Reviewed by Capt. Mike Schoonveld
It’s been a long time since I saw something related to fishing that made me scratch my head a bit and wonder, “What’s that for?” When I opened a package of goodies from Brecks Inc. I recognized most of the samples they sent. Brecks sells items under many brand names probably familiar to you. Their Mooselock brand spoon is shaped like a fish. Their Savant spoons come sized and colored perfectly for Great Lakes walleye. They also brand Williams Wablers, a spoon that’s been around almost 100 years. .
The “mystery” product is a Lake Clear Wabbler from a brand called Lake Clear. It looks like a wide-bodied spoon with no hook on either end – just empty split rings. There’s no swivel on either end, and no markings or other way to determine if there’s a front end or a rear end, even if I wanted to attach a hook.
At a smidge over 3 inches long and about 1 ½ inches wide, the football shaped lure didn’t much look like anything I’ve ever trolled or cast. Before I relegated it to my box of yard sale discards, I did a bit of investigating. The give away was the claim the Wabbler is to be used as an attractor, much the same as putting a dodger or flasher ahead of a squid or trolling fly. The Wabblers are used most often a couple feet up the line from a spoon or body bait.
I’ve no doubt some of the allure (some of the time) of a Dipsey Diver is as attributable to it’s being an attractor as much as a tool to pull lures deep. Why else would they come in an array of colors? Why else do you buy an array of colors?
I tested the two colors I have (yellow orange and fire tiger) with spoons, spinners and stickbaits about two feet behind the Wabbler. All caught fish. One day in particular, I paired the fire tiger Wabbler with one of the above mentioned Flashabou Aglias in fire tiger and it produced one coho after another all morning long.
I’m not saying every lure I’ll be running from now on will have a Wabbler ahead of it, but it’s a trick I’m going to put in my bag of tricks and continue to refine. Check out www. lakeclearwabbler.com
FISHING TOYS 