# Sticky  Slip bobbers (fishing basics)



## rolland

It has come to my attention with spring around the corner we have a lot of new members and I am sure a lot of non members that are very inexperienced and want to take there kids fishing this year. I have messaged a lot of people threw PM and asked a few questions and many do not know the advantages of some simple techniques that are second nature to a lot of us. OGF has helped me out more than I can ever repay so I would like to donate a little time to go over some basic fishing techniques that will help the "new guy" take the kids out and have a good chance at catching fish. Please remember these are geared toward basics, there are many variations in the following techniques lets try to keep these posts simple and to the point.

The first thing I would like to cover is the slip bobber. Many people still use the old school red and white round bobber and after reading this I hope you give it a shot. Slip bobbers are much better you can tell water depth, fish much deeper, and also see more lite bites and hook more fish. So first lets go over setting up a new pole with a slip bobber set up.

You will need the following items:










Line: 4-6# (you can use thicker line if that is all you have)
Bobber stops: The green string by the quarter top left (buy any fishing supply or wall mart)
Beed: Will come with the bobber stops or buy in craft sections anywhere
Slip bobber: come in all shapes and sizes, smaller in calm water is better
Small weight: (up by the quarter)
Small swivel: This is optional, I will explain latter.
Finger nail clippers: any type

A simple effective knot to use would be the clinch knot. If you do not know a good knot this site will help you out http://www.sportsmanschoice.com/terminal_tackle_knots.htm


Ok lets get started. After you put the line on your reel and get it threw the pole you first want to put the bobber stop string on the line. You simply string the line threw the straw the line is tied on.












Slide the string off the straw taking the straw toward the open end of the line away from the pole so you can discard the straw. Then pull both ends of the string as tight as you can get it by hand. You want this knot on there tight to keep the bobber from just pushing it up the string. 

fishintechnician told us:


> i wet my knot before getting it all the way tight, helps it get tighter and doesn't slip as much












Then use your finger nail clippers to clip the string from the knot. I cut them as close as possible to make the knot as small as possible. This picture isnt the best but it will give you the idea.












Ok so far we put a knot on a string! Would you believe the hardest part is over. Here are the steps to finish the process. Next you add your small beed and the slip bobber itself. Remember to put your line threw the top of the bobber and out the bottom so it sits right in the water after being cast. 











Now comes the optional step of adding a swivel. If you have 2 different pound test lines you can add a swivel here to go from a higher test that is on your reel and make from here on a lower test line. The advantage to this is if you get snagged or the son tosses it and it ends up in a tree the line will break at the swivel (the lower test line will snap first) and you only lost your hook and a small weight, you save your bobber, beed and knot. Like I said this is optional but when you get snagged and are forced to watch a $2 bobber float away remember I told ya so . After the swivel you may want to put a small weight if you want it to drop faster, this is also optional. 










Last but not least is the hook, jig or whatever you want to use to attract the fish. This is the fun part, try different things for a few bucks you can buy a bunch of different plastics, jigs, lures that will catch fish. Believe it or not you can catch fish with many more things then a worm! I usually leave about 10-12 inches from the weight to the hook/bait/jig. Try using maggots, small pieces of worm or other small live bait just on the hook with the plastic so you get a little movement. 




















Ok, now you know how to hook up a slip bobber system but you might be asking yourself why go threw all the trouble . Here are the advantages of slip bobbers:

Fish at any depth. Say you are fishing off a causeway and the water is 25 foot deep. With an old school bobber it would be impossible to have 25 feet of line out, then you bobber then cast. With a slip bobber just slide the bobber stop knot 25 feet up you line, reel it in and cast out. Your bait will sink and when it reaches 25 foot the knot will hit the bobber and stop. If the bottom isn't producing fish move the knot a foot or 2 and cast back out, now your fishing at 23 feet. Rinse and repeat until you find the fish then every cast after that your bait stops right in the strike zone! 

