Thursday, January 8, 2015

Voices from the Past: Dixie Carroll on Wilson Wobblers




Over the next several months, I’m going to feature the fishing tackle writing of one of my all-time favorite writers, Dixie Carroll (Carroll Blaine Cook). These famed pieces of tackle were featured in his great book Fishing Tackle and Kits. They are fascinating write-ups of the tackle from a contemporary perspective. Below is Dixie’s write up on the Jamison Fly Rod Wiggler, one of the earliest true fly rod lures.

Wilson Wobblers And Getsem Bait.— Made by the Hastings Sporting Goods Works, Hastings, Mich. The whole family of Wilson Wobblers are good baits but the one that stands out way ahead of the rest is the old reliable fluted wobbler. This little old bait has a record as a fish getter that will make the rest of the family wiggle some to beat it. It has the most natural travel through the water possible to obtain by whittling a chunk of red cedar and it darts in through the water in a smooth swing that resembles the live bait to a fare-you-well. I know of many old musky, husky to the weight of from 25 to 35 pounds, that have answered to the last call at the inviting wiggle of the white Wilson wobbler with red flutes. And bass, say old-timer, it makes 'em crazy to get at it. The cupped Wilson wobbler is a good surface bait for the shallows, it travels on the top and has a bit of an erratic crawl that attracts attention, while the winged wobbler dives to a depth of about four feet and is especially good for the warmer weather when the fish are down deep looking for a little cool spot. The Six-in-one wobbler has an adjustable visor that can be moved to regulate the diving depth and make the wobbler do anything from a surface crawl to as deep as a six foot underwater swim and the motion it takes is attractive to the game fins. Of the whole outfit, however, I personally stack my chips on the white, red fluted wobbler, I am never without it on the fishing waters. The Getsem bait is a weedless plug in imitation of a chunk of pork and it can be cast right into the middle of a bunch of weeds or lily pads and come out without bringing the weed bed with it. It is a weedless bait. It should be reeled slowly and make the strike quickly when the fish strikes and don't be afraid to give it a strong strike as the arrangement of the hooks to keep the bait weedless make this necessary. For the weedy places where the big ones hang out, the Getsem is a livewire winner. The whole Wilson family of Wobblers and the Getsem are A-1 in material and workmanship and they are good lures.



Wilson Six-in-One Wobbler.




Wilson Wobbler.




Wilson Getsem.


— Dr. Todd

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