhaps by when hand, lure shape is a bit of a unkown variable. 

 

still all the essential stuff like lip, ballast, and tow location to play around with.

Edited October 30, 2013 by joliepa

[RayburnGuy]

I know a bait has a good wobble when it has a fish attached to it.

 

Ben

[littleriver]

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