What is propbait?
Wobler propbait (propbait ) – a surface bait. It belongs to the class of topwaters. Propbait is an abbreviation of the word combination propeller bait, which means “bait with a propeller”. Propbait is sometimes called a popper.
Cechy
Propbait is designed to play on the surface of the water. Propbeits are made, like most wobblers, from wood or plastic. They are equipped with one, two or three hooks. A distinctive feature is the propeller. It is usually made of metal. The propeller is not necessarily one, there can be several. It is located in the tail of the lure or in both the tail and the nose. It is placed on a wire frame that extends beyond the body of the lure. Propbaits are very similar to wobblers, only with a propeller. They come with and without a diving blade. Propbait can be both quiet and with a rattle inside. Often the hooks of the propbeit are decorated with flies, wool or lurex. This gives additional attraction for the predator and is a point of aiming when attacking.
Many anglers make propbaits on their own. Handmade lures are very easy to make, cheap and are not inferior in catchability to branded ones.
There are floating and sinking versions of propbait. Regardless of the configuration, they work on the surface of the water. During the pause, the bait can slowly sink, but on the broach it comes to the surface.
The object of catching on propbeytov is pike, perch, grayling, chub, trout and other fish that feed from the surface of the water.
To catch pike use lures of large sizes from 9 to 15 centimeters, and for catching perch, chub and trout, the size is usually used up to 9 centimeters.
To catch toothy predators must necessarily use a leash.
When wiring due to water resistance, the propeller blades begin to rotate. From this there is a characteristic noise and a lot of splashes are formed on the surface. This behavior of the bait attracts predators. It resembles a feeding chugging bass, a floating mouse or a floundering beetle. Who imitates the bait, depends on the wiring: if uniform – it is a mouse, if jerk – then the feeding fish.
Catching conditions
Catch on propbeit can be everywhere and almost always. Can interfere only strong wind and excitement on the water. But in such conditions, even a conventional wobbler is problematic to catch. Nevertheless, propbeit is much more resistant to bad weather than other topwaters. When the wolker, popper and crawler on the water ripples and waves can not be held, propbeit can still work well.
There is an opinion that propbait is exclusively a summer bait. But many years of experience shows that the use of propbeit in early spring, late fall and even winter on liquid water sometimes brings unexpected trophies. Especially when wiring is carried out near reeds, stones protruding from the water, or a bunch of grass.
Shallow water or places with depth – everywhere propbeit is effective. In shallow water and in the so-called “toadstools” successfully catch pike, perch. In deep places catches fish feeding in the surface layers of water. This is a stud, chub, chekhon, perch.
Propbaits are very successfully used in gills. This can be old river reaches, bays, bays, marshy parts of lakes and just heavily overgrown with grass water bodies. In a limited space, where the free of algae layer of water does not exceed 30 centimeters, floating propbait irreplaceable. After throwing the lure does not sink and does not deepen much. Thanks to this, it does not pick up algae. Wiring can be both fast and very slow, local, moving almost in one place.
Features of wiring
Wiring propbeit can be even, even with stops, smooth and sharp pulls, twitching. In the wiring should change not only the type, but also the speed of the bait. From the speed of work (wiring) propbeit directly depends on the interest of fish. It is necessary to experimentally pick up the type and speed of animation. As a rule, for catching perch used frequent and not strong jerks, so that the bait on the surface issued short sharp gurgles. For catching pike is suitable uniform wiring with pauses. For catching stud used uniform wiring with different speeds.
Predator attracts not only the sound coming directly from the propeller and rattle, but also the trace left by the wobbler on the surface. Pike or grouper can long follow the bait without attacking it. And only next to the spinning stalker can decide to bite. Therefore, it is always necessary to be attentive and wait for a nibble right up to the very end of wiring and removal of the bait from the water.
It often happens that the pike goes after the bait, but does not dare to attack it. In this case, it is advisable to use a slowly sinking propbeit. On the wire such a lure will lure the pike. On the pause propbeit will slowly sink and will become a more convenient target for the predator.
After throwing the lure, you need to pause for a few seconds, only then you can start wiring. This is done in order that the waves from the fallen into the water bait reached the places where predators stand. Often, the bite occurs on the first meter of wiring after bringing the propbeit. It happens that making even wiring, you can see how the side or behind the wobbler goes wave. This pike is interested in the bait and preparing to attack.
Catch on propbeit can be both from a boat and from the shore. If the propbeit floating and catching occurs on the current, it will be effective to float the bait downstream in a difficult place to throw, for example, under the overhanging bushes over the water, and from there to start wiring.
Lure color
What color of bait is the most attractive for a certain type of fish? There are different opinions. Someone believes that color matters to the predator, someone – on the contrary. In the case of surface lures, it is necessary to understand that no matter how fish distinguish colors, the propbait will always be on the background of a light sky. In such a backlight color is problematic to determine. But the silhouette of the lure will be very clearly visible. But from a spinning angler’s point of view, color is extremely important! If the propbait will merge with the color of the water, then the lure will be difficult to control at a great distance. And if the back of the wobbler will have a yellow, orange or poison-green luminescent shade, then the angler will see it well even at a considerable distance. The back can be independently painted with bright paint or marker. Visual contact with the bait gives an additional opportunity to control the wiring, making it as tempting as possible for the predator.
Propbeit tackle
There are no special requirements for tackle. You can use a jig, twitching tackle. The main thing is that the mass of the bait corresponds to the test range of the spinning.
Often the nibble of fish is visible visually. It is very spectacular, a bunch of splashes and the release of adrenaline fisherman. It often happens when the fish hits and misses. In this case, you do not need to stop, you need to continue wiring. Most likely, the fish will catch up and make another attempt to attack. Some novice spinningists make a typical mistake during hooking. They make a hook without waiting for a blow in the hand, which is called “by eye”. The predator does not have time to properly bite the bait. And the fisherman simply snatches the propbeit from the mouth of the fish. In surface fishing must have patience, have strong nerves, so that after the visual attack of the predator to pause and wait for a blow in the hand. And only after that hook up.
TOP-5 propbait wobblers
- Megabass Propdarter 80
- Lucky Craft Screw Pointer 90
- Sprut Haidi Prop
- Megabass Oneten Lapstick
- Nadar Setter
Wnioski
So, let’s summarize briefly.
- A propbait is a topwater (surface bait) with a propeller blade. The rotation of the blade creates an attractive noise, splash and disturbance of the medium.
- The object of catching: any predatory fish that feeds on the surface of the water.
- Used in any weather, except for strong winds.
- Conductions:
- Uniform, any variations with jerks, pauses. Depends on the specific model.
- Fishing from a boat, you can float propbeit downstream under bushes and overhanging branches and start wiring from there.
- It is better to make hooking, relying not on visual control, and waiting for a blow “in the hand”.
Autor: Bob Nudd jest doświadczonym wędkarzem z ponad 20-letnim doświadczeniem i zwycięzcą wielu zawodów.