Thread: Fishing with bobbers?

Are they trolling with them or casting them?

I like bobber fishing. For years I did it in visible cover, brush ect. My main bait back then was minnows. Now I almost prefer the Bobby Garland Shad on a 1/16 or 1/32 jig head under the bobber. I fish visible and underwater cover. I still use minnows sometimes and I let the fish tell me what they want. The most important part of this bobber fishing is the location. You have to be on fish to catch them. I am reminded of Roger Ragland when spoke of hunting and killing a large buck. " You have to hunt where there is a large buck. Why on earth would you try killing one where there is not one." Do a lot of sonar work and watch for places other fishermen are. You will build up your knowledge of places.

Here is one bobber method that I like after the spawn before the water heats up. I use a 20' jig pole with about 8' of 20 lb mono. A slip float so it can be adjusted, I have a #2 wire hook on the end and a split shot above that. I pull my boat upon top of visible brush or log piles and fish down thru the small opening in the brush with minnows. Other times I use the trolling motor to move from one brush to the next and fish it completely. Just boom those babies up. I have caught many limits of 14" fish doing this. If you get hung the 20 lb line will straighten out the hook. Bend it back, put on a minnow and go again.

i fish bobbers 80% of the time the post above is pretty much how i fish. on a windy day it works real good with a jig under it. if not using a bobber i just cast and count down.

Originally Posted by Sweet Lucy

Are they trolling with them or casting them?

Sweet Lucy, they are slow trolling them.

Originally Posted by TN. WATERSHED

i fish bobbers 80% of the time the post above is pretty much how i fish. on a windy day it works real good with a jig under it. if not using a bobber i just cast and count down.

is there a good rule of thumb for the depth per second(depending on weight) or is it a guessing game.

Originally Posted by crappie4me2

Sweet Lucy, they are slow trolling them.

There are folks that use them and have good luck doing so. I would rather tight line. I like watching pole tips more than floats.

I can see that it could be beneficial to use floats at times. If the fish are holding tight at a particular depth you can be more precise. Also if it's a windy day or a lot of boat traffic you can keep you baits more still hanging them under a float. The boat movement won't affect your bait as much.

Thanks all for your replies. I really like to tight line but may give a few poles a try with bobbers to see what happens.

It just depends on what the fish want to me. Somedays they want you to cast a jig, or a jig tipped with minnow, or they may want a bobber with a plain hook sinker and a minnow. I have seen them change from one minute to the next it seems, in my book I try different things until I can get them to bite. I have seen them bite like crazy on a chartreuse jig, then all the sudden do nothing. I changed to a motor oil colored jig and bang bang bang....
Hu fish are just like women...THINK about it.....