Have you ever used an old school bobber to tell how deep the water is your fishing? Of course not, its impossible but with a slip bobber it is easy. Ok lets say you find a good shade tree and want to try some fishing there, how deep is the water? Put your know say 10 feet up the line cast out and look at the bobber. If the bait is hitting the bottom then your bobber will be sitting at an angle and look funny. This tells you that your fishing to deep the water is < 10 foot deep. Reel in move the knot a foot or 2 and try again. If your bobber is sitting straight and looks good it means the bait is floating and not on the bottom. Try until you figure out how deep of water your dealing with. Once you get the hang of it you will notice if there is anything at the bottom or if the level of the water changes around where you are. Once you know the depth, any structure or drop offs this will tell you the most likely places to hold fish.

I am sure I will be editing this is the near future but and questions/comments feel free to PM me I will try to help out if I can. If I don't know I will ask around until i find an answer for you. I hope this answers a lot of questions you new comers out there have and it help you and your kids connect with more fish and build memories. Please remember pick up your trash! God is not building any more land so lets keep what we have clean and beautiful.


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## Big Daddy

Great info!

I'll make the thread a "sticky" so it's at the top...


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## CRAPPIE LOVER

Thanks ...rolland...Great thread..There are a lot of young fishermen out there that has no idea as to how to slip bobber fish...probably some veteran fishermen that has no idea..I Slip bobber fish 90 % of the time...Great thread for teaching Slip Bobber Fishing......JIM.....CL.....:F.....:G....
P.S. Thanks Big Daddy for making it a "sticky"..


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## rolland

I think all the pictures are working now, if you can't see them on your end let me know but they look good on both my PC's. Actually is kind of cool big daddy stickied this being he was the 1 to introduce the slip bobber to me @ his crappie siminar. 

What do you guys think I should do next, I was thinking putting together a texas rig with circle hook to be used in a rod holder. This would allow the dads out there to set up a berkley bait or livers whatever on the bottom and rod hold it with a bell while helping the kids. Then the kids get more fish and dad gets the big fish :bananajump:.


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## broncoace67

Hey thanks Rolland. You did a lot of work there, appreciate it. 

I think I got it except for the part about the slip knot being 25 ft up the line. Wouldn't that tangle up your reel?


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## misfit

> I think I got it except for the part about the slip knot being 25 ft up the line. Wouldn't that tangle up your reel?


no.the knot is very small,and if trimmed close it won't cause any problems.


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## CRAPPIE LOVER

When I trim my slip knot string I leave about 1/4 in. ...Never had any trouble with it ....Eash to see when cranking it in...Slip bobbers makes it easier for the kid's also.......JIM.......


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## broncoace67

Ok, thanks guys.


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## hilltopjack

Thanks Rolland I just took out all of my old school bobbers out of my tackle box and replaced with slip bobbers. excellent demonstration! this is perfect for bank fishermen such as myself.


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## crappiedude

Nice read and should be helpful to many new to slip floats.


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## Thrash44047

Great info and pic's. Thanks, now the slip bobber make perfect sense.


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## CRAPPIE LOVER

Hilltopjack you are one smart cookie...You saw how convenient slip bobbers would be for bank fishermen...Cast as far as you can and fish the deepest water out there....To many bank fishermen use fixed bobbers and the fish are to deep to see the bait...A good example is Punderson a lot of deep water even for a boat fisherman...As I said I fish slip bobbers most of the time....JIM......


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## hilltopjack

Thanks for the compliment CRAPPIE LOVER. I think my wife may disagree though lol


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## CRAPPIE LOVER

Hay ther Hilltopjack (Don't They All)..........JIM......


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## BigMha

yeah...i use them all the time too!!! i started using them while smallie fishing down at edgewater pier. slip bobber + split shot + hook ='s FISH ON !!!...GREAT STICKY !!! very informative


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## Lewis

This is also a great tactic for inland Walleye And Saugeye.
Use a larger minnow or a lively leech.
I use it on days when I have the fish located but they are tight lipped and want a subtle presentation.


