Tightline's Whenko

A longtime member of the Finesse News Network, who is an inveterate customizer of soft-plastic baits, thought that we should publish a gear guide that features Tightline UV Lure Company's five-inch and six-inch Whenko.

It is an unconventional stickbait designed for power anglers. Therefore, Midwest finesse anglers will customize them by cutting them in half.

When they are cut in half, they will be either 2 1/2-inches or three inches long.  Then Midwest finesse anglers will affix to a small mushroom-style jig and employ them with all six of the standard Midwest finesse retrieves.

Except for its significant and smooth-skinned clitellum, its torso is encircled with a series of minute segments from one end to the other. The clitellum is situated near the middle of its torso.

One end of its torso, which most anglers refer to as its head, is flat. The other end, which most anglers describe as its tail, is pointed and shaped like a sharpened wooden pencil.  Most anglers will affix a stickbait -- like the Whenko -- to a jig by threading the hook through its flat end. But Midwest Finesse anglers have found that rigging a stickbait onto a jig through the pointed tail is a fruitful tactic — especially when it is 2 1/2- to three-inches long.

Unlike the traditional stickbaits that Midwest finesse anglers have used for the past 13 years, the Whenko is embellished with two skirts. The skirts are made from the same material that adorns a skirted jig.  Each skirt is threaded through the torso, and they radiate out of each side of the torso.  One skirt is situated about halfway between the flat head and the beginning of the clitellum.  The other one is a half of an inch or so below the clitellum.

In essence, it is a stickbait with four appendages. It is likely, however,  that Midwest finesse anglers will significantly shorten these four appendages.

What's more, it is enhanced with Tightline's ultimate vision technology, which "isolates the wavelengths that bass see best, making them more visible."

The five-incher is manufactured in the following colors: Blue Black-Blue Black Tip, Blue Black-Chartreuse Tip,  Blue Black-Purple Tip, Blue Black Swirl-Blue Black Tip, Blue Black Swirl-Chartreuse Tip, Blue Black Swirl-Purple Tip, Chartreuse Pepper/Chartreuse Tip, Craw/Craw Purple Tip, Craw with Craw Tip, Green Pumpkin-Blue Black Tip, Green Pumpkin-Craw Tip, Green Pumpkin-Chartreuse Tip, Green Pumpkin-Marti Gra Tip, Green Pumpkin-Purple Tip, Green Pumpkin-Tonic Tip, Junebug/Chartreuse Tip, Junebug/Purple Tip,  Nano Blue/Tonic Tip, Watermelon Red/Black Red Tip, and Watermelon Red/Purple Tip.

The six-incher is manufactured in all of the above colors except for the Chartreuse Pepper/Chartreuse Tip, Junebug/Chartreuse Tip, and Junebug/Purple Tip, and the six-incher is available in Purple/Chartreuse Tip and Purple /Purple Tip.

A package of four five-inchers can be purchased for $6.99. A package of three six-inchers costs $6.99.

Endnotes

(1) Here is the link to Tightline's website.

(2) For insights on how Midwest finesse anglers will retrieve the customized Whenko, please see the Midwest Finesse column at this link: http://www.in-fisherman.com/midwest-finesse/six-midwest-finesse-retrieves/.

(3) We are eager to receive insights from Midwest finesse anglers who wield a customized Whenko affixed to a  small mushroom-style jig in the months to come. Please post those insights in the comment section below.

(4) Perhaps Midwest finesse anglers will customize other kinds of stickbaits with appendages similar to the ones that adorn the Whenko. If so, we would like to receive insights about those endeavors, and please post them in the comment section.

(5) Here is a link to a Midwest Finesse gear guide about Tightline's Whisker -T-Crawfish:  http://www.in-fisherman.com/midwest-finesse/tightlines-uv-lure-companys-whisker-t-crawfish/.

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