Panfish and bobbers

[OneMoreFish]

Wondering how everyone sets up to fish panfish with bobbers. My 8 year old comes out a lot with me and when the crappie are on he's having a blast. When they shut down for a while and we jig is when he starts to get bored. I always set him up with the flasher in a hole stacked with fish, but he never has much luck jigging because he can't detect the hits. I've never ice fished with a bobber for panfish but I feel like if he can actually see a little bit of a strike he will be good. I have some size 14 trebles and I was just planning on using that with some spikes and a small split shot under the bobber.

[hyoi5]

Use bobber stops and a clip on styrofoam bobber. Works great and easy to set up. I put a link below to what they are. I don't use the plastic beads they come with (cause I don't know what they are for) but you take your line and feed it through the plactic sleeve that has the neon knot on it then slide the knot off the plastic sleeve onto your line and pull the 2 ends so the knot tightens on your string. Then just move it up or down you line til you get to the depth you want. If you use a light lure, you may want to snip the Styrofoam bobber a little otherwise I'll lay flat on the water and your kid won't see the bites as easily.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/j-r-hi-vis-bobber-stops-per-10/701931.uts?searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3FrecordsPerPage%3D18%26No%3D0%26N%3D0%26nl%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dbobber%252Bstops%26search%3DSearch&No=0&Ntk=AllProducts&Ntt=bobber+stops

[hyoi5]

Here's the link to the bobbers. The bobber stop will reel up into your reel but the bobber will stay unto your hook gets out of the water so you don't need to be clipping it on and off

http://www.cabelas.com/product/today-s-tackle-ice-buster-bobbers-150-six-pack/1272807.uts?searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3FrecordsPerPage%3D18%26No%3D0%26N%3D0%26nl%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dbobber%26search%3DSearch&No=0&Ntk=AllProducts&Ntt=bobber

[rgfixit]

Make or buy him a spring bobber. He'll focus in  on it like you won't believe.

Rg

[Idahogator]

A red-neck spring bobber can be fashioned from the spring, from some ball point pens.   

May I offer an explanation to the complete assembly/use of a bobber-stop?
   
After the bobber-stop is on the line, then a bead slides up beneath, then a slip-float/bobber.  Then the terminal tackle, swivel, hook, sinker, etc.

The tightly tied bobber-stop will then feed through the rod guides and onto the spool of the reel ~ the bead and float being down to the terminal tackle, allowing a favorable cast to a remote area. 

The terminal tackle sinks, pulling the line through the float until the bobber-stop hits the bead which then hits the float. That's the magic of depth control using a bobber-stop.     

                                                           

[OneMoreFish]

Thanks for the replies. I guess I really just wanted to know if anyone else fishes this way through the ice? I will have to put a spring bobber on for him tomorrow and let him try that. We will be in the shanty in shallow, clear water tomorrow though so he will be able to site fish which keeps anyone entertained for hours! He asked me tonight if we had enough minnows because we are going to be out there from morning to night lol. I just kind of chuckled because I know it will more than likely be a couple hours!

[Idahogator]

You could mess up his fishin' with hot cocoa.   

Good luck & stay safe.   
                                     

[ispoman]

I'd tell him to learn how to fish without a bobber or stay home

[Dinosaur1]

Yeah, rig him a slip bobber.

[Beets]

X3 spring bobber

[Idahogator]

No intent to hijack your topic, OneMoreFish.     

Just a little 'show & tell' for hyoi5.     

        I don't use the plastic beads they come with (cause I don't know what they are for) .

[RedShantyMi]

Get an Aquavu and he will hooked for life😃

[hyoi5]

Thanks Idahogator! Figured there was a logical use for it but never knew. Haha Never tried a spring bobber but I'm sure they would work well too. You can get bells too so when it gets slow, you don't have to pay as much attention,  you can just listen for it.

[Idahogator]

Glad to be of a bit of help.          I see a need for my Game-ears on ice.     