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## fishintechnician

i wet my knot before getting it all the way tight, helps it get tighter and doesn't slip as much


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## CRAPPIE LOVER

Never had any trouble with mine slipping..However I will keep it in mind to make it wet the next time and see how that works for me.....Thank's ....JIM.....


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## rolland

> i wet my knot before getting it all the way tight, helps it get tighter and doesn't slip as much


edit into original post, thank you for the input fishintechnician


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## JLeephoto

I'm a fairly newby to fishing freshwater up here and have learned a lot from these forums, but as I've done quite a bit of what we would call "float fishing" in the inland salt marshes for speck trout SO here's a tip I can contribute: Not having and/losing bobber stops can be a pain, but small pieces of rubber bands make a good replacement and are always available. Just make a little loop in your line, and insert a tiny piece of rubber band. It will pass through the eyes of your rod fairly easily. They do sometimes break when you try to slide them up the line but they're cheaply and easily replaced.


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## BigMha

how do you keep the line from tangling all around the bobber when casting? i had that problem last night out @ nimisila...every other cast, it seemed like my line was wrapped around the bobber, and the minnow couldn't drop to my desired depth.


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## rolland

> how do you keep the line from tangling all around the bobber when casting? i had that problem last night out @ nimisila...every other cast, it seemed like my line was wrapped around the bobber, and the minnow couldn't drop to my desired depth.


It sounds like you have your weight placed wrong please answer these questions for me.

How are you stopping the bobber from reaching the hook? Just the weight snapped on the line, do you have a swivel.. Let me know how you have it set up from the bobber to the hook.

Also from your weight/swivel whatever you are using how long of a leader line do you have to your hook?

Let me know we can work on it and get it right for ya :}

JLeephoto ty for the input, I have also (in a pinch) used a small piece of fishing line with a double overhead knot to stop the bobber. Not the best solutions but you are right in a pinch they work well.


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## BigMha

rolland said:


> It sounds like you have your weight placed wrong please answer these questions for me.
> 
> How are you stopping the bobber from reaching the hook? Just the weight snapped on the line, do you have a swivel.. Let me know how you have it set up from the bobber to the hook.
> 
> Also from your weight/swivel whatever you are using how long of a leader line do you have to your hook?
> 
> Let me know we can work on it and get it right for ya :}
> 
> JLeephoto ty for the input, I have also (in a pinch) used a small piece of fishing line with a double overhead knot to stop the bobber. Not the best solutions but you are right in a pinch they work well.


no swivel....i have never used a swivel, that's what's so confusing and frustrating...just a couple of beads, a bobber stop and a split shot to stop the the bobber from reaching the hook...it seems whenever i use a thill nite bobber, the line always gets tangled...i stopped using them for a few years due to this issue....and as far as a leader...i don't use one either...everything is on the main line....my set up goes like this....bobber stop, 2 beads, bobber, 2 beads, split shot...and i adjust both stops depending on the water depth and how much of the line underneath i want showing-especially if i'm fishing skinny water or extremely shallow(18-24"s)


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## rolland

sorry for the slow reply, been working a lot. Ok 2 things, First I really don't see a bonus in putting 2 beads. The Bead is just there to protect the knot 1 will do the same job as 2. I dought that is any problem with tangles but just wanted to add that in for something to think about. 

