Specific Spring Bobber Question

[Mike Walerak]

I have fish long rods for crappies and gills all ice season long; mainly crappies though. Last season I came to love the Frabil jiggler over all my other rods including a custom built Thorne Bros. The only gripe I have it the spring bobber was too stiff for 90% of the applications I was using.

I stretched out the spring to make it softer but I would really like it to be longer and softer so I can get the right jigging rythym going.

My Pulsator rods have the right spring bobber action and could even be a bit softer and longer.

Can anyone tell me where I can get some of these springs so I can experiment with the actions? I know the guys in Michigan use these types of springs for fishing with wigglers. So they must be available some place.

mw

[TruthWalleyes]

Wire is pretty cheap. Might be a good option for you.

[Mike Walerak]

Wow. I might try to have that guy just make me one. With my patience and skills I can about tell you what kind of disaster that would be. Not to mention the 14 trips to the hardware store until I got the right sizes of bits and other things. If I tried it myself I think I might have one by the time the ice melts. Thanks though TruthWalleyes very informative!

mw

[TruthWalleyes]

http://www.mcmaster.com/#compression-springs/=pe4cye

[Eric_Kruger]

any ball point pen.....

[Mike Walerak]

Truth,

Thanks the fact is I really need to see these in person to get the right action before I buy them off the internet. Would a place like Fastenal carry them?

Eric,

A pen spring won't work because it is too short. I am really trying to get the wagging action to pass all the way down the spring.

I'm looking for a real specific spring that I know many of the Wisconsin and Michigan NAFC guys use.

[Eric_Kruger]

hmmmm, i know t bros has a few different models of their own maybe thats worth a look?

[Garett Svir1582813971]

Many of the tournament guys use springs made from x-ray film. They stay straight without getting all those kinks.

[Jim Kusuda]

I do some long rodding, and love it. When I made my own many years back, we would break open an empty Bic lighter. Put a round toothpick in the end, clip it off and dip the tip in white jig paint, then orange. While still tacky, pull out the toothpick and tamp the end of the spring to seal and make it snag free. They had great action, but would rust. Now I use the Pulsator. Try looking for Eagle's Pro Sports in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin. Tell Gary that Mendota Jim sent you.

[UFCreel]

I second what Jim Kusuda has to say about the Bic spring. A very sensitive bobber can be made out of them. I don't understand why you want or need the spring bobber to be so long. You maybe over jigging in my opinion. With todays plastics less jigging motion is way better. Again in my opinion. By the way Jim K Have been using the long rods now for a couple of seasons. Love them. I got mine from an older gentleman in Racine.

[Mike Walerak]

UF Creel I am not using plastics. I am using homemaded spoons with flappers and I'm wanting to expeirment with sizes of blades To get the right action I have to use a longer spring. I almost exclusivly long rod all season long and looking for the right spring bobber for the action I am trying to achieve with a particular spoon.

I have a number of the rods from Prarie du Sac the are very nice but the no drag is a drag! All it takes is one 4 lb largemouth or big pike and you are SOL. The Frabils are nice but the spring is not my favortite.