will o' the wisp action

Tue Aug 21, 2012 10:25 am

What is a will o' the wisp action when retrieving a lure. This is mentioned on Mepps lures as being effective in still water. Any youtube clips or descriptions?

Re: will o' the wisp action

Tue Aug 21, 2012 10:40 am

At a guess willo the wisp is a dancing/prancing marsh gas light so im feckin lost to that action :lol:

Re: will o' the wisp action

Tue Aug 21, 2012 10:45 am

Its the name of a plug listed here http://www.bernieschultzfishing.com/miscpage4.htm all i can guess its the action the plug imparts

Re: will o' the wisp action

Tue Aug 21, 2012 11:09 am

Preston wrote:Its the name of a plug listed here http://www.bernieschultzfishing.com/miscpage4.htm all i can guess its the action the plug imparts


This is written on the back of mepps lures for still water and is an action to be imparted to the lure to replicate a wounded fish. In running water they are to be retrieved normally. My reading of that is it's the way the lure is retrieved in this case.

Re: will o' the wisp action

Tue Aug 21, 2012 11:26 am

Well "walking the dog" and or varied retrieves will mimic wounded fish. what are u fishing for?

Re: will o' the wisp action

Tue Aug 21, 2012 11:36 am

Preston wrote:Well "walking the dog" and or varied retrieves will mimic wounded fish. what are u fishing for?


To catch rainbows and stocked brown trout on a lake but just interested for this use for any lure fishing. I thought it might be the way you bounce a shad on a retrieve to catch bass.

Re: will o' the wisp action

Tue Aug 21, 2012 11:52 am

Bring one of these to the lake you should be ok for a fish or two.
http://www.aquaticcontrol.com/products/ ... ber=A00120

Re: will o' the wisp action

Tue Aug 21, 2012 11:56 am

O right to be honest ive never fished for stockies with spinners but have got a fair few brownies sea trout salmon ,pike and perch on the mepps . I found a slow retrieve best and varied for the pike. I know plenty of people who swear by adding a swivel then a foot or so of flouro to the spinner to improve the action .I think its better to have a good selection of spinners in different sizes and colours and work the water well with each spinner.I found the black and yellow mepps to be lethal for trout

Re: will o' the wisp action

Tue Aug 21, 2012 12:25 pm

Preston wrote:O right to be honest ive never fished for stockies with spinners but have got a fair few brownies sea trout salmon ,pike and perch on the mepps . I found a slow retrieve best and varied for the pike. I know plenty of people who swear by adding a swivel then a foot or so of flouro to the spinner to improve the action .I think its better to have a good selection of spinners in different sizes and colours and work the water well with each spinner.I found the black and yellow mepps to be lethal for trout


Local tackle shop said to add swivel a bit above and split shot can be added for extra distance. Got silver and red dotted mepps knock offs size 3s, devon minnow and tasmanian devil on his recommendation. It's a free evening out but bringing my 7 and 9 year old daughters which I will set them up on worms so not sure how much fishing I will get in.

Re: will o' the wisp action

Tue Aug 21, 2012 12:42 pm

The devils and mepps are great not really a fan of the devon minnows but they have their uses. I wouldnt bother with the splitshot for spinning and instead go for 8lb mono and that should give good distance with most spinning set ups. Also remember that trout will be close to the bank and sometimes in very shallow water so cast the full arc and concentrate on the features. For worming use a bubble float and some 4lb mono to a small worm hook and no need for splitshot.You could ledger too