SHARE YOUR FAVORITE SLIP BOBBER RIGS FOR B'GILL

[Slip Sinker]

Here's mine for open water season 2015

I just wanted to share my favorite slip bobber rig for the past 2015 season.

2015 open water season found me fishing out of my kayak and limiting my supply of fishing rods to just 3 on board. An UL jigging rod, UL slip bobber rig and an UL drop shot rig. After weeks of tweaking slip bobber systems I ended up with this rig. Most of my UL fishing experiences were shallow less than 2 FOW casting under overhanging brush and next to dense weed slop or inside slop pockets of open water.

The rod I settled on is a Diawa Crossfire 562ULFS series rod with incredible value … under 20.00. the rod is a fast action tip for the first third of the blank and then quickly develops a significant back bone for the remainder . I believe this is the main reason it develops such accurate casting and flipping into tight targets. This system if used correctly I believe would eliminate the need for a long fixed rod for stealth. After some practice I was able to drop the bobber with a flip with a very quiet presentation.

This rig has caught some very large preds such as LMB hitting the 5# mark and N’Pike hitting the 30 inch mark. The large preds would dive and dig into cover and the power pro braid would cut thru the slop and veggies like a weed whacker.

The line is an important component in this configuration providing sensitivity, power, toughness and its inherent weed whacking ability.

The slip bobber is Pro series Thill providing sensitivity and stealth when entering the target area. Use enough split shot to balance the float to a neutral position.

Stop knot was a UNI Knot tied with30# Dacron in bright chartreuse for line signal property of visibility.

 

[Slip Sinker]

i smell fish

[Gary Boysen]

School gets out June 24th. I have plenty of personal/sick days coming, so you tell me when and where and I'll pick you up and go. NY here we come...

[carl hendrix]

only thing I found wrong with slip bobbers;;  that bobber stop; doesnt go thru the rod eyes easy when casting; other than that; great set up

[Slip Sinker]

Thanks Carl!.. I believe there is resistance on all forms of bobber stops… whether its rubber, pretied, plastic or self tied Dacron. Originally (3) years ago I bought a spool of 50 yd spool of 20# Dacron and have been tying my stop knots since then… saved some money on manufactured stops. I notice the stop going thru the guides as much as a leader tied on to your main line … same knot are used in both cases… a slight increase in knot dia nearly the same resistance. Try tying your own float stop knot and see if the resistance improves over the stop you are currently using. It may help. Dacron is used as a fly reel backing so you may have currently on hand.

Another item you need to consider is your system balanced to the method you are fishing. The rig above that im describing is basically most effective when fishing 1-0 to 5-0 FOW.it is a very light float that requires a light weight to balance it. If you are using this system in its most effective manner the float stop never reaches the spool where it may bind as the line is cast and unwinding past the stop on a 5-6 spinning rod. So that being said this UL slip float rig is used in shallow water presentations.

Self tying my stops with the 20# Dacron provides IMO the most efficient knot to glide past the stops… I hear it when casting as the knot slips past the guides but hardly affects my cast and trajectory.

To decrease the slight resistance further I may try experimenting with lower pound Dacron in smaller Diameters. There is that balance between knot strength and durability when it comes to decreasing dia. I’ll basically study and experiment with that later this spring.

To fish deeper you would require heavier tackle, floats weight etc to obtain the deeper regions of the water column. Stepping up the tackle to L or ML spinning gear would then be required. This system described is UL.

[John Sheehan]

I had a breakage at the inner ceramic part of the guide one down from the tip on a great  Daiwa  rod once and I think it was caused by the rubber stop sailing through that small guide . My  Zebco 'Slab Seeker ' rod doesn't have inner ceramic sections to the guides and I wonder if that is why it's designed that way . It makes sense to use a softer material than the rubber stops , like mono or a thread slip knot  when the stops are inside the tip when casting . The 'Slab Seeker' is a cheap rod that gets overlooked by folks caught up in highly advertised name brands .I own some 'cheap stuff ' and some more revered brands that both serve me well.

[carl hendrix]

hey  slip stinker;  like you; I have been tying my own bobber stops for years tried using rubber bands; different types of string;; jst havent ever found any thing I liked;;  I have cermac rod eyes;;  on my favorite rod; a fenwick; 6 ft 6 U L;  after a few hang ups with the stop on my rod; i took it off; and; i actually do better;; crawling the bait on the bottom; than relying on some type of float..  only time I ever use a heavier type of float; is when im using a heavier jig; or something; to heavy for a quill float.  and yea;; i can believe you you pulled up a Xmas tree with the braid line;; heck; that stuff is so strong; you can pull a 18 wheeler out of a ditch with it !!   braid line;; just not for me ...  the ; mr. crappie line I have bee using; even if it is mono;; acts differently than most mono lines;; very little strech; if any;; senitive;; great knot strength;; and it being a colored line; even use it as a type of float !!  you can see it; twitch !!

[Slip Sinker]

i actually do better;; crawling the bait on the bottom; than relying on some type of float..  

interesting tactic but doesn't work here in my neck of the woods... my "Home Lake" has probably 75 percent hard bottom composition rock/gravel or sand which makes it pretty much void of B'Gills at most times of the year. i look for softer sticky bottom type of bottom composition where the B'Gills concentrate. they may be attracted to all types of insect larva, bugs that that type of composition attracts. more food more gