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Best spring bobber?

CALVINIST

By CALVINIST
in Ice Fishing

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CALVINIST Mentor

CALVINIST

Posted
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I have used the Frabill type in the past, and they work well in warmer weather and in the portable, but suck in cold temps because the spring freezes up. Also, the Frabill ones only fit a certain diameter rod tip, so I can use it on only a couple of my rods. I bought a couple of the flat ones with a single bigger hole you tie on with thread and seal with fingernail hardener; haven't tried it yet, but hopefully this weekend i'll give it a shot. The Frabill ones always come off the rod tip when fishing, which stinks, but the other type is not coming off ever. I think it will handle cold temps better, but question whether it would be as sensitive as the Frabill. Does anyone have a preference as to which one is better? Is one more sensitive than the other?

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Ralph Wiggum Grand Master

Ralph Wiggum

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I like the St. Croix ones but not the price. I have added an extra guide on the tip of my guides with a rubber grommet that allows me to use the St. Croix springs with the rods that I do have. It works well. I'll try to get up some pictures later.

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markkstanley Proficient

markkstanley

Posted
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The St Croix spring bobber is great. I also found another spring bobber at YourBobbersDown that works just as well as the St Croix. Easy to attach and won't freeze up. Cost is $2 bucks apiece. You can also order Little Atom plastics from them as well as Wolfram Jigs and Fiskas. Good site to know.

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CALVINIST Mentor

CALVINIST

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Quote:

I like the St. Croix ones but not the price. I have added an extra guide on the tip of my guides with a rubber grommet that allows me to use the St. Croix springs with the rods that I do have. It works well. I'll try to get up some pictures later.

I'd like to see some pics. I understand the St Croix spring bobber is a coiled spring with a larger diameter piece of wire loop to put line through. Would like to see how you rig this up.

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DinkADunk Experienced

DinkADunk

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Calvanist, I posted a couple of weeks ago on some rods I made from Thorne Brother blanks with St. Croix spring bobbers mounted on them. Basicaly on the top of the blank (opposite side of the blank from the tip top) you install a guide (H&H size 3, sf fly guide) and then place a small rubber grommet in the guide (1/2" ID from Hardware Hank). For a picture check here http://www.fishingminnesota.com/forum/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=979146&page=5&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

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toonfish Collaborator

toonfish

Posted
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I have no idea what the brand is of the ones I use, but I like them. It is just a wire with a orange bead on the end and it attaches to your eye bracket with a spring that closes the wire around the bracket. I like them because they stay on. They are about 6 inches long so you adjust the sensitivity by attaching to brackets higher or lower on your pole. The other Spring types that i have tried just seem hard to attach or come off, because they don't fit exactly to your pole. Ilike the wire ones, they seem more universal.

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CALVINIST Mentor

CALVINIST

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Quote:

Calvanist, I posted a couple of weeks ago on some rods I made from Thorne Brother blanks with St. Croix spring bobbers mounted on them. Basicaly on the top of the blank (opposite side of the blank from the tip top) you install a guide (H&H size 3, sf fly guide) and then place a small rubber grommet in the guide (1/2" ID from Hardware Hank). For a picture check here

Certainly worth considering...Thanks!

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Luck e 1 Rising Star

Luck e 1

Posted
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Green and gold...I know what you mean...

I actually just use electrical tape and tape it to my rod. then you can slide the bobber to different sensitivities.

I also will put a word in for the St.Croix...they are awesome, but I don't like the rod. It is too stiff for my liking.

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CALVINIST Mentor

CALVINIST

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Last night after fishing with the Frabil one and the flat one in a side by side comparison, I liked the flat style much better. I think I am done with the Frabil, for the most part. I'll just have to rig a couple rods with the flat type spring bobber for now, and ponder adding the extra guide, grommet and TB spring bobber system for next year. Thanks for everyone's input.

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Ralph Wiggum Grand Master

Ralph Wiggum

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Quote:

Quote:

I like the St. Croix ones but not the price. I have added an extra guide on the tip of my guides with a rubber grommet that allows me to use the St. Croix springs with the rods that I do have. It works well. I'll try to get up some pictures later.

I'd like to see some pics. I understand the St Croix spring bobber is a coiled spring with a larger diameter piece of wire loop to put line through. Would like to see how you rig this up.

Sorry it took me so long! I got distracted. Here's how I have mine rigged up. I just mounted the upper guide to the rod and added a grommet to it (after smashing out the ceramic insert). The St. Croix springs then fit in perfectly. They work very well.

spring1ev9.jpg

spring2bg7.jpg

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Ralph Wiggum Grand Master

Ralph Wiggum

Posted
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I just added the extra guide to the top of the guide. Basically, I found a guide that was the correct inner diameter and then smashed out the ceramic insert. Then, I found the correct sized rubber grommet. My grommets are designed to fit in a 0.25" hole, and the inner hole should be 1/8" (0.125") to accomodate the St. Croix spring. Stick the grommet in the guide (do this before you mount it!). Then, a dab of expoxy to hold the guide in position, wrap it securely with thread, and I finish it with several (4-5) coats of clear nail polish.

A couple bucks in materials and maybe a half hour of time, and you're good to go!

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