Ok... Not using a swivel and just using the weight as a stopper can cause problems with tangles if your using to much or to little weight. I should edit this into the original post it is something I forgot when posing it. The slip bobber is made to be used with a certain weight depending on the size/style of the slip bobber. Look at your bobber, there should be 2 colors or maybe 2 colors and a thin red line around the center of the bobber. Whatever style there should be some indication of where the "float line" of that bobber is. If you look at the first picture in my original post with the 3 bobbers sitting together I will go left to right. First one has a white line in between the yellow and black, the second has just 2 colors so your float line is the line where the 2 colors connect, the 3rd has the 2 black lines with the white in the middle. ("float line" is a term i made up I do not know what this line is actually called). This line represents when you are in calm water how much of the bobber should be above and below the water. This will give you the best casting and the best action on the bobber having the weight in sink with the bobber size. You can test this in a 5 gallon bucket or the bathtub at home whatever.

Try that out, let me know.

The only other thing i can think of of my top of my head would be either your using to heavy of line, I only use 4-6# test with slip set up, or cheap line with to much memory. Or maybe your weight is slipping up and down the line while casting and could be messing you up. Try that stuff let me know what you find out.


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## chaunc

Try casting side arm with a slow swinging motion. Start casting close to see how the bait is following the splitshot. If the distance between the shot and hook is too great, you'll get tangles. Slide your shot closer to your hook and try again. Once you find the right distance, shot from hook, you should have no problem with tangles. If you're using one of those little ultralite reels with the small spool, you're going to have line problems no matter what you do. Eventually you'll get coils that will mess everything up.


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## crappiedude

chaunc said:


> If you're using one of those little ultralite reels with the small spool, you're going to have line problems no matter what you do. Eventually you'll get coils that will mess everything up.


I second that. Those little reels can make you crazy.


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## BigMha

first off, thanx rolland for your input....and yes chaunc i'm using a ugly stik combo 5'


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## chaunc

Just put a reel with a bigger spool on it and you'll be fine. I use sedona 750's. A little bigger than those tiny ones but still lightweight.


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## crappiedude

chaunc said:


> Just put a reel with a bigger spool on it and you'll be fine. I use sedona 750's. A little bigger than those tiny ones but still lightweight.


I switched to the 1500's for the same reason. I still have 1 more of those little reels to get rid of. I've given it one last chance since last fall and it's going in the trash before I head to Ky Lake.

Hey Chaunc, you going to Ky Lake this year? 
We're leaving Wednesday morning. I can only make it four 4 days (I usually go for a week) but it looks like the next few days are going to be alot of rain. I'm going to try those redears this year for part of the trip. Fishing has been tough at EF (for me, c-max on crappie.com) the last few weeks so I'm ready to catch some pigs. It looks like ky lake is on a slow rise just over summer pool and the stable weather at the end of the week should be good. I hope it's on fire.


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## chaunc

I'm heading to KY right after the delaware crappie tourney. Staying 5 days. The gills and redears should be bedding pretty heavy by then. Gonna try to get 3 days limit while i'm there. Everything is behind schedule there this year tho. Good luck down there.


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## bigcat46

does anyone use rubber bands as bobber stops???:G


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## JLeephoto

Yep, scroll up to my earlier post in this thread. You simply loop the line, pull the standing in through the main loop to create a second loop, insert a piece of rubber band, and snug it tight. When the rubber band breaks, the loop will pull out but it's normally good for a few fish and are readily available. On the southeast coast, this is common when fishing for red fish and speck trout.


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## DelawareAngler

so im an idiot when it comes to slip bobbers.... is the point of it to have the top knot touching the top of the bobber?


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## yonderfishin

Its pretty simple really, the top of your bobber is stopped by the bead which is stopped by the knot. The bead keeps your knot from going into or sticking to the bobber. I use the knot and bobber stops a lot fishing at night , not that I catch a lot of fish just that it works the best out of everything I have tried. If I could learn how to tie the knot over the little plastic tubes I would make my own and never have to buy any. As for the tangles when casting , thats gonna happen now and then no matter how you do it , its just nature and physics I guess but after getting experience with it you can stop it from happening most of the time. Ive used rubber bands at times when I ran out of bobber stops , I just tie a small piece on the line above the bead , or above the bobber if I have no beads and trim the ends as close as I dare. The problem with rubber bands is that rubber does not slip through your line guides very well since rubber has a tendency to grip what it touches , and it also dosent last very long. In a pinch , rubber bands will work but can be very aggrivating. There is a couple other bobber stop devices you can buy but they are not as easy and dont work as good as the knot/bead type since they too dont slip through your line guides very well.


