slip bobber tangling with hook

[Ketchn]

The guys I know that slip bobber/live bait fish run their split shot at about 2 inches or less from the hook .
Having 6 inches between the split shot stop and the hook is likely what's up .

[Don Fischer]

OK, my lack of experience makes me a pro at this. Actually truth be known this is simply a guess! I use small solid cork bobber and they don't weight much at all. Normally use small jig's but not sure of the weight, think about 1/16th is smallest but normally I think I use 1/8th oz. I suspect the jig may weigh more than the bobber so the jig goes out first and stays in front of the bobber. remember just a guess! One other thing is with a float I never try to cast to far, simple short toss. Well that should clear everything up for you!

[Techno2000]

If this start happening to me, I will put a BB size clinch weight just above the troublesome knot. Stops the float from sticking...

Some people will put a second bobber stop and bead underneath their float to keep it from falling all the way down to the jig. I just use a tiny snap swivel, and have a bunch of premade leaders that I make with a loop on one end.

All I have to do is attach the loop to the snap. Sometimes I want a tandem rig with one regular hook on top and a jig on the bottom.

That way I can fish two bait at the same time. It's so easy to put different kinds of leaders rigs on with a loop and a snap swivel .

[Moveon]

Techno, I will give it a try., I assume you mean to use a jig and also eliminate the split shot. For simplicity I only utilize 1/8, 1/16 and 1/32 oz split shot.

Jack Gp

Remove the split shot above the hook. That is what is causing your line to foul up with the hook. Instead of a single hook use a 1/16 or 3/32 oz lead head jig and a plastic body like the White Lightning from Bass Pro shot on the jig head. Use thrill bobbery stops which are actually a thread type line tied onto a small plastic straw with a nail knot. Pass your line though the small diameter tube and then slip the nail knot thread onto your fishing line. 6 lb. test mono line works better for this setup. Use a foam slip bobber so that it floats upright and is easily pulled under the water when the fish inhale the jig. Watch the bobber as when a fish inhales it and take the weight off the slip bobber it will rise up and fall over and that is your clue to set the hook quickly while the jig is still inside the crappy's mouth. Walmart sells these Styrofoam type bobbers. Comal Bobbers. With this setup you can pass the thrill bobber stop though the eyes of your rod easily and real the jig head and bobber and bobber stop up to the tip of the rod and cast it out easily. As long as you clip the threads of the nail knot so they are not too long. IE cut the tag lines off at the knot. Use some spit when you tighten the nail knot onto our fishing line so that line is not stressed and breaks. The slip knot can be slid up and down your fishing line to set the depth. The key to balance the weight with the bobber so that the bobber sits down about half way in the water and not sink to far down or float too high up on the water. That is why I use a 3/32oz lead head jig with this 1" long bobber. see below:

Comal Cigar Peg Float - Walmart.com - Walmart.com

Thill Bobber Stops Beads 18 Piece Assortment Fishing Lure Bobber stop 18 Assort Color - Walmart.com - Walmart.com

Cabela's Round Jighead with Barb | Bass Pro Shops

Bass Pro Shops Tournament Series Squirmin' Squirt | Bass Pro Shops


This setup can be used with your light weight spinning rod and reel and it won't cause the line and hook to foul up. Those comal bobbers can be used to slide up and down the line. Don't peg them as that will cause the line and jig to foul up like your rig does now. I use some liquid nail polish clear at the top of the foam bobber to harden it so that the fishing line slide though it better. Sometimes the fishing line will cut a grove into the top of the foam bobber and the line won't slide though the bobber properly and the jig won't reach the proper depth. Now thrill has some bobbers that work better but they are not nearly as sensitive as these foam bobbers to a fish bite. They won't rise up in the water and fall over like these light weight foam comal bobbers do. So this is important to get the foam bobber to float half way down into the water. The fish take the 1/16oz jig head in it's mouth and just sits there and doesn't always swim away or pull the bobber down. That is why I use these torpedo comal bobbers and they will rise up when the weight of the jig head is taken off the bobber when the jig is in the fishes mouth. Any unusual movement of the bobber means you may have a bit so life the rod up quickly but not too forcefully as you want to set the hook before the crappie spits the jig out of it's mouth but you won't want to rip the jig hook out of the fish's lips.

The fishing line should have the bobber stop then the little red bead and then the bobber and then the jig head in that order. The bead is necessary to keep the bobber stop from passing though the bobber hole. The size of the red bead is critical. It must be big enough to not pass though the hole in the bobber or not get stuck in the hole at the top of the bobber but not too much bigger than the hole in the bobber. And the liquid clear nail polish helps harder the softer foam at the top of the Comal bobber so the line does not cut a grove into the foam on the top hole of the bobber.

Crappie USA :: Tournament Results

Check out the semi pro winners. Frank Ison and Brian Estridge won this division at Patoka Lake in the Spring or Fall of 2003. They used this setup I described. And don't forget to add some chartruse colored crappie nibbles to the jig hook. The White Lightning plastic bodies were sold by Bass Pro Shop and are called Squirmin Squirts. Color is #18.

[Techno2000]

Comal Tackle Cigar Slip Stick float - bobber - cork - small diameter hole yellow eyelet - 3" - Red/White

I've been using these lately , no bead needed . They have a cone shape tapered top so your line will slip off the float, if it gets tangled.

Comal cigar slip SCHL200RW will support 1/16 oz.

[Jack Gp]

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the suggestions. It will tqke a while for me to try out most of them since some excursions will be bass fishing but I will try them. Thanks again.

Jack Gp

[Jack Gp]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I tried the slip bobber set up with a led head jig instead of a gold wire hook and split shot. That solved the tangling problem but the hook up percentage dropped dramatically. Next chance I get I will go back to the split shot and wire hook but I will place the split shot as close to the eye of the hook as I can so that the hook cannot reach the top stem of the slip bobber. I believe this will prevent the tangle problem. I will post if I am correct and it works.

Jack
gp

[Hanr3]

It's your casting method. You can't cast Crappie slip bobber rigs like you can Walleye rigs. I prefer a nice easy cast, which means you won't get the same distance. 90% of the time, I use an underhand casting method to about 30'.

[DockShootinJack]

It's your casting method. You can't cast Crappie slip bobber rigs like you can Walleye rigs. I prefer a nice easy cast, which means you won't get the same distance. 90% of the time, I use an underhand casting method to about 30'.

X2. A nice fluid cast keeps things from tangling

[BobC]

X2. A nice fluid cast keeps things from tangling

I have noticed the same thing as well. Ok to give up a little distance to avoid the tangle. With 2 lb test that isn’t fun!
Bob