Wiggle Warts

[ozarkgunner]

Guys,

I just stopped by the local Wal-mart up here in Columbia and they had storm Wiggle warts in crawdad color for $2 each. Since I am moving back to Ozark in 2 months and have a place down DD, I purchased all of them (6) for use on TRL.

Questions

1. Is this a good deal? ( I figured it was, but I haven't purchased a wart in ten+ years).

2. How/ when/where (lower lake? rocks?) do I fish them?

3. Do you replaced the orginal hooks?

I have been fishing for a long time on Table Rock (15+ years) and sometimes fish cranksbaits (shadraps), but I have no clue about the wiggle wart other than hearing they work.

Keep in mind most of my fishing for the last 7 years has been during the summer (night fishing) or during X-mas (stickbait/spoon) so I might be missing the prime time to fish them.

Lastly, I have one in my tackle box from years ago and it looks a little differnt did they change them?

Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you!

[taxidermist]

The hooks are fine and the price is good.

Gravel and chunk rocks, well anywhere the wart can bounce the bottom is fine.

[ozarkgunner]

The hooks are fine and the price is good.

Gravel and chunk rocks, well anywhere the wart can bounce the bottom is fine.

Thanks!

[motoman]

I think they did change the design too. The older one you have may be pre-Rapala Wart, and is more sought after. I hear the older Warts just run better. But I can't say for certain.

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I will say, those older Warts (depenmding on how old) bring a prettier penny than the newer ones. And that's a great price at $2.00/piece.

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Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than I will chime in.

[ozarkgunner]

I think they did change the design too. The older one you have may be pre-Rapala Wart, and is more sought after. I hear the older Warts just run better. But I can't say for certain.

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I will say, those older Warts (depenmding on how old) bring a prettier penny than the newer ones. And that's a great price at $2.00/piece.

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Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than I will chime in.

I started reading up on this and the ones I just purchased are the "classic series" which are modeled after the orginals. Its nice to know the old ones still work! I have a pile of them laying around in the shed at the lake house. I figured it would cost more time and money (I only use high dollar hooks) to replace the hooks than to buy new ones. It looks like I need to dig the old guys out and get to work. The only problem is the uv damage and rust stains that builds up over time.

[rps]

I love warts and have for years.

Normark (owners of Rapala) bought out Dave Storm (originally from Norman, OK) some years ago and then changed the wart design to make manufacturing cheaper/easier. The resulting bait was not as good as the original. People began to hoard the old originals. I would buy what ever I found in gas station displays and drug stores.

Eventually Normark realized they goofed and began to make the original series again, but not in all the colors. No white, no silver.

March, April, May are prime months for daytime wart fishing. Low light conditions that move fish shallow are summer and fall success times.

I am fussy about hooks - all my topwaters receive new trebles as do the rattle traps. However, the wart hooks, while ugly, are actually very good and I only change them if they rust.

BTW, 165 feet of power pro 10 pound line puts a wart about 25 feet down. The wart is an outstanding walleye trolling lure.

[motoman]

Thanks rps, I'm not terribly familiar with all the details. Except that on one of the other boards I'm on, the pre-rapala warts are always in demand.

[ozarkgunner]

Thanks rps, I'm not terribly familiar with all the details. Except that on one of the other boards I'm on, the pre-rapala warts are always in demand.

It looks like I should keep the hooks then. The odd thing is that the ones I just purchased have normal bronze hooks while the older ones I have left all have chrome (stainless hooks). Additionally, the new warts don't have a split ring front (line tie), rather they have an odd looking clip. Normally, I put black nickle hooks on everything I have, but it sounds like the factory hooks are fine.

[Bill P]

E Bay has a ton of em...if you wish to pay collector prices. Occasionally,I'll grab a few and airbrush them to what I prefer. Especially,with the older suspenders,that are no longer made.

[Champ188]

ozarkgunner, that old Wiggle Wart in your tacklebox is absolutely worthless. in fact, i would suggest that you contact me by private message and let me give you my address. that way you can send it to me to make sure you don't get it mixed up with the newer models, which will work far, far better.