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## misfit

i posted this in the past.easy knot for bobber stops.no need for the plastic tube.
http://www.wigglefin.com/knots/fishing_knots.html


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## shorebound

http://www.froghairfishing.com/fly-fishing.cfm?product=981

This is what i use i like these alot better then the strings and you could put them on a lot just slide the line in the loop and pull the little piece of rubber off they stay on verry well and i then but a bead and the bobber the last thing i like about them is they have never given me a problem casting i reel them all the way into the spool i will try to tost some pics like rolland did


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## CRAPPIE LOVER

Misfit your web site has the best animated bobber stop knot I have ever seen...As for the Froghair Bobber Stops....I wouldn't hit a dog in the a-- for a whole truck load Have used them and the string is the best for me......JIM.....


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## crappiecatcher

I always buy a bag of small rubberbands at the dollar store. Put some in your tackle box... Get your clippers out, cut rubberband in half, tie rubberband on line, adjust your depth, trim rubberband tight. make sure it is wet before you slide it. There must be 200 rubberbands in there for a buck.....


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## Bassthumb

misfit said:


> no.the knot is very small,and if trimmed close it won't cause any problems.



Wont cause any problem at all. I used to slip bobber fish 75ft in California for lake trout.


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## barf

I make my stops with 20lb braid.works well and does not need to be wet ..It took me a while to work out the kinks with the slipbobber set up ,but now there is no turning back for me .......I love it .


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## jmackey84

lol, wow, i have been doing it all wrong, i have been using fixed bobbers, no wonder you guys are catching all the fish, lol, i never knew about the bobber stop knot, il have to pick some of those up next time i go out, good thread you helped me out, thanks alot :G


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## barf

jmackey84 said:


> lol, wow, i have been doing it all wrong, i have been using fixed bobbers, no wonder you guys are catching all the fish, lol, i never knew about the bobber stop knot, il have to pick some of those up next time i go out, good thread you helped me out, thanks alot :G


Im not saying that one cant catch a panfish on a fixed bobber .....but even the smartest donkey of the group can not argue the fact that they put absolutely no undue stress on your line (very important if you like catch large fish on light tackle)also once you have your stop knot and weight figured out you can catch fish suspended at 7 ..10 ft or deaper and still cast with a 5 ft ultralight..........


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## Jigging Jim

CRAPPIE LOVER said:


> Thanks ...rolland...Great thread..There are a lot of young fishermen out there that has no idea as to how to slip bobber fish...probably some veteran fishermen that has no idea..I Slip bobber fish 90 % of the time...Great thread for teaching Slip Bobber Fishing......JIM.....CL.....:F.....:G....
> P.S. Thanks Big Daddy for making it a "sticky"..


I'm a Veteran Fisherman and I plead ignorance! I was just too lazy to learn something new about fishing with a Bobber. So this Slip Bobber Thread has been a wake-up call for me. So many years where I should have used a Slip Bobber - but went with the traditional set-up instead..... Thank you Rolland.


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## mickeysdad

great thread here on something I've been wanting to try once the ice is out. Quick question though...

One of the contentions is that the slip bobber isn't as detectable by fish. How is that possible? A traditional bobber is stuck to the line by a spring, so when Mr. Fish pulls on the hook, he has to pull the weight of the bobber as well. With a slip bobber, the line is kept from going out by a stop knot, so when Mr. Fish pulls on the hook, again he has to pull the weight of the bobber as well. 

From Mr. Fish's tasty perspective, how is it any different? What am I missing?