[Monticatgeek]

A spring bobber is the way to go in your case. with it on the rod he can slowly jig and the bobber will slowly move up and down. when a fish does bite (even lightly) there will be a disruption in the motion of the bobbers movement. once he learns to notice this slight change in movement he should start to catch fish. this is how I personally fish my spring bobber rod. there has been time the bite was so light I didn't feel it but seen it in the spring bobber and was able to make the catch. as for the foam bobbers I use them only as a dead stick set up when I want to have the extra line in the water but don't want to have to focus on it all the time. I normally only run a foam bobber set up if there is fish under me for a while. I would say for me I fish my spring bobber rod 99% of the times I go fishing.

[slipperybob]

A slip bobber is the way to go in your case. with it on the rod he can slowly jig and the bobber will slowly move up and down. when a fish does bite (even lightly) there will be a disruption in the motion of the bobbers movement. once he learns to notice this slight change in movement he should start to catch fish. this is how I personally fish my spring bobber rod. there has been time the bite was so light I didn't feel it but seen it in the spring bobber and was able to make the catch. as for the foam bobbers I use them only as a dead stick set up when I want to have the extra line in the water but don't want to have to focus on it all the time. I normally only run a foam bobber set up if there is fish under me for a while. I would say for me I fish my spring bobber rod 99% of the times I go fishing.

Yes this, it's been forever and I don't do it anymore.  It doesn't always have to be a bobber, it can be a large plastic bead as well.  I think the size around 8 mm will do.

[rgfixit]

I'd tell him to learn how to fish without a bobber or stay home

Real nice 

I made some spring bobbers from my used guitar strings last year. He' ll love site fishing. I love site fishing. It's mesmerizing.

Rg

[river rat78]

When targeting panfish especially crappies I would go with a spring bobber over a slip bobber. The reason being there will be times when they put slack in the line especially crappies. You won't see that with a bobber.

[UFCreel]

Spring bobber for jigging. I use Bic lighter springs. For just a dead stick use the smallest Thill slider bobber you can get. Weight it so it barely sticks out of the water. Deadly on crappies. Let it go down under the edge of the ice and just start reeling. With sharp hooks you wont need to set the hook. Now on an up bite it will lay over on its side.

[Dave R]

When targeting panfish especially crappies I would go with a spring bobber over a slip bobber. The reason being there will be times when they put slack in the line especially crappies. You won't see that with a bobber.

x2

[mcperch]

  I sometimes use a tiny bobber , I find bottom raise up 1' then jig when the bobber stops pull the line up with hands , then put back in water and depth is already set  . My 5year old does a good job

[nitram]

Floats ,slip floats work, but the fish need to be some what aggressive. 

[Swift]

Adjustable Spring Bobber all the way. Will become a sight fishing, line watcher in no time while learning to visually focus on it and not really know it. Covering as many bases as possible is rarely a bad thing. Slip bobbers have there place but can be a PIA when it's cold out for a kid

[Townie]

Noodle rod w/ hi viz tip-- no need for bobbers

[Monticatgeek]

Yes this, it's been forever and I don't do it anymore.  It doesn't always have to be a bobber, it can be a large plastic bead as well.  I think the size around 8 mm will do.

(Image removed from quote.)

I use to use those but switched to ice buster bobbers then to the venom bobber. the thrills work if the fish are aggressive. with the venom bobber I can set it to neutral buoyance and can tell if the line was picked up by the bobber rising in the water. I prefer spring bobber set ups now but still run a bobber rod once in a while.

[rgfixit]

Home made guitar spring bobber.


Rg

[OneMoreFish]

Home made guitar spring bobber.


Rg

That is really cool! I might just have to try to do something like that. Luckily today we got into the crappie pretty good so he was having a blast. Thanks to everyone for all of the great responses. Well, everyone except one person anyways. 

[rgfixit]

Sorry, some people can't be helped. Pm me if you need any info on how to make them.

You're a good Dad teaching your son to fish. There's nothing more fun.

Rg

[Dean Nelson]

When targeting panfish especially crappies I would go with a spring bobber over a slip bobber. The reason being there will be times when they put slack in the line especially crappies. You won't see that with a bobber.

How can you not tell? Rig it so the bobber barely holds the bait up. If it goes down set the hook if it pops up and tips on its side set the hook. Rig it as a slip bobber so he can jig it still ...watching a bobber go down is still one of the best things in fishing!