Wobbling is a highly effective method that involves an angler imparting life into deadbaits to make them look like live fish that are sick or injured, often fooling a pike into thinking it has an easy meal. On days when pike aren’t interested in chasing lures or eating deadbaits fished statically on the bottom, a wobbled deadbait will usually encourage them to strike.
It is a very simple way of fishing, and with a few tips from this article, you will be landing more pike than ever before.
Deadbait choice
Due to the nature of this method, certain deadbaits are more suitable than others. Opt for firmer baits like roach, smelt, sprats, or trout, as these can be repeatedly cast without being damaged. If you try using a bait like a sardine, it will likely fall off on the first cast.
Smaller baits are generally preferred as well. Anything between 7 cm and 15 cm is ideal, as they are less likely to spook pike when cast out and will sink slower, allowing you to twitch them back with greater finesse.
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Hooking up
How you hook your chosen deadbait is crucial to this method. To make the fish look as natural as possible, you need two sets of trebles on your rig. The hook furthest up the trace goes into the lip of the fish, while the end hook is impaled into the flank. As you position the second hook, create a slight bend in the bait, as this will help it spin and jerk when retrieved, mimicking an injured fish.
However, don’t bend the fish too much, as it will spin excessively and cause all sorts of issues with your trace. Also, don’t hook the fish tail-first, as it will look unnatural to a pike.
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Technique
Wobbling a deadbait is easy, as long as you hook the bait correctly, you won’t need to impart much action into it. The most effective method is generally casting out, allowing the bait to sink to the bottom, and then periodically twitching and drawing it up in the water before letting it sink back down.
Imagine how an injured fish swims: periods of frantic swimming followed by going motionless. If you can make your bait flash, spin, and dart around, it will be far more attractive to a hungry pike, resulting in more strikes.
Strikes aren’t always arm-wrenching; sometimes they are subtle plucks. If you feel a tap or bang on the rod tip, give the fish a couple of seconds to eat the bait before striking. This will result in far fewer pike falling off, which can be common if you strike as soon as the fish hits.
Cast in a fan motion to search out a swim, but don't spend too long in one area. If there is a hungry pike in residence it will usually let its presence be known with the first few casts.
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Terminal tackle
As with all pike fishing, a wire trace is a must. When it comes to hooks, you can either use two semi-barbless trebles or a single top hook and a bottom treble; it ultimately comes down to your preference. Braided mainline is preferred due to its strength, and its zero stretch allows you to detect any subtle takes from pike. You can choose to add some shot to the line to make your bait sink, but this depends on the conditions and the venue you are fishing.
In terms of rods and reels, anything you would use for spinning will suffice. A rod between 8–10 ft is ideal; you just need to be able to hold it comfortably throughout the session.
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