Author Topic: Bobbers - idea & questions (Read 4583 times)

P Gottshall · « **on:** Dec 30, 2003, 09:45 AM »

I'm pretty cheap. . . but I got an idea. . .

I was in the craft store with my wife yesterday, & picked up a sheet of bright yellow thin (1/8") foam, about 12" x 24", for $0.79, and a bag of agout 200 crimp-on eyelets for about $2. I figure it's good for a season's worth of bobbers.

I've been watching some discussions too about spring bobbers, but have a hard time accepting attaching one to one of my jigging rods. What do you do?

Paul

DipLip · « **Reply #1 on:** Dec 30, 2003, 10:36 AM »

I've never tried spring bobbers, but I do use slip-floats extensively for walleyes and panfish (perch and crappies). You can hold your bait anywhere you want motionless, and add periodic shakes and twiches. I add shot above the jig to make the float almost neutrally bouyant. It will submerge if a fish even breathes on it! Blackbird makes a good slip float and we use foam also. Good luck with your rigs!

BuckShotJon · « **Reply #2 on:** Dec 30, 2003, 10:52 AM »

Spring bobbers will detect the lighest of strikes. I have seen these pick up strikes that a regular bobber would not see.

Jon

shwung79 · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 31, 2003, 10:48 AM »

Have you guys ever seen the adjustable ones that mount on top of your rod! Ill find the website and post it.

bschlauch · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 31, 2003, 01:04 PM »

Spring bobber work great for those "light biters". However, they can also be worthless in a little wind. It becomes nearly impossible to tell the difference between the wind and a light strike. Always good to have a couple in the tackle box though.

frozen fingers · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 31, 2003, 01:21 PM »

Spring bobbers-they tend to ice up too much,eye too small. I`m with the slip bobber. With the electronics,telling that a fish is around, pay extra attention,you can detect the smallest irregular movement of that bobber while your jigging it.

dogfish · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 31, 2003, 01:25 PM »

Hey PGott you had better check if that foam you bought is open cell or closed cell? If it is open cell it will quickly become water logged and sink not good for bobber material. Great stuff for forming bodies for nymphs in fly tying tho.

mrlongbeard1 · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 31, 2003, 08:13 PM »

Slip bobber, spring bobber its all a preferance. I'll personaly take the spring bobber any day wind or not. Ice freezing in the eye takes a couple of seconds between the fingar and thumb to fix that. There are several types of spring bobbers out there to try. Don't decide after trying just one. I personally don't like bobbers because they also ice-up. And I like to reel my fish in and a bobber always seems to be a pain.

rgfixit · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 31, 2003, 08:20 PM »

Forget the bobbers...learn to see the bite...watch the line...Learn to catch fish!

RG

hole digger · « **Reply #9 on:** Dec 31, 2003, 09:12 PM »

A properly set-up slip bobber rig will no doubt enable you to give you action to your lures that is physicly impossible to duplicate by just jigging.( sinker, two droppers with light jigs, tiny swivel, slip bob, dental gumband for stop) Also, the slightest nudge can be detected.
If you are on serious perch, and it is too cold and freeze-ups are an issue a fish trap or polar pal with (or sometimes without) a heater is your best friend.

For shallow water applications for like sunfish, go to a hardware store where they have those boxes of every goody under the sun and find yourself those small corks. Get various sizes, but definatly the smaller ones. A razor blade slit verticly with another cut to start your line into the slit will give you a very reliable, adjustable strike indicator.

Anything new that you want try is always worth field testing. Give your idea a try.

Melbs7 · « **Reply #10 on:** Dec 31, 2003, 09:36 PM »

they have the spring bobbers that just clip on the tip of your rod using a rubber 'adapter' if you will to connect your spring bobber to your rod. i bought mine at Gander. Im sure other places have them tho too.

Melbs

rgfixit · « **Reply #11 on:** Jan 01, 2004, 05:27 AM »

P Gottshall,
Im me your address, I'll send you some bobbers...spring, slip etc. I haven't used any in years. You're welcome to them.