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## buckzye11

mickeysdad said:


> great thread here on something I've been wanting to try once the ice is out. Quick question though...
> 
> One of the contentions is that the slip bobber isn't as detectable by fish. How is that possible? A traditional bobber is stuck to the line by a spring, so when Mr. Fish pulls on the hook, he has to pull the weight of the bobber as well. With a slip bobber, the line is kept from going out by a stop knot, so when Mr. Fish pulls on the hook, again he has to pull the weight of the bobber as well.
> 
> From Mr. Fish's tasty perspective, how is it any different? What am I missing?


The only thing i can think of is that most slip bobbers are thin and go under easy. Plus the extra depth you fish slip bobbers at gives you a little more line to work with.


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## mickeysdad

buckzye11 said:


> The only thing i can think of is that most slip bobbers are thin and go under easy. Plus the extra depth you fish slip bobbers at gives you a little more line to work with.


Hmmm... my stick bobbers are the same size though... sorry, not trying to be difficult, just trying to understand.


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## Jigging Jim

I used a Slip-Bobber for Ice Fishing this year. I used it on my "Dead Stick" with Minnows. I'm hooked!


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## CRAPPIE LOVER

mickeysdad said:


> great thread here on something I've been wanting to try once the ice is out. Quick question though...
> 
> One of the contentions is that the slip bobber isn't as detectable by fish. How is that possible? A traditional bobber is stuck to the line by a spring, so when Mr. Fish pulls on the hook, he has to pull the weight of the bobber as well. With a slip bobber, the line is kept from going out by a stop knot, so when Mr. Fish pulls on the hook, again he has to pull the weight of the bobber as well.
> 
> From Mr. Fish's tasty perspective, how is it any different? What am I missing?


You are not missing nothing..The slip bobber has a bobber stop so you can predetermin. the depth you are fishing..When the fish pulls down it has to take the bobber down two..I for one am alway's playing with the weight that is on the line ..My weights are always set for the fish to take it down with the least resistance possible....As for the size of slip bobbers I saw in a post that all they saw were slim ones ...Go into a good tackle store and look for the bobbers ..you will find many different shapes and sizes of slip bobbers..I have all size's to use depending on the weather that particular day...With a slip bobber you can fish at any depth you want..From 2 foot to 50 + if you want to..With a fixed bobber you can only fish as deep as you are comfortable with the cast you will make..When I make my cast with a slip bobber I may only have to cast 4 foot of line .but when it hits the water I am fishing in 25 foot of water if the fish are down there...I only fish slip bobbers and drop shot....As you can tell I am a true Slip Bobber fisherman.....JIM....CL....:F....PS ...Mickeysdad perhaps this summer we can get togather and Fish West Branch I'll give you an idea as to how I use slip bobbers...I mostly fish alone anyhow.. launching and loading a boat with a little help...is easier....


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## mickeysdad

Thanks CL! That makes a lot of sense to use the weights in that way. And I'm more than happy to help you launch your boat this summer!

_OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors_


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## jnpcook

Thanks for the good info.


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## barf

also clip bobbers put another chance for failure on your line (at the clip point itself). the line passes straight through the slip bobber so if you get a nice one you have a better chance to land it.


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## onAyak

Very helful. Thanks!!!


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## Lipripper

how do you keep the line from pulling up when you're drifting? or do you generally anchor.
this summer i used the slip bobber while drifting and i can't keep the bait at the set depth, the boat drift is faster than the bobber.


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## buckzye11

Lipripper said:


> how do you keep the line from pulling up when you're drifting? or do you generally anchor.
> this summer i used the slip bobber while drifting and i can't keep the bait at the set depth, the boat drift is faster than the bobber.


You can add a split shot(size by how strong wind is) about a foot above the hook. That will help, but if it's a strong wind, it will happen no matter what you try. another thing that would help would be to leave your bail open.


