Which is better - to make wobblers yourself, or still buy? Well, since you are reading this article, you have most likely chosen the first.
DIY wobblers are, of course, troublesome. But buying in stores or ordering from catalogs is too expensive. And their value is especially tangible when tribute is paid to snags and other traps. But on the manufacture of a do-it-yourself wobbler, it will take exactly the same amount of money as the tees used in equipment, and plus even a little more it will go to “glossing”. But what opportunities will appear! That's where you can play with the form, and with color, and with equipment!
We start manufacturing wobblers with the selection of material. The easiest way to use a tree. The material is readily available and relatively easy to process. Which tree is best for you is up to you. I suggest starting with willow or linden. Note: you will do the loading, and with a denser and less buoyant material, the center of gravity will shift more downward, which will affect the "game". Choose ripened branches.
Saw off a piece of the required length with a hacksaw and make a cut along half the thickness. You can make a small cut, and deepen later. The main thing is to prepare a place where the hacksaw will be inserted. Now we plan the bait. It is better to opt for a file that has a large notch. And prepare the files (with their help you can expand the cut). Make lateral sections as you wish: round, flat, oval. The shape of the bait will depend on the material. By the way, the thickening of the branch, its curvature can favorably affect the shape. Wire reinforcement is inserted into the cut.
Mentally divide the wobbler into three parts. In the first segment (we count from the head) we make a loop for the lower hook, the second loop will be in the tail. We attach tees (if you plan), given the displacement of the center of gravity. We concentrate the bulk in the first third (in the head).
There are a lot of snap options. All, again, at your request. For example, on the abdomen, you can put 2 tees, and at the back - “odnarku” located sting up. Tees must not interlock when casting. Therefore, if you like the manufacture of short wobblers, then use tees with short rods. Long and heavy tees are only suitable for long wobblers. This will affect the "game."
In order to strengthen the weight of the lower tee, attach lead. The back tee is better to make short. With an increase in its weight, the “game” is likely to be sluggish. The blade (if you plan) is placed in the transverse cut. Turn the lure upside down (head to the left) and clamp it in a vice. Set the angle of the hacksaw (50 °, deviations are permissible; the teeth are small) and perform a cut. Note: the larger the angle, the greater will be the dive when winding with equal other parameters. If the blade is missing, we make the angle at the front end obtuse (100-120 °), this will affect the ascent.
Experience proves: in a catchy wobbler, the projection of the blade is not more than 1/2 the height of the bait, the angle is 40 °. With a length of 6 cm and a mass of 7 g, the depth of the course is about a meter. We fix the blade with epoxy glue.
We cut resin with the inserted wire, leaving a little space for loading. We cover the whole wobbler with resin.
Now we adjust the course of the wobbler. This can be done not only in the pond, but also in the bathroom. If the bait turned out good, it will be located vertically, a pull-up will lead it under the water. The wobbler should oscillate evenly horizontally without showing a side. Usually more successful models with a full contour and wide blades, blades with an angle of 70 °. The "game" in this case is energetic, the depth is large. Back to the adjustment. A large wobbler to keep the balance of the wire may not be enough. Then load it with lead placed in the cut (between the first loop and the blade, closer to the blade). You can not use loading. When the wobbler rolls over on its side, insert the load on the side, making a hole with an awl.
We continue to manufacture the wobbler. We grind, skim and dip in varnish (necessarily waterproof). Make several dips into the varnish, waiting for the previous layer to dry. Making wobblers with your own hands is a lengthy process that requires patience. But is it worth talking about patience with a fisherman anticipating the fishing process?
Now we proceed to the artistic part. Consider the performance of a perch as an example. We pour aluminum powder into the varnish, achieving a kefir-like state. We cover the bait with this solution. She's getting silver. Wait until it dries and apply stripes with a brush. We wait until the pattern dries. We drive the "green" into the varnish and paint the back. Dry again. Add to the varnish (the one with the "green") solvent (1: 3). Dip the bait into the resulting solution (just do not overdo it). Dry in limbo. The stripes should be a little blurry, which will make the look more natural, and the bright transition from the back to the abdomen will not be so contrasting. It remains to draw fins, eyes and gills.
And a few important points in the end:
- in order to avoid excessive swaths, do not place the fishing line loop too low;
- for the blade, take fiberglass (it is technologically advanced, easy to handle and will not fly out of the blade in case of impact on a stone);
- insufficiently tightly applied resin and varnish will cause a short service of the bait.
Making wobblers with your own hands will require skills, so do not despair if something did not work out the first time. Not gods because pots burn. Good luck