RG

John_Boy · « **Reply #12 on:** Jan 01, 2004, 07:26 AM »

in my opinion slip bobbers are far superior to spring bobbers because of wind conditions . i use the
" ice buster bobber " it don't ice up as much as regular
bobbers . they're a bit expensive but they work real well
john

Penguin · « **Reply #13 on:** Jan 01, 2004, 08:04 AM »

I keep a limber rod rigged with a small styrofoam slip bobber for crappie and perch. A few years ago I got a 6 1/2 lb walleye on it in a hole next to the one I was jigging for perch. In the shanty there's no ice-up or wind problems, and outside it's fine in milder conditions. If it's that cold and windy to affect my presentation, I'm inside.

Oldfart · « **Reply #14 on:** Jan 01, 2004, 08:07 AM »

Cant watch the vexlar and bobber atthe same time. Forget bobbers.

Penguin · « **Reply #15 on:** Jan 01, 2004, 08:24 AM »

I agree, my transducer is always down the hole I'm fishing. Floats are good for certain conditions and presentation needs, but there's no substitute for a sensitive rod and line in my hand. I never use any kind of bobber for 'gills, fixed or slip. Gotta feel the bite!

Melbs7 · « **Reply #16 on:** Jan 01, 2004, 10:38 AM »

thats all good and fine..... most of it is all just personal preference and what you have 'confidence' in........ but in my opinion..... a good sensitive spring bobber will sense the bite at least as soon as 'feeling the bite'. thats just my opinion.

Melbs

Oldfart · « **Reply #17 on:** Jan 01, 2004, 02:21 PM »

But my vexlar shows how many are "breathin" on it, so I know when to change my jiggin speed. Also shows when a bass passes 8' above the bottom I'm jiggin on so I can lift up.

richstick · « **Reply #18 on:** Jan 01, 2004, 02:28 PM »

Buddy, if you are waiting to feel the bite, you are missing about 80% of them!!!! At least, if you are fishing for gills, perch, and crappie that is!! Also, no float can be rigged as sensitive as a good spring bobber, it's all about physics. I agree, line watching is the way to go, but lately I've been giving spring bobbers a little nod. I don't think I miss any fish with the spring bobber system that I buillt for myself. (it's cool) My system is a combo of the FL-18, jig pounding (when I'm fishing heavy horizontal oriented jigs), line watching, spring bobbers, etc. You can watch two lines come together on the flasher, but that doesn't tell you for sure that you have the strike most days. Jig pounding is cool because it calls fish in, keeps the bait moving - fish like that most days that they are neutral to even slightly negative - and as soon as I don't feel the jig anymore, I set the hook.

mrlongbeard1 · « **Reply #19 on:** Jan 01, 2004, 04:01 PM »

The nice thing when using spring bobbers is that they show the bite even if the fish is lifting the bait up instead of pulling. Several days I've caught fish watching the weight come off the bobber instead of pulling on it. And if I go to heavier jigs I just ajust it shorter to stiffen it up.

crappieloo · « **Reply #20 on:** Jan 01, 2004, 10:46 PM »

When i started out i used a slip bobber. Man i thought it was cool. It came with a needle to thread your line through it. My buddy used to give me weird looks when i reeled fish up from the bottom. Could never find another one of those and started using spring bobbers. The fish cant help being caught on this setup. I watch line also but 1# test is kinda hard to see at times.

pot-belly-perch · « **Reply #21 on:** Jan 07, 2004, 03:25 AM »

I use red&white little tiny bobbers with the u all the way up so your line flowes freely then we get out the heavey rouch clip LOL then determine your depth to the bottem of lake then you use little rubber bands sold in office stores & then fold over the rubber band & pull thro so now it up a inch from the bottem of lake so all you do it put the rod on the bucket or rod holder then you bobit up & down and wammer jammer one it goes up & down set the hook or if you see the line goes sideways set the hook also you want a automatic jig action you do those little bobers are so senceative you stay up all nite with a pot of coffee & go fishing first lite you will get many strikes because your so nerves are shakeing & when you do that your bait moves to also the perch just love it when you do that ok guys &gals I hope I helpped somebody
thanks for your time see ya on the lake

Steve 8)

P Gottshall · « **Reply #22 on:** Jan 10, 2004, 04:56 PM »

I was out for the first time today, with my Vex, on central IL's recent 3in of hard-stuff. Last year, when the lines came together, I almost automatically set the hook without even feeling the bite. Today that didn't work. They were really timid.