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## crappiedude

One of the things I found useful is to use a little larger slip sloat in windy or moving conditions. I still want a slim float as I don't want a large diameter. The larger float can simply support more weight (split shot) which will help keep your line pulled down where it should be. 
The type I buy are sold in most bait stores for around $1.80 - $2. I never find them in BPS or Wally world. Since its about the only float I use any more, I get a pretty good deal because I buy them by the whole card.


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## onwisc

crappiedude--I bought some cheap slip bobbers that have a thin vertical crack space from top to bottom--do you know how they are supposed to attach to the line-? I am familiar with the tube slip bobbers, but these came with no instructions! thanks!


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## crappiedude

onwisc said:


> crappiedude--I bought some cheap slip bobbers that have a thin vertical crack space from top to bottom--do you know how they are supposed to attach to the line-? I am familiar with the tube slip bobbers, but these came with no instructions! thanks!


I wish I could help you out.
I've seen them but I never could quite figure them out either.


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## poloaman

onwisc said:


> crappiedude--I bought some cheap slip bobbers that have a thin vertical crack space from top to bottom--do you know how they are supposed to attach to the line-? I am familiar with the tube slip bobbers, but these came with no instructions! thanks!


I think ur talking about a foam bobber and it's not a slip bobber you use a tooth pick to hold it to ur line they make them like that so you can change quickly. I could be mistaken so if you could post a picture I could tell you for sure 


Polo
Outdoor Hub mobile


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## crappiedude

Here's a pic of the slip bobber I was refering to. As you can see, the top bobber on top has a little larger diameter than the bottom 2 floats. 
The large diameter allows me to use about twice as much weight. This works really well on windy days or even while slow trolling or drifting with slip floats.









Ya can't see the floats but you can see the rods. Both of the rods have these slip floats and I slowly push them along as I work an area with jigs. These slightly larger diameter floats work very well in moving or heavy wind situation. A friend of mine stays with the very light floats and very little weight and struggles to keep his baits down. I hope this helps.


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## RiverCat

Great information! I appreciate you putting in your time and effort to help out others, I definitely learned from it.


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## Govbarney

I heard that there is a link to a chart that shows you how much weight you need to get a float to stay upright based on the size of the float.

Does anyone know the link?

I Like using really small jigs, and I would prefer to use the slip bobber technique , but its difficult to get my float to stay upright.


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## JustJake

Very nice! This type of info is precisely why I joined this forum. Thanks for sharing!


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## baitguy

Do bobber stops work on braided line?


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## crappiedude

jeffk said:


> Do bobber stops work on braided line?


I've never used braid but I can't see why they wouldn't work. There are several styles of bobber stops available so I would think one of them should work. Then I would think it would be just a matter of finding the right combination or slip float type and the right amount of weight to get the sip float to perform the way you want them to.


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## Shad Rap

jeffk said:


> Do bobber stops work on braided line?


Yes...they work.


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## ShoreFshrman

I had never used a slip bobber until I started fishing again after a 30 year hiatus. I can't believe that I never wanted to try this before. Sure the initial set up takes a little work but once there, you can fish from a few inches to many 10s of feet if you wish. A traditional round clip on bobber you could only go 4 maybe 5 feet. Heck the other day I was fishing at 10 -12 feet and it took just a few seconds to adjust to that level.

One thing I found, I never really liked he knot stopper(never tried it either) but it just looked problematic IMHO. Instead I found bobber stops called Gizmo Bobber Stops, tiny pieces of plastic with 4 holes that you weave your line through, they seem to work pretty good so far for me, no problems with them hanging up in the reel or anything else for that matter.

Anyway if you never tried a slip bobber, give it a try, you'll probably get hooked too.

One question, what size split shot do most of you guys used, I had been using two 3/0 but after I ran out and needed a split shot and finding one in the litter around a local lake I ended up up that looked like a 7 or 5 .......I'm going to try out some 7's. With the 3/0's it seemed at time the worm would take a while to settle into place, hopefully the larger weight it will settle faster.

rolland, good thread, my man, between this and some videos, I was able to learn a new technique and catch some fish!!!


