A Guide to Slip
Bobber Rigs
By Andrew Ragas
Article Posted: August 22, 2006
12:15am CST.
I
have always
used slip bobber rigs since my dad
introduced me into fishing at a young age.
I'd remember as if slip float systems were
the best thing in the world to use for a
young kid who'd just want to catch fish all
day long, and they still are. Today, slip
bobber rigs are a favorite set-up of mine
for all fishing situations, whether the fish
are biting, and even when the bite is tough.
Slip bobber rigs can be
used from ice-out in Spring, till first ice
in late Autumn. (depending on region). Slip
bobber rigs work best when your boat is in
an anchored position, slow trolling &
drifting, while shore fishing, or whenever
you just want to be lazy and get some sun
while out on the water.
Slip Bobber diagram:
Slip bobber rigs work
for all species of fish; Bass, Muskies,
Pike, Walleye, Panfish, Catfish, you name
it! The following are my best situations for
slip bobber usage listed by species.
Bass
The best situations when
to use this system of rigging for bass is
during a Cold Front. These types of weather
patterns make all fish very lethargic, and
therefore this rig with any form of live
bait will out-produce plastics & artificials.
For bass, my favorite times of the year to
slip bobber is during the Spawning period.
The fish move shallow and they will eat
anything in sight. Usually when I slip
bobber for bass during the spawn, I often
use finnesse worms or minnow baits on
another rod. Two rods in use will always be
better than one. Slip-bobbering is usually
the best method to use while targeting a
single piece, or area of structure; (fallen
trees, drop-offs & weedlines). Other good
times to use this method is during any time
in summer, and especially during Fall, when
the fish begin to move into deeper water.
For tackle, I prefer to
use a 6'6" medium to medium heavy action
spinning rod & a good casting spinning reel
with 8lb line, preferrably Berkley XL, or
Sensation. If I'm fishing heavy cover, I opt
to use abrasion-resistant lines in 8lb test.
These would be Berkley XT, P-Line CXX and
Stren Magnaflex.
The best live bait options
for Bass are Large fathead Minnows. For
northern Bass, they're by far the best to
use because they match the forage in most
bodies of water. They come in a size between
2" to 3" in length. For southern Bass, most
anglers use shiners.
Walleye
Whenever I go after
walleye, my bobber fishing is always done at
an anchored boat position. The areas that I
key in for walleye are whenever they're
deep, on rock bars & on drop-offs, and
whenever they're situated on weedlines. Did
I mention that this method is excellent for
wind-swept shorelines?
Any live bait works
for this, but here's the key:
Spring - minnows &
leeches
Summer - leeches &
crawlers
Fall - minnows &
creek chubs
The tackle I use is nearly
exact thing that I use for Bass. The only
differences are that 7ft, med. action rods
can be the best option and the line must be
limp, to provide action and shock. Trilene
XL & Sensation are the best choices.
Pike & Musky
The ideal times of the
year when to use the slip bobbering method
for Pike is during any time of the year.
Most pike will be in weedbed pockets,
weedlines, and in classic deep & cold water
with nearby structure. The bobbers used for
Pike & Muskie should be much bigger than the
conventional sized used for bass & walleye
fishing. Pike love creek chubs, shiners,
roaches, and Suckers (only during fall).
Most slip bobbering for Musky is done during
autumn with suckers on a quick-strike rig,
set up in the profile of a slip bobber rig.
I do this when the big fish are getting
ready for winter. Areas to key in on are the
same as the info given for Pike.
For tackle, a stiff
casting rod anywhere from 6'6" to 7'5" with
a good baitcasting reel with Trilene Big
Game line, or braided line work best.
Panfish
Slip bobber rigs can be
used any day, time, place, or season for
panfish. A few key areas to search for an
easy meal of panfish are to look for downed
trees, drop-offs from shallow water, weed
beds, reeds, and shallow water. Panfish are
everywhere and you'd be missing out on the
action without using a slip bobber rig.
Suggested tackle is a 6'
light action to a medium action spinning rod
& reel that holds anywhere from 4-6lb
monofilament line. 6lb test is the preferred
line for most panfish bobbering. You must
use a small profile live bait along with
floats for panfish. Minnows, pieces of
nightcrawler, leeches, & waxworms work best
as far as live bait goes. For added
attraction, use small ice jigs & marabou
jigs to entice a bite!
I hope you learned
something new from this article, and you
should catch big fish like this on a slip
bobber rig.
Now don't be missing out
on all the action!