I was watching my vex, & saw probably 100 fish sniff my bait. Set the hook, & nothing. They'd sniff for a minute or so, & then fade away. I suspect some were biting, but I just couldn't time it with my Vex.

I only caught about ten fish, but every single one of them brought the bait up. ie - my rod never bent. I caught what I got by seeing the line go slack. As I was sitting there, I wondered how many of the other fish were actually "tasting" my bait, & how many of them I might have goten if I had a spring bobber.

I'm putting a spring bobber on my UL before I go back out. Then I won't have to wonder. . .

PS - I was 100% catch & release today, doing my part to conserve. OK, the gills were 4in & the crappies 7in. But I coulda' eaten 'em!

just my thoughts,
Paul

fishmann · « **Reply #23 on:** Jan 12, 2004, 03:05 PM »

Hi all, newbie here, but hope to learn and share much as time goes on.
In an attempt to improve on my bobbers, I started drilling a small hole through the small cigar shaped bobbers at an angle. Run the line through this hole instead of the factory hole through the middle. Bobber stop required to reel in your fish. With the angled hole for the line to pass through, the bobber sits at a 45 degree angle, that way, if a fish comes up with your bait, the bobber will lie down on it's side, even if he only comes up 1/2-1 inch. If he sucks it down 1/4 inch, the bobber will stand up straighter. This does require using no additional weight than your lure, but is very sensetive for light or rising biters. Try it, it's free and it really works!!

Thanks to everyone for such a great site.

Pop · « **Reply #24 on:** Jan 12, 2004, 04:52 PM »

Have any of you ever used a small washer for a bite indicator? I still have one rod set up with a small flat washer between the first and second guide back from the tip. The line will pass through the opening in the washer but the washer won't pass through the guide. The weight of the washer puts a bit of a bow in the line and it will move when a fish takes the bait. The washer will also pull the line down if the fish are taking the bait up. It is very easy to use and will detect bites I often miss just line watching. Works better in the wind than just watching for line movement.

Pop

MUSKY 2004 · « **Reply #25 on:** Jan 12, 2004, 04:54 PM »

YOU ARE CHEAP

Pop · « **Reply #26 on:** Jan 13, 2004, 09:43 AM »

Do you mean frugal or that I don't cost much?

Pop

fishfearme77 · « **Reply #27 on:** Jan 13, 2004, 05:17 PM »

I use a spring type bobber that is a fine wire with about 1/4" of coil toward the rod end and a loop made of the wire on the lure end. The loop is large enough to keep from icing and the coil makes it the most sensitive type I've found. You notice a lot of action you never knew was going on when using a float or the flat style of spring bobber. Also, I tie the wire directly to the rod with thread and put glue over the wraps to prevent it from spinning around the rod. The wind doesn't toy as much with the fine wire either.

Fat Boy · « **Reply #28 on:** Jan 14, 2004, 12:15 AM »

Get your eyes off the TV and you'll catch more fish!

Seriously, watch them on your finder until they're breathin' on your lure then move your eyes to either your rod tip, watch your line, and/or spring for the slightest movement, set the hook and you've got 'im. I like a spring sometimes, other times I watch the line (tightlining), and when they're really aggressive I catch them with neither and only watch my rod tip (those are the days that you feel the hit resonate up your forearms). Others have their way of doing things, but if I leave my eyes on my sonar I'm going to miss fish. How many times has a fish been poised to strike and the minute you move the jig the wrong way that fish disappears out of the cone? Setting the hook on a guess could cause that fish to get outta there. Wind is always a problem whether you use a spring bobber or tightlining, but that's what portable shanties are for, right? I'm not a slip bobber person because I like to vary my depths within milliseconds as panfish react to my lure. I wanna keep above them as much as possible.

daffydone · « **Reply #29 on:** Jan 14, 2004, 04:55 PM »

I use porcupine quills,found them at the bait shop, they work real well! they are extremely sensitive! you can see any movement that your line makes!

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Author Topic: Bobbers - idea & questions (Read 4583 times)

P Gottshall

DipLip

bschlauch

hole digger

P Gottshall

fishmann

MUSKY 2004

fishfearme77