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## Cajunsaugeye

Split shot size simply depends on bobber and line size.Don't want too heavy to pull a small slip bobber under.I like using smallest bobber I can for detecting light bites.And when fishing deep,if you're using a heavyish line you'll have to have a big enough split shot to effectively run the line down through the bobber but not so much to pull it under when you get there.Wind /drift will play into weight size also.


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## ress

Cajunsaugeye said:


> Split shot size simply depends on bobber and line size.Don't want too heavy to pull a small slip bobber under.I like using smallest bobber I can for detecting light bites.And when fishing deep,if you're using a heavyish line you'll have to have a big enough split shot to effectively run the line down through the bobber but not so much to pull it under when you get there.Wind /drift will play into weight size also.


I use the foam style bobber. I use a weight that keeps the slip bobber half down. A little more on windy days.


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## BigMha

It all depends on how fast you want the bait or lure. to fall into the "strike zone". Weather and water conditions need to be taken into account too.


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## Musky

I see a few others suggest using rubber bands for stoppers. The bands I have purchased in the past have been too thick for me and cause trouble if reeled onto the spool. Line will hang up on it with the nest cast.
While I don't know where they may have gotten the idea but, my parents were avid pan fishermen and were able pass along several ideas. As for the rubber band stoppers, they used to cut open titlelist DT golf balls to get the rubber band windings. These are older golf balls and the new ones of different mfg. don't seem to use rubber band windings. They are perfect in size. We just get a small length and tie an overhand knot at the desired depth. Pulled up snug and trimmed close it leaves a very small knot that is more friendly to cast. Each golf ball contains a pile of rubber bands. Probably more than can be used in a year.
Only drawback I can see is they tend to degrade if exposed but, will last a season. I have not attempted to keep them in a covered container to preserve them because its just too easy to cut another Golf ball.
Try 'em, I think you will be impressed.


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## Snyd

Wow has things changed since I was a kid - When little I used to use those big red & white bobbers probably no different than anyone else - Then I moved to the big slip bobber as I grew a little older - Now that I have am wiser I have moved to the smaller slip bobbers with light weight to give as little tension on the line as possible when they take it. I don't use the slip bobber all the time but when I do it sure is fun watching that little bobber go out of sight.


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## Specgrade

I think the red and white bobber is king when you are a young fisher person. It brings back so many memories everytime I see one. The excitement of watching it go under is way cool.


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## baitguy

Specgrade said:


> I think the red and white bobber is king when you are a young fisher person. It brings back so many memories everytime I see one. The excitement of watching it go under is way cool.


I couldn't agree more ... spent many a day with my grandfather on a little farm pond in Medina, he was a bait and bobber guy all the way ... laugh didn't leave home without it ... watching that bobber dance and move, stop and move again, then all of a sudden WHAM under it went and I had another bluegill or crappie or bass ... those were simpler times for sure, and as I progressed in my hobby I learned other methods, to tight line and use lures ... I don't use the red and white ones much any more but still have a tackle box filled with them ... that was 55 or more years ago but I'll always remember Gramps and his bobbers, Zebco closed face reels and a steel rod


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## 9Left

A good tip for using slip bobbers in very deep water(20+)...... use a larger bobber that allows you to add more weight... when fishing deep, there will almost always be a "curve" or bend in the line from the hook to the bobber, specifically if the is any wind or current at all.. this large curve in the line will cause a delay in the bobber going under when the fish takes the bait... it can cause you to miss fish by not setting the hook quickly enough... by using a larger slip bobber with more weight, the line will be more " straight" from bobber to hook and bite detection will be much more immediate.


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## asiu118

caught walleye in 60 feet of water on a slip while perch fishing


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