How To Properly Identify PreRapala WiggleWarts

[@Brannok812]

Excellent information! Thank you for sharing this.

[@DavidBromenshenkelFishing]

comes with the territory of thinking about nothing but fishing and going down the rabbit hole of information on what makes a particular bait so sought after ect.. probably could call me a nerd in that regard but also paying good money for something that it wasn't and not wanting others to fall into the same trap helped.

[@af4od02]

Excellent information. Thanks.

[@ZZ430T56]

There also was the yellow box Wiggle Warts that were right after Rapala bought them out. They have a distinctive bent down bill. I found that painted bill Pre Raps had a high pitched tinny sound rattle and the clear bill pre Rap have that deeper sonding rattle. ALL pre Rap Wiggle Warts rattle. Some clear bill pre Rap models don't, but that is because the soft er big lead rattle gets corroded and stuck. To unstick them, you put them on their side on a flat towel on a counter top. Bang the side, just behind the bill with the rubber coated handle of long nose pliers. You can hit pretty hard and I have never damaged even valuable Warts.

[@DavidBromenshenkelFishing]

Are you talking about the Mid Warts? The bill came out and than like you said bends down. I have a few of those and they are okay. I wasn't too impressed with them though along with I believe Rapala also introduced the SubWart that was suppose to compete against the Mann's 1 Minus. I just think there was and are better baits that work that same water column that they were made for and after awhile they got discontinued. I'm glad you mentioned the rattles getting corroded and stuck on some of the Pre-Rapalas. I was going to include that information at first but seen how long the video was getting and ultimately cut it out. So I'm glad someone did mention it in the comments!

[@ZZ430T56]

@@DavidBromenshenkelFishing Regular Warts. Not Mid. i.postimg.cc/NMKgXN9D/s-l1600-10.jpg

[@topraider5284]

Great information

[@DavidBromenshenkelFishing]

Hope it was helpful! In reality I could have gone even more in depth and talked about the Red Label vs Blue Label packaging ect but didn't think it mattered much because most of the prerapalas on the secondary market don't have the packages but it is a thing.

[@waynerandles6126]

Can’t you put some heavier hardware on the new wiggle warts so they rise slower🤗

[@DavidBromenshenkelFishing]

You could but you than could inadvertently change the action slightly. The pivot point of most crankbaits is the front hook hanger or very near it and additional weight on the tail end theoretically alters the movement. Typically I will use Storm Suspend strips or dots between the bill and the front hook hanger or wrap lead wire around the front hook if I want to alter the rise rate. Most of the time though I don't think the rise rate of the bait matters too much (exception is suspending jerkbaits) unless your fishing cold water temps or if the fish are being finicky. I also throw warts on 8-10# test so heavier gauge hooks might not penetrate as well when using lighter line but everyone's personal experience will vary with that depending on other factors like the rod, type of line, how hard you set the hook, ect.

[@MSL-dv6nx]

Is ebay the best place to sell them? I have a box of about 30 from my dad all purchased before 1990, so definitely pre rapala. Just curious what they're worth.

[@DavidBromenshenkelFishing]

Ebay is a hit and miss. Its more like the place to find a really good deal or to buy/sell colors that are not valued by collectors. A week or two ago I saw a lot of 3 warts which included a V90 Missouri Craw which normally just itself brings $200+, go for dirt cheap, I'm talking $40 dirt cheap for the lot of 3! If you have a facebook account I highly recommend joining the " pre rapala wiggle wart buy and sell" group. Besides being an obvious place to sell them, there are plenty of people with a ton of knowledge that can help you put a value to each one. While I have some that I keep for collectors value, most of the time I'm buying the beat up well used ones or the colors that are extremely common and don't have much value and repaint them in more desirable colors to either use for myself in tournaments or turn around and sell to anglers that want to throw that color but not willing to throw one with an the original paint job that has some value. I have some knowledge of what colors typically go for and I can help you out if you message me on facebook or instagram as well.

[@moynaghbassfishes3818]

I have an interest in buying them.

[@MSL-dv6nx]

​@@moynaghbassfishes3818still intetested in buying my wiggle warts?

[@HellaBass]

Do you see the bubble lip versions go for more or less?

[@DavidBromenshenkelFishing]

The bubble lips don't really play much into the value from what I've seen over the past few years even though you don't see many of them come onto the secondary market which is exactly the opposite of what most would think would do to their value. #1 factor in the value is what color you got, #2 what kind of condition it is in, and #3 how desirable it is. For example SP90 Missouri Craw is a color that is extremely sought after because it THE COLOR apparently and the ones that are left hardly ever come up on the used market. So when one does it usually goes for $200-$400 depending on the condition whereas a less sought after color like V3 Silver Scale is a fairly common bait that is not sought after and even in the best condition is only worth $20-$25.

[@ZZ430T56]

Bubble lip is not rare. Actually more common.

[@HellaBass]

@@ZZ430T56 cool

[@Brannok812]

Have you had success on the Brad's Wiggler?

[@DavidBromenshenkelFishing]

I have not thrown one. Depending on the source, rumor is that he bought some old worn out molds from Storm before Rapala bought them out and had them refurbished or duplicated. How accurate that information is I have no idea but it had been mentioned on a few different forums. I have been tempted a few times because they offer a bunch of old school colors that I love that are not offered anymore. However, I have the ability to paint so I either buy Predators blanks for fun fishing purposes and buy the beat up PreRapalas off ebay and FB and paint those to throw in tournaments.

[@wolverinex4243]

Do you know you can buy squarebills that do the same thing? You'd have to search it like a needle in a hay stack. It's all in the wobble.

[@DavidBromenshenkelFishing]

Yup, that's what made the KVD Squarebills pretty much the standard that others are measured by. Finding a good balsa squarebill that hunts is also a chore but when you find one that does from the rest that one will outfish all the others jsut like it. But most squarebills also can't dive as deep as a wart. Both tools just for different jobs.

[@wolverinex4243]

@@DavidBromenshenkelFishing There is a better one than the KVD. I would rate KVD as below average. There is one that slays. Not going to say, but has that wide wobble as in the wiggle. Works perhaps better but doesn't dig per the depth as you have alluded to.

[@DavidBromenshenkelFishing]

@@wolverinex4243 now you got me wondering what it could be lol. Your going to make me spend more money trying even more baits out there! Ones that come to mind are Megabass S Crank, Zoom Wec, Norman Fat Boy, PH Lures....Too many brands and models that people swear by for one guy to try in a lifetime.

[@rustyshacklfur2637]

​@@wolverinex4243Maybe below average when compared to baits 3x the price. I dislike most of SKs stuff, but those KVD squarebills are consistent and produce.

[@wolverinex4243]

@@DavidBromenshenkelFishing I'll give you three hints 1. Swims like a Hybrid Hunter 2. Cheap 3. In the best striper color (not striper). You should do fine. Don't spend the big money, although the S Crank is pretty good. I'm not trying to break your bank. A guy told me the Fat Boy is good. Never got around to it. I take his words for that.