Wide Woble Or Tight Wiggle

[coryn h. fishowl]

WHich do you prefer tight or wide action crankbaits and when...and in what cover.  How would you tell in store the action a crankbait would have.  I have never seen why somebody would want a tight action and as such i gravitate more towards stickbaits than shad crank unless they are sharebills. What aboud you?

[Bass Junkie]

It really depends on the situation. In warmer water when the fish are feeding I like a wide wobble, which is usually indicative of a higher buoyancy. When it is colder and I'm fishing baits slower I like a tighter wobble, which usually accompanies slower rising or suspending baits. 

[Marty]

All other things being equal, a round body has a wider wobble than a flat-sided body. Again, all other things being equal, a line tie near the end of the lip will wobble wider than a line tie closer to the body.

 

Bass Junkie told you the conventional wisdom on when to use which, but keep in mind that there are many exceptions, so don't hesitate to use the "wrong" one when the "right" one isn't working.

[BobP]

Despite the conventional wisdom of wide wobble in warm water, tight in cold water, I use a lot of tight wobble baits year round and catch fish on them.

[airborne_angler]

I've been taught that if the lip of a crank comes straight out its a tight wiggler, if the lip is angled down its a wide wobbler...saw it on Youtube...a tourney pro was explaining it.

Here ya go...it was Mark Menendez...explanation at about 4:30 in the video.

[merc1997]

you have to let the bass tell you which wobble they prefer on a given day.  one thing to remember that wobble also has different speed perceptions.  it is all about having the right combination of depth and speed to trigger strikes.

 

bo

[AGOSS]

I've been told that if the lip of a crank comes straight out its a tight wiggler, if the lip is angled down its a wide wobbler...saw it on Youtube...a tourney pro was explaining it.

That is totally true!! i asked Mark Menendez (I assume most of you have herd of if you follow the elite series) this same question at BPS he said in colder water like in the spring the tighter wobble will be better because its not as erratic, and vise versa for the summer/warmer water.

[airborne_angler]

The wiggle or wobble also gives off sonic frequencies(vibrations) in the water...run a crank just under the surface as you slowly troll and watch the commotion/disturbance in the water the crank creates...you can see that...you better believe the fish can feel it .

[ww2farmer]

Tight wiggling baits just don't work that great for me, except for lipless cranks. But, I get most of my bites on them ripping them out of grass, or letting them fall. I think if I fished lakes with a shad eccentric forage base, the old conventional wisdom of tight in cold water, and wide wobble in warm might apply. But I live in an area where bluegills, crayfish, perch, and other miscellaneous fish/critters make up the forage base. I have done very well with wide wobbling bates year round. So much so, that I don't even concern myself with having a wide selection of tight wiggling baits, but I have a few just in case.

[zwhiten12]

For me, the warmer the water the wide the wobble. The fish will go the extra distance to get a meal when it is warmer water. The colder the water the tighter the wobble. Fish are lazy and sluggish in cold water they don't want to have to chase down a meal!!

[Blue Streak]

Both. Each one is a tool that does the job a little differently and it would be wise to know which of your crank baits have a wide wobble and the ones who run tight. And you should not limit them to any one time or any one application. I try each one on every trip to see which the bass prefer on that particular day.

[Marty]

I've been taught that if the lip of a crank comes straight out its a tight wiggler, if the lip is angled down its a wide wobbler...saw it on Youtube...a tourney pro was explaining it.

 

 

I'll accept that, not knowing otherwise. But your statement reminds me of another characteristic, i.e., the straighter the bill comes out the deeper it dives.

[bassguytom]

My wife had a tight wiggling bait 24 years ago but after 5 kids it has turned into a wide wobble now. I love them both. And am glad she does not go onto bass fishing forums. Sorry I couldn't let that one go.

[MIbassin]

What about if there was warm weather but your lake has lots of grass in it?

[Bass Junkie]

What about if there was warm weather but your lake has lots of grass in it?

Ripping rattle baits through the tops of the grass, or throwing a wakebait over the top of just submerged beds comes to mind....

[MIbassin]

Ripping rattle baits through the tops of the grass, or throwing a wakebait over the top of just submerged beds comes to mind....

yea i was thinking that but ive heard for weeds, a tight wobble is better but id be fishing in warm weather when a wide wobble is better...im stuck!

[Grizzn N Bassin]

play around with it. I like rat-L traps over grass, wide wobble when the water is on the rise.. after that I just find out what they want...burn a rat-l trap over grass or rip thru and pop it out of the grass..i like running my square bill around timber bouncing it off everything.. or just ripping cranks making all kind of ruckus.. Ive caught 30 + fish in a day on cranks out in the open running 5-8ft..  

[dumfish]

So what category would the scatter rap fall under ?

[iceintheveins]

The general rule of them is that tight is best for clear water, cold water, and turned off fish, with wide wobble baits best for stained water, active fish, and warm water. That said don't strictly follow that rule all the time. I've caught plenty of bass in mid 50s water temperature and clear water with wide wobbling cranks, and plenty in stained water and warm conditions on tight wobble baits like shad raps.