Slip Bobbers

[luvtoicefish]

Hey group, newbie to the group here. I have bought some new poles this year that have spinning reels on them and was wondering what some of you guys use for slip bobbers so you can reel in fish and not lose your depth. I love the concept of a reel over the old hand over hand like I did years ago.( not real fun in deep lakes). I remember some years ago that you threaded a small spring threw your line the at the depth you wanted to set it for you would streach it out and it would stay at that point and you just reeled it in. Do they still make those?? Also I am looking at a dx3000 shanty for $229 is that a good price?? It looks like a nice shanty for the price. Thanks ,
           Dan

[Haywood]

Slip bobbers work good, in a heated house.  Otherwise the bobber freezes to the string and it doesn't hold your depth.  The ice buster bobbers are my favorite.

[MnSportsman]

Slip bobbers work good, in a heated house.  Otherwise the bobber freezes to the string and it doesn't hold your depth.  The ice buster bobbers are my favorite.

I agree with Haywood.  Since I started using those "ice-busters" when they first came out, I can say I'm impressed with them. But I "tune" them for outdoors use, so the line to bobber/float connection stays under water, to help prevent line freeze.( By "tune", I mean I cut the yellow foam so it just barely sticks out of the water.) The nicest thing I like about them is the ease in which you can remove them from the line if you need to. It can be a pain to remove the "push/button"  or spring-ended ones( yes they still make them.) if your hands get cold, or if the lines frozen to the float. The ice busters are much easier. I'm not trying to push these bobbers, I'm just impressed with them.

BTW, I still find myself grabbing the line to handline the fish, even tho' I have been using spincast for a long time. Old habits die hard. 

[Multi-Master]

I use slip bobbers quite a bit and I love them.  But yes freeze up is always an issue. 

I also still hand over hand small fish in somewhat shallow water.  its just quicker and easier to maintain your depth.  Obviously big fish I reel them.

[TylerZR6]

I have been using just the string or knot for a slip-bobber to mark my depth. 

[Quack_Attack]

Another vote for the "Ice Buster" bobbers, I use 'em when dead sticking a minnow they're the most trouble free slip bobber I've used.

[Timmer]

I remember some years ago that you threaded a small spring threw your line the at the depth you wanted to set it for you would streach it out and it would stay at that point and you just reeled it in.

The spring bobber stops were a thing of the past and never very good in my opinion.  You can buy a pack of slip knot ties in the bobber section of any sporting good store.  I can still remember how to tie my own in a pinch, but it's darn convenient to have these all tied up and ready to go.  Also make sure to use a bead below the knot to make sure it doesn't go through the bobber.  Also, I don't cut off the spare string of the slip knot as it will keep it from catching as easy on the eyes of your rod. 

[musky8it]

Slip bobbers work good, in a heated house.  Otherwise the bobber freezes to the string and it doesn't hold your depth.  The ice buster bobbers are my favorite.

I use the slip bobbers type where the line goes thru a hole on the bottom end of the bobber that is about 1 - 2 inches under water. Tried the slip bobbers with hole down thru center, and even in a shanty, if it's Xtreme cold they freeze up. Problem is, I can't remember where I got this tiny ice bobbers with slip hole on bottom end. I thought it was walmart, but haven't seen any there this year. I need a couple more.

Now If I ever find any 1/4" foam tubbing. I am going to make some homemade slip bobbers. All I need to do is find some tubbing, attache a tiny metal loop on bottom. Then cut trim the foam tube to fit weight of my jig. Like the ones they sell, can't remember the name of them. But at $5 for 2 plus Shipping cost, dats a little to high for me.

[Haywood]

Was it a Balsa bobber? 

[djkruszewski]

i use the small thill slip bobbers.  you can find them at bass pro in the fly fishing department.  they are only 1.59 per bobber.  i use the small rubber bobber stop, never really liked the string stops.

[musky8it]

Was it a Balsa bobber? 

I think it was. wood brown in color with a black tube running thru them..I added a photo of it if it will show. I like this one the best, line does not go thru the bobbler. Slip bobber eye is alway under the water, so it can't freeze

[musky8it]

i use the small thill slip bobbers.  you can find them at bass pro in the fly fishing department.  they are only 1.59 per bobber.  i use the small rubber bobber stop, never really liked the string stops.

The ones I use are allot smaller than the thrill bobbers you find at walmart. The floating part is only about 3/4" long and narrow. When using a small #10 or 12 teardrop jig, I can't use anything bigger than #3 sinker. And if the jig has weight, #3 sinkers makes it to heavy and I have to switch to BB size or no sinkers so the bobber doesn't sinks. So they are small.

[MnSportsman]

Musky8it, If you want to make your own "ice-busters" floats . Go to a lumberyard/hrdware/etc. & get some  "caulk backing". It's foam in a long length.. You can get 25' ft in 1/4" - 5/8" diameters. Cost is usully about $2-$4 per 25' pkge.

[musky8it]

MnSportsman
tks for that info, will go to Home Depot and see if they have any. Then if they do, maybe the crafts store will have sometype of plastic eye I can attach to the floats with superglue gel. If I am correct I was thinking that superglue gel works underwater. If not, have to use hot glue. Never use just plain superglue, superglue gel is better on anything.

[Jack Ryan]

Hey group, newbie to the group here. I have bought some new poles this year that have spinning reels on them and was wondering what some of you guys use for slip bobbers so you can reel in fish and not lose your depth.

For depth on spinning reels

I use the spool line holder.

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=69287.0

[musky8it]

Musky8it, If you want to make your own "ice-busters" floats . Go to a lumberyard/hrdware/etc. & get some  "caulk backing". It's foam in a long length.. You can get 25' ft in 1/4" - 5/8" diameters. Cost is usully about $2-$4 per 25' pkge.

FOund the foam tubeing you told me about. Smallest they had was 3/8", looked small enough. Then found some eyelets at a craft store and made a few 3" long. Don't know how good they will hold up, but they are weather proof, should not waterlog. Should work as long as the eyelets stay in, but got them pretty tight. Tks again for the tip MnSportsman....Added a couple pics to show what I came up with. Took just a couple mintues to make 3.

[winchester 88]

Could you take a large bait holder hook(one with the barbs on the shaft0,heat it a little bit so that you can straighten it out and then push it up into the faom and let the eye hang out? Seems like that might work O.K.

Winchester 88

[MnSportsman]

luvtoicefish,I forgot to welcome you earlier.
WELCOME
   So, what is your thoughts on slip bobbers after reading what you've seen on here so far?

 musky8it,Nice work!  Y'know... I think you could take a paper clip & straighten it ,  cut it down to about an inch length, using a needle nose pliers, put a crossed loop with a return bend, in one end for your line(for ease of removal/replacement changing presentation weight IE.-big jig to small jig). And then put some  sharp kinks in the part that goes into the float part to hold the foam to the clip. (kinda like the "tru-turn" hooks).
Just a suggestion....

[luvtoicefish]

MnSportsman thanks for the welcome! Lots of great Ideas on slip bobbers. Love the looks of the picts of the diffrent bobber you guys are using. I also never thought about just using the line keeper on the reel and then just use spring bobber....should work. Thank you for all the info....
     Guys I have a big task ahead of me. I am hopefully going to take a 8 year old ice fishing for the first time. I have not ice fished in probably 15 years.( lost my priorities in life for a while :-)  ) I am thinking of buying a shepell dx3000 shanty and a heater to make it a nicer experance for him. Hopefully my auger works ok I bought it used. I hope it will be a memorble experance for him. Wish me luck.... any suggestions would be appereciated too!!!

[musky8it]

Could you take a large bait holder hook(one with the barbs on the shaft0,heat it a little bit so that you can straighten it out and then push it up into the faom and let the eye hang out? Seems like that might work O.K.

Winchester 88

I had thought about using a wire fishing hook. But a bait hook, like you say would have barbs on the shaft, would be better. The pics I posted don't really show how I put the eye in. It is in there to stay as long as the foam holds up. That was what I was talking about when I said " Don't know how good they will hold up ". The foam is not very dense or solid at all, it very soft. I thought the eye might pull out of it if the bobber got snagged on the ice hole edge. I need to find denser foam.

To show how solid the eye is fastened in, I made a pictures of how I did it. There is no way the eye will pull or slip out without tearing up the foam and ruining the bobber. The right part of the picture shows the pointed end of the eye sticking out the other side of the foam. I left it sticking out to show how solid it will be, I will trim it off before using it.

[MnSportsman]

If I were you, these are some things to take along.

 Snacks/Drinks that the kid would enjoy ( if fishing is slow, a snack can help in the waiting)

 a "dipper" (to clean out the skim ice from the holes/ They're not expensive, but a kitchen straining  ladle works in a pinch.)               

Something to sit on (buckets/lawn chair/camp stool/etc.)
               
heater (I use the "sunflower type" / I can use it to cook on & keep my hands warm, whether I'm in a shack or not. They're not too expensive either.)

Note: the shanty will be helpful down the road, but the expense wouldn't necessarily be needed to take the kid out, unless it was real cold/windy.)

Be sure to ask the bait shop about good places to take a kid  fishing & maybe get on some fish.  Even if the fish are small. Just to get the kid interested would be the first goal. He can catch a trophy thru the ice anytime in his life if you "plant the icefishing seed" deep enuff.
And  I would take him over to meet folks that are out there fishing. Explain to them it's his first trip & I can almost guarantee you'll have help/tips coming your way.

You can get a "sonar/camera" down the road if ya choose to. But for this trip, unless you want to borrow/rent one, to keep him interested. I don't think it's necessary.
[ I'm one of those guys who thinks getting someone started on the "basics" is the most important thing to accomplish. You can "gear-up & spend more later for yourself & the boy if you find yourself getting out there more & more.]

There will be more advice from others here' I'm sure. But this I hope helps.
Good LUCK & "Watch your Bobber"   
             
    PS- you may want to spend some time in this section. It'll answer a lot of questions you may have.
http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?board=32.0

[Ollie]

Bring lots of patience and remember things will go wrong. Keep it light hearted and fun and you should have a great fishing partner. It took me too many years to figure this out.
Good luck.

[Dewman]

I'll agree with everyone on the ice buster bobbers, they work great and don't freeze up like the other slip bobbers out there. For depth, I used the rubber stops as a backup to hold my depth, but you also need to use the string stops provided. It seems like the rods with the bigger rod tips work better for the bobber stops to pass through when reeling up, but for these finnicky fish I need my lighter units.

good luck out there

Dewman