Slip bobbers?

[robby]

Any suggestions on slip bobber set ups for crappies and sunnies? I am looking for specifics for using 1/64,1/32,1/16 ounce jigs/plastics.It seems like I can't find the right combination bobber,jig,sinker.If I use to much weight the fish are turned off.If I don't use enough weight the line dosen't go thru the bobber.Just wondering how everybody fishes light jigs with slip bobbers.Thanks for any info.

[Team Otter]

Long, pencil-style bobbers made by Thill can help with this. You can use all the weight you need and still have a tip of bobber sticking out of the water. The other option would be using an Ice Buster set-up and trim the bobber length to your sensitivity preference.

[gspman]

Thill Mini-stealth bobbers work pretty good and don't provide a lot of resistance to the fish.

[Coach1310]

I'll second the pencil style by Thill. Another way to use slip bobber is to use a bigger Thill float, not the pencil style, but the ones with the fat body in the middle. Add some weight(you can buy some sticky weight tape type stuff at most Ganders, Fleet Farms, Cabelas)just above the fat body part of the bobber. This will keep the bobber laying flat on the water. When a fish hits the float will stand up. The fish don't feel much if any resistance and you can use a little more weight for casting and to help the jig drop.

[slipperybob]

I guess for one who really takes to slip bobbing should tell...LOL's

I take two cheap aberdeen hooks, cut off so I have an eye and straight shank left. I take a thill pencil float and superglue my eyelets one on the bottom and one on the upper body of the float. It you get the really thin float (thill shy bite float), then you can go all the way to the top. The advantage of an external slip through eye is a lot less resistance compared to a center slider bobber. I'm basically reproducing the thill double ring slider float. The difference is I want a smaller lighter weight float and stronger eye's, plus I save a few $'s.

You can use a thill waggler float with single eye on bottom, but I think those don't slide very well with light weight being under water.

You wan't to weigh your float just enough balance so that it should stand preferably at an angle. Gives you two tell signs, if it's flat, lure is still sinking or it's been picked on the fall by shy biter on the rise. If floater stands straight up, you've got a biter barely pulling down. If bobber is waggling around from standing straight up and going flat, then it's definitely a nibbler.

Disadvantage of external slip through is easier for line tangle on the cast, especially when you're going for distance.

[Matt Johnson]

The Thill floats are also great for detecting the up-bite. Very critical on some days, especially for crappies. I'm a big fan of the line of Thill floats, a great product.

The Ice Buster Bobber also gets a work out from me during the open water. Great for drift-floating. Also done well well with the Wave Buster Bobber, which has the added weight to help with casting and to keep the line under the water and away from the wind...

[harvey lee]

I would agree with Matt on the Thill bobbers. Matt and I have caught many panfish using these and they work great for fish hitting up with the bobber lying flat.

I do use the Ice Buster bobbers too, depending on how and where I'm fishing.

When the crappies are in a bit of deeper water and sometimes shallower depths, I will use a smaller profile jig and troll slowly or drift if there is a small amount of wind and do just as good.

[eyepatrol]

I'll give another nod to the Thill line of floats. They have a good line of slip floats, weighted floats and stationary floats. I like the orange they have on their floats....makes them very easy to see.

[fisherdog19]

If you're having trouble with lighter jigs pulling line down, thill makes a bobber with a larger, brass lined top opening that allows the line to slide through easier.

[decoy]

In my experience with bobber fishing in the spring, I only need my bait 2-3 feet below the bobber max. Usually, it's 2 feet.

I use spring clip on bobbers. They work great for me and will relieve all of the trouble you are having.

If you are fishing shallow... give it a try. You'll never go back.

[fisherdog19]

I use those as well, but when trying to be accurate with casts in and around pencil reeds, the set bobber becomes hard to place. I like the slip bobber when trying to cast into tight pockets in emergent vegetation.

[slipperybob]

I'd forgot to mention that for light weights, I generally us a little leader line attached to a small swivel. That little extra length gets the little weight more pull on the line to start sliding. That's where things can get tangled for long casts when I use much of a leader line. Still the little extra weight from the swivel and the benefit of less twisting is great.

[Mike Smith]

rocket bobbers for all, thil bobbers for short casting in and around tight clusters of reeds and docks. If you have not tried a rocket bobber for crappies they are the bomb.

Mike Smith