Spring Bobbers?

[Aberdak]

We just had a good day using spring bobbers! Can you guys share your veiws and stories on spring bobbers as far as Panfish go. This was my first expierence with spring bobbers and I am sold.

[Matt Johnson]

A very important tool to have when targeting pannies. They will indeed increase your bite detection. It's amazing how much more you "see" when using a spring bobber. Whether it's for crappies, sunfish, or perch. I typically have two rods rigged up with a spring bobber at all times. Some days it's almost mandatory to have one when the bite goes extremely light, especially on those big gills...

[gspman]

I used a spring bobber for the first time at the Backwater Brawl a couple weeks ago. I was sold on them after 15 minutes of fishing. I caught about 25 fish that day and without the spring bobber I probably would have missed 20 of those fish.

I went to the hobby shop and got some tubing to make some more spring bobbers ala Crappie Tom's design. I now have about a half dozen spring bobbers and will always have at least one rod with a spring bobber ready to go. They work great. You can detect anything going on when your spring bobber is set up properly. Upwards bites, downwards bites, just nibbling on the bait, etc...

I can't imagine being without one now. These things are fantastic.

gspman

[Ralph Wiggum]

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I went to the hobby shop and got some tubing to make some more spring bobbers ala Crappie Tom's design.

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I'm interested in this design. Does anyone have photos/instructions? I've been brainstorming ideas of my own, but haven't come up with much yet.

[CrappieJohn]

Ralph...I posted some pic of this a while agao. Do a search here and you should get it. If not, e-mail me and I'll do another pic and mail it to you.

I just did the search and you will find the pics of this set-up on page 36 of the ice forum in a thread titled SpingBobbers , by RatherBfishN. The pics are on page 2 of the thread. You may want to hang on though...e-mail me first and I will mail you a clearer picture. And I have another tid bit that I don't want to mention publicly yet.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Thanks, Tom, you've got mail.

[Tyler Holm]

Aberdak,

I was hesitant to move to the spring bobber world. I really liked (and still love) cutting the ice buster bobbers flush with the top of the water. This provides very little resistance to fish and I thought I was catching most every fish that bit.

I was wrong. The spring bobber does a better job of detecting upwards bites, as well as those fish that just barely breathe on your lure. Spring Bobbers will "hands down" detect light biting fish better than any other system out there.

Back in SoDak, I always use a spring bobber on my jigging rod, but an ice buster bobber on the other 3.

[gspman]

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And I have another tid bit that I don't want to mention publicly yet.

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CT, You can't write stuff like that. Now I'm all curious. Cough up the goods.

gspman

[CrappieJohn]

GSP....I am tinkering again and don't want to get too commital until I know what I am doing will work. This new idea will allow for fishing in the open without the freeze-up problems associated with the line-thru-coilspring bobber designs.

Don't worry. When I have the couple bumps smoothed out, it'll be found right here.

[Aberdak]

I like using "sponge bobs" also. two poles with "sponge bobs" and Now two poles with the old favorite Lakco spring bobber from Isle MN. with the big orange bead. My friend tuned me into the concept of having the flasher face pretty close to the spring bobber bead so that one can keep an eye on both important indicators. I will start fine tuning my sponge bobs also. I have not been using them to their full potential. Anybody been to Isle Mn.?? Thank you for the feed back guys, I appreciate the posts!

[Tyler Holm]

I've been to Isle many times. I have an aunt that lives there. I try to make it up there fishing every now and again as well.

[outdoor ran]

I could of sworn I posted on this yesterday, maybe I was sleeping thinking I was posting.

Anyway, I've always been a bobber guy. But after watching the line just twist one day and the tip of the pole not moving I set the hook and sure enough- fish on. So I tried some frabill ice poppers. I couldn't believe how many more bites I was able to see. Spring bobbers are awesome, just another thing I learned from the FM.

[NAPAFISH]

I have an Ice Popper too, yet I am not officially sold on it though. I seem to do about the same with an Ice Buster. It seems easier to follow a Buster. If they swim up its lays on its side. Maybe I more adept at watching these.

[hanson]

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Maybe I more adept at watching these.

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Just thought I'd use that quote to jump in here. When I'm using a spring bobber, I'm not really doing any watching but rather actively participating. Not sure if that makes sense but I am always jigging. As Mr. Genz says, pounding the lure. I have been almost strickly using CJ&S Ratsos this winter for crappies and gills. That little tail on the back has a lot of action, along with most of your plastics on the market. The trick is to keep that tail moving but barely moving. Subtle movement is the key. Not only does a spring bobber help detect a bite but it also aids in jigging your bait by providing it with a more natural action. It tends to calm down the jigging motions that I make a little bit.

All spring bobbers are not created equal and I have found great success with the St. Croix Legend spring bobber. The St. Croix is probably the best on the market and one of the best investments I made this winter.

[CrappieJohn]

A lot of banter centered around your very topic at Matts shin-dig on Sunday, Chris. All to often fish are not caught on rods which are too stiff and don't soften the action of the baits with micro plastics. Even jigs with just bait can be over-worked without knowing it. Spring bobbers simply make people better ice anglers.

All spring bobbers have merits that make them popular. Some find favor with some anglers, others with yet other anglers. But if the end result is more fish being taken, then whoever is using what brand becomes a moot issue.