lighted slip bobbers

[icecold]

can anyone tell me what would be a good durable lighted slip bobber on the market today, Any one prefer 1 type over the next???

[tunrevir]

I prefer the Thill style lighted bobber. It can be used a as a fixed float or slip bobber. I personally take the spring off the bottom and use it as a slip float whether fishing 25' or 5'. I don't like the possibility that the line might hang up on the spring when it is dark out. My 2 cents.

Tunrevir~

[slick814]

I second the Thill brand. Lights up nicely, and works great as a slip bobber before it gets dark too.

THe Rod & Bobb's lighted bobber is decent also, but I don't think that it gives off as much light, and if you've got any kind of wave action, or cast it a little too far, it's hard to see at times. Just my opinion, though. I've used both brands, and they do what they're designed to do.

I also have a couple of the bigger semi-clear ones (Can't think of the brand, though) They're pretty good if it's a calm, clear night, and you want a little extra weight to get a cast off shore or something, but I only use them from shore at nights that are pretty calm. They catch the wind alot, and move a lot in waves.

[icehousebob]

I like using the Wave Buster foam bobbers and sticking a small light stick in the top. You can trim them to length for balancing your rig and they're pretty foolproof and unbreakable. If several people are using lighted bobbers at the same time, the light sticks come in different colors so you can tell which one is yours.

[delmuts]

doesn't using the ice buster bobbers with a light stick in the top, make them top heavy ?

[fivebucks]

I use the Wave Busters also (not ice busters - the wave busters have weight at the bottom) They are not top heavy and work just fine for me.

[Bruce Mosher]

You're right, The Wave Buster Bobbers are weighted on the bottom and the Light Sticks do not affect the bobber performance. As far as being top heavy, it won't happen. The Light sticks are very light in weight. Northland Tackle sells the colored light sticks. It's fun to see which color is going to "dissapeer" if you are fishing with buddies and have different colored light sticks poked into the top of the Wave Busters. A few more days and the Wave Busters will get some action!! Have fun, Bruce Mosher

[icehousebob]

Hey Bruce, You should hire me for your sales department. I think just like you do.

To expand on the balancing of your set-up,,, when I'm slip bobber fishing in waves, I like to trim the bobber down so that it goes under in the crest of the wave but comes back up in the trough. When a bobber rides on top the whole time, the wave is moving it too much and is also pulling it out of the fish's strike zone for much of the time. As for when to set the hook, when the bobber doesn't come back up in the wave trough, I don't wait, I set the hook NOW. I fished with a couple guys who liked to wait five seconds before hook setting and by the end of the evening, they were using my method.

[Ole #1]

Thill is the only way to go for me. The battery light is nice because it's very bright and you can turn it off when you're done and re-use it.

[wayne123]

I just make sure that the line threads all the way through the bobber because it seems to tangle less. I stick with the battery type if I do not know how long I will be fishing. If it is an all night trip I use the glow kind. I have not tried the wave buster but love the ice buster so I will try them.

The part I like with lighted bobber is when you are tired and one bobber looks like there are five or six lights on the water. Then all of sudden it turns to one light and you know you have a bite.

[Tony Holland]

I bought and used one this weekend. Worked great. Easy on and off super bright. Spendy though. 10.00 at Fleet Farm.

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[Fish Head]

I like the Thill bobbers or any quality bobber with a battery. I've used the little lighted stick that you put on the top of a non-lighted bobber and I don't care for them at all. They don't give off enough light. Just my $.02

[fisherman]

I have used that style gamakatsu bobber before and it works good as long as you are not make long casts. They tend to get tangled up a lot. I'd recommend the thill bobbers less tangles and are very easy to see.

[Bobb-o]

are you guys referring to the thills with the slots for the batteries with the lights that are on the batteries? if so, i have had a lot of trouble with not being able to turn them off. i can never seem to get them turned all the way off, which results in the battery going dead by the time i want to use it next, i have an old light up bobber with the battery that you just turn upside down when you are done with it and it has worked perfectly for everything i have needed it for.

[computerboy]

I've also had problems with the self-contained batter/light that is used in the Thill. They seem to work good right out of the chute, but then I have problems after using them (flickering, won’t stay lit, won’t shut off, etc). I've also had problems with the o-rings disintegrating on the Thill float between seasons.

I have an older lighted bobber that looks a lot like the new Gamakatsu Firetip float. Unlike the Thill, it uses a stick-style lithium battery that lights up the tip of the bobber. I actually prefer that over the Thill. In fact, I think I’m going to stop by Gander or Fleet Farm tomorrow after work and pick a few up now that you mention it.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Its already been stated... The Wave buster bobber. For all those people who love the Ice Buster.. why give up the best bobber idea out there. The wave buster is just as good!