I love sagely advice from excperienced fisherman.

[bobber_down_1979]

Was out on Pelican and noticed I was not doing as well as some of the fisherman around me. Spoke to an older gentelman as he was packing up and he suggested I might do better usine a spring bobber. He showed me how he set his up and I gave it a try. Have not used it yet, but it looks and opperates pretty slick sitting here in the house. Just buy those HT sping bobbers with the orange foam base. Cut the spring completly free. Then insert the spring into the eye of the rod and heat shrink it down. It doesn't work as well on some rods. It works best on a rod like this that the spring stays straight all the way through. If the spring curves down coming out of the eye it is hard to get line through and is hard to see properly.

[bobber_down_1979]

Apparently this post is incredibly underwhelming:o)

[Esox_Magnum]

Been using a spring bobber of one sort or the other for 20 years now, latest favorite is the Frabill ones.

[Fowlmouth]

I use this method except I do it the cheap way, I take the spring out of a ball point pen and a little electrical tape.

[leech~~]

I think the heat wrap is a good idea, but you do kind of lose the adjustment of making the bite lighter or heavier if you can't move the spring in or out.

[g_anoka]

Here is a trick I use for getting the line through the spring. Borrow a sewing needle from your wife/girlfriend/ sister/ mother and thread your line through the needle and slide that into the spring. And to not offend the ladies, I was smart enough to figure out to use a needle, so I must know a little something about sewing. You can also now go to some tackle shops and buy a tool for this purpose.

[whitebassman]

pardon the stupidity, but what is the advantage of this? I've seen it on lots of rod/reel combos for sale, but did not go for it.

I suppose it allows one to see a bite with a lot of sensitivity? Being I like to jig most of the time, I just did not see using this technique. I don't like to use bobbers as well when ice fishing. I usually just jig with the line around my forefinger to detect bites. Also using a light or ultralight rod with 2-4 lb line allows me to detect bites. Those crappies aren't shy about tugging on the line, but the bluegills are very light biters!

[Esox_Magnum]

Bites sometimes so lite even the spring bobbers miss it let alone being able to feel it, see it happen all the time on the camera and sight fishing.

[PrairieLakeLogJam]

The spring is a great tool for LaZy Slabs, Sometimes, like this weekend for Me, the Slabs would inhale and give it a quick lick and exhale.. The Vex showed them on the bait but the sweet pea was dead.. No Springs in the tackle box but Now that "FowlMouth" just gave us his Million Dollar Idea, looks like I did have Springs but was to dumb to know it!

Next weekend, Duck-tape & Ink Pens in the Otter!

[mole]

The Jason Mitchell spring bobber rod is my all time favorite!!!

[whitebassman]

yep. seen them bite so lite, without the camera down there, i wouldn't have felt the bite! but i'm only chasing panfish, and not too many slabs in my lake, just nice eaters.

[Esox_Magnum]

Perch or gills here bite so light it's hard to belive without seeing it.

[Finns]

A 'floss threader' also works well getting the line through spring bobbers.

[reinhard1]

excelent idea. good luck.

[ole matty]

When they bite so light even on spring bobber I keep my eye on line. If it twitch slightly I tip my rod down like 1/8-1/4" if spring bobber go up....... fish on!!!!

[blue_healer_guy]

waiting an hour between posts on a subject that is 15 yrs old is not a reason to scold others here. jmo.

[DeeJ]

I missed the scolding? Anyway...

Spring bobbers help me catch panfish. Some don't like them or believe they work... To each their own.

[imgoing2sleep]

I am a fan of the Frabill spring boppers also but found issues when hole hopping in the cold. I kept having to blow on it to free up the ice to put line down and reel up. I was digging around the internet and found some interesting info on making my own st. croix legend spring bopper. So far it's working pretty good but I haven't had a chance to try it hole hopping in the cold yet though.

[LOTWSvirgin]

Been using a spring bobber of one sort or the other for 20 years now, latest favorite is the Frabill ones.

I remember fishing with you and getting made fun of for not having one.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

I got mocked and promptly outfished on tuesday by my buddy when we got into a mess of crappies. he was icing 3 fish to my 1 out of the same portable with the same jigs. I'm sold on them and will be using one from now on. Especially after seeing the spring bobber indicate a bite even when finger on the line wouldn't transfer a feeling of a bite.

[Crm7290]

If you guys are sitting outside try putting pam spray or chapstick on your spring bobber and that should wick the water away and stop the freezing on it.

[Ed Carlson]

The Jason Mitchell spring bobber rod is my all time favorite!!!

Agreed, the JM Spring Bobber Rod System is a good one, inside and out.

The Frabill add on springs are a very good one in moderate temps inside, and out.