So I went to the swap meet today and came across some assorted crankbaits. One of em was a Storm Wiggle Wart. It looked vintage (chrome hooks) and just general appearance made it look like it had been riding in a tacklebox for many moons.Was in great overall condition just needs a cleaning from minor rust stains. Paid $2 for it.

How can you tell the difference between the originals (pre Rapala) and the current versions?

Also picked up a Storm Thinfin Hot and Tot...I always thought the Thin Fin and Hot and Tot were 2 seperate lures...

To me, the only sure way to tell the originals is to get one in the original box - and you have to know what an original box looks like (I don't but plenty of collectors do).  Check them out on Ebay and you'll see the differences in packaging.  To me, the originals look much less crisply molded than later versions.  I have a few and fish them pretty often.  Some of them have great action, some of them are impossible to tune and are therefore worthless for fishing.  That variability is both the boon and the curse of old Warts.      

The Thin Fin and Hot N Tot are two seperate lures. Both good baits.

The Thin Fin and Hot N Tot are two seperate lures. Both good baits.

You sure?...not trying to start a p*ssing contest...

I am certain I have fished both for years. The Hot N Tot is a deep diver with a metal bill and the Thin Fin is a flat sided shallow running bait. I have several of both in my tackle.

The original wiggle wart looks a lot like the ones do today.  It is whole instead of the lip glued into a slot.  As far as telling the old from the newer version I am not sure how to tell.

Storm is labeled under the bill of the Rapala baits.. Rapala puts them in a Storm package.  The Original , more desireable ones have wiggle wart under the bill instead of Storm.

The only way I feel sure they are the original baits is to get lucky enough to find them sealed in their original containers. The first ones came in hard, clear plastic boxes, then came a soft plastic package. If those had a red label  on it they were the same as the original. If the label is blue they are not as good. Wish they could duplicate the original, but I doubt if they ever will.

I have a bunch of both the originals and the newer ones. All the originals have "wiggle wart" printed on the underside of the bill, all the Rapala versions say "Storm"on the underside of the bill.

I have a bunch of both the originals and the newer ones. All the originals have "wiggle wart" printed on the underside of the bill, all the Rapala versions say "Storm"on the underside of the bill.

Yep, that's how you tell them apart.  I've been told the orginals were made of a denser plastic and would rise on a pause much slower that the newer ones.  You can get the newer ones to rise slower using suspend dots.

So it would appear that the Wiggle Wart I picked up is an original as it says "Wiggle Wart" on the underside of the lip...cool.Thanks for the info everyone.