![\"Female](\"https:\/\/www.northlandtackle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sarabob4-879x720.jpg\")
By: Sara Trampe<\/p><\/div>\n
Casting out over the smooth mirrored surface of the lake, you watch your bait and bobber sail through the air and plop into the water, causing ripples to cascade over the surface. You flip your bail and wait. Watching in anticipation and awe your bobber slowly dips below the surface, you reel in your slack, make a sweeping hookset, and feel the weight and the tug of a big fish. Hearing the zip of the drag as the fish dives downward you feel the head shakes as the fish tries to dislodge the hook. Time almost stands still as you stare laser beams into the water trying to catch a glimpse of what\u2019s on the end of your line. And just as you see it\u2019s a big walleye your excitement level peaks and you cry out in celebration as the net scoops and you successfully bag your catch!<\/p>\n
In this daydream are you a child? Or dreaming in the present time? The brain usually goes to children and panfish when referencing bobbers, but could you be missing out on catching if you are disregarding bobbers? The traditional red and white, round plastic bobbers are a classic introductory way to fishing, and I bet you still have some in your tackle box. Clip it on, toss it off the dock and keep kids busy catching panfish all day. But does that make bobber fishing too easy? Or an antiquated way to fish that you \u201cgrow\u201d out of as you learn new techniques and gain skills as an angler? No, it\u2019s not, and it shouldn\u2019t be. Slip bobbers are a great tool to continue utilizing bobbers with your advanced skill set to determine when to use them to put more trophy fish, during notoriously difficult conditions, in your net.<\/p>\n
A bobber is simply a device made of a floating material – typically balsa wood, cork, foam, or plastic – that is used as an indicator to detect a bite by pulling it under the surface; regularly referred to as floats or corks and used interchangeably with the term bobber. Floats have been around for thousands of years, used by millions of anglers, and have hundreds of variations and dozens of uses.<\/p>\n
The two most common types are spring and slip bobbers. The easiest explanation of a spring bobber is they are clipped onto the line in a fixed position, are best for non-windy, shallower water conditions, and are frequently used for panfish. A slip bobber is a moving bobber that slides, or slips, freely up and down the line, can be used year-round for many different species, and many different applications. Let\u2019s delve into the details on the how, what, where, when, and why to use them. It may not be as simple as you think.<\/p>\n
The five main components of the slip bobber rig are the following: bobber stop, bead, slip bobber, weight, and hook. The bobber stop is tied on first, followed by the bead, the slip bobber is then threaded onto the line and the hook is tied to the end. After sliding the bobber up the line attach your split shot or an alternative to the weight and hook combination is using a jig head for a power corking approach.<\/p>\n
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![\"Lite](\"https:\/\/www.northlandtackle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/New-Lite-Bite-Bobbers-from-Northland-Made-of-Balsa-Thumbnail-1.jpg\")
<\/a>AVAILABLE 2022! NEW! Lite Bite Weighted Slip Bobbers<\/p><\/div>\n
Let\u2019s break down the terminal tackle and components on what I use and why, and explain why slip bobbers can be a top pick presentation. First is the bobber stop. Basically, you need something to stop your slip bobber to set your depth, and while there are multiple variations, such as a rubber egg-shaped stop, bead stops, tying your own line, two- or four-hole plastic stops, or a nylon tie \u2013 I prefer the nylon tie. The nylon tie is small in profile to smoothly move through the eyelets while casting, is easily adjustable, and is readily available at most tackle shops. All bobber stops have pros and cons, just decide what works best for you.<\/p>\n
The nylon slip knot<\/a> comes packaged on a plastic tube that easily slides onto the line, then slides the tube out from underneath the knot in the opposite direction, so that you can remove the plastic tube from your line. Next, pull the knot tight enough to stay put, but loose enough to be able to slide to your desired depth where you will cinch it tight. You can trim the tag ends or leave them \u2013 leaving them provides more visibility when watching for the bobber to meet the knot, and more easily adjustability, while trimming them allows for further, easier casting due to less friction caused when traveling through the eyelets.<\/p>\n The distance the bait is set off the bottom is determined by the distance of the bobber stop from the hook. The farther away from the hook the deeper you are set. The bobber will stop at the bobber stop and turn vertical, indicating the hook and bait are suspended in the water column. If the bobber is lying sideways there is no weight on the end of the line; several factors can cause this, but the most common is that your bait is lying on the bottom. Simply put, you are set too deep and need to adjust your bobber stop.<\/p>\n The second component is the bead. Don\u2019t forget the bead! The bead is used to protect the knot from getting caught in the tube of the slip bobber \u2013 different slip bobber models have different size eyelets and the knot can easily fit through the plastic tube. The bead prevents the knot from going through the bobber.<\/p>\n Third, is the slip bobber itself. There are many aspects to crafting the ultimate slip bobber, from size and weight combination to eyelets, and visibility. And it\u2019s not surprising that all slip bobbers are not created equal. Line wear will create grooves in the eyelet of the slip bobber and your line will catch in the cracks and prevent the bobber from easily sliding up the line to the bobber stop, rendering it useless. Also, the balanced size and weight of the slip bobber are extremely important when choosing the correct size to use, and are dependent on which species and conditions you are using them for. The fish should be able to pull your bobber below the surface without feeling tension. If a fish feels the weight of the bobber, it will drop the bait before you are able to set the hook, so if you are having consistent bites, but cannot get the fish hooked your bobber could be too large or too heavy.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n I prefer Northland Fishing Tackle\u2019s Lite-Bite slip bobbers<\/a> because they come in multiple shapes and sizes and have high-quality components. Made from lightweight balsa wood, the Lite-Bite series is light enough the fish cannot detect it but heavy enough to support the appropriate split shot and easy castability. The top antenna, known as the hi-vis strike indicator, is colored bright orange for easy eye-catching visibility on the water\u2019s surface and tipped with a brass grommet eyelet to prevent line wear for frequent and long-lasting use. And with a new line-up on the horizon, it might be time to replace some of the old red and white bobbers gathering dust in your tackle box.<\/p>\n Next, I tie on my hook, which secures the other components on the line. I recommend using size 2, 4, or 6 live bait hooks for walleye fishing. The smaller hook is preferred for clear water situations and best for leeches and crawlers. Size 4 or 6 hooks have longer shanks and larger gaps more appropriate for minnows, chubs, and suckers and lower water clarity situations.<\/p>\n The final terminal tackle component is the split shot or weight. You can vary weight depending on the depth you are fishing, but be careful you are still using the appropriate size bobber. The more weight, the faster they fall and easier to cast, but too much weight can\u2019t support the bobber and is easier for the fish to see. I find a number 5 split shot (1 or 2) attached about 8-10 inches above the hook is the most effective. Attaching the weights further up the line can lead to tangles, the hook catching the line and creating knots and difficulty casting; therefore, it\u2019s important to keep the weights closer to the hook versus farther away.<\/p>\n Generally, I prefer an 8 \u2013 10 lb. monofilament line when using slip bobber rigs, because the nylon knot is adjustable, allowing me to change depths and if I use braid the tie will set into the line and it will no longer be feasible to alter the position of my knot. If you prefer a braided line one of the other bobber stops will work better for you.<\/p>\n And the final piece to the set-up puzzle is a long rod with a moderate to fast action tip to allow longer casts and better hooksets. I use a 7\u20199\u201d medium-light fast KCR (Kramercustomrods.com) with the best success. Designed for fishing with slip bobbers in mind these rods have enough backbone for walleye fishing, a softer tip for flinging baits, and the length allows for longer more accurate casts and to pick up slack faster when the rod is engaged. If using slip bobbers for finicky or spooky fish staying away from the fish is a huge key to your success and the longer rod allows for farther casts. When casting be aware of casting off your bait, because that will definitely lead to a lack of action – a side arm cast, or lob will help keep the bait on. And be sure to read the Trampe Talk for further rod breakdown.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"Lite-Bite](\"https:\/\/www.northlandtackle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/bob-1.jpg\")
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![\"Lite-Bite](\"https:\/\/www.northlandtackle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/bobber-2-1.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Walleye](\"https:\/\/www.northlandtackle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sarabob1.jpg\")
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