|  Wire
Baits come
in all shapes and sizes, but the most common are in-line spinners, in-line
buzzbaits, buzzbaits, and spinnerbaits. All of these wire baits are simple
to use, versatile, and can quickly cover large areas of water, making
them a "must have" for any serious angler.
Wire Bait Components
Every wire bait can be broken down into five basic components: wire, dressings,
blade, body, and hook. Each of these items contributes a specific characteristic
to the lure such as vibration, appearance, action, etc. When all of these
characteristics are combined, the result is a magnificent lure with an
action as unique as a fingerprint! This uniqueness is what makes wire
baits so exciting.
Every Single Wire Bait is Unique
As stated in the previous paragraph, no two individual wire baits are
the same, even if they're manufactured on the same machine using the same
parts! This is because they all contain microscopic variations in the
alignment, arrangement, composition, and interaction of their various
components. Understanding each variation and its affect on the overall
lure is critical to successful wire bait design. For instance, let's assume
that we have a standard in-line spinner similar to that shown above. The
bait has a wire shaft with loops at each end, a blade, a clevis (the hoop
connecting the blade to the shaft), a beaded body, and a hook. In this
single design, we could drastically change the lure's effectiveness by
performing any one of the following modifications:
| Component |
Influential
Modifications |
| Wire: |
type
of bends, position of bends, number of bends, diameter, material,
finish, length, weight, color, texture, ... |
| Blade: |
shape
, position, blade hole diameter, weight, color, length, clearance,
texture, material, height, width, attachment technique, ... |
| Clevis: |
shape,
position, size, weight, finish, color, length, clearance, texture,
materials, attachment technique, construction... |
| Body: |
shape
, position, weight, finish, color, length, clearance, texture, material,
height, width, attachment technique, ... |
| Hook: |
shape
, position, weight, finish, color, length, clearance, texture, material,
height, width, attachment technique, ... |
For more
information on how these modifications affect each lure, please visit
the component's topic page.
 Wire
Baits are Versatile
Wire baits are undoubtedly the most versatile lures in existance. They
can be used to locate and catch virtually every species of recreational
fish, and they can be presented effectively by professionals and beginners
alike. The key to this versatility lies in the various designs constructed
out of the bait's components. More specifically, the bends in the wire
shaft, the size and placement of the blade, the type of hook, the dressings,
and the technique used to present the lure can all drastically affect
which fish are caught and under what conditions. For instance, a spinnerbait's
unique 'V' design makes it virtually weedless and fantastic for catching
bass, while the in-line spinner's single shaft design accents the blade
movement and works best with trout and pan fish. For a full explanation
of these types of wire baits (and many more!), please read "Types
of Wire Baits" on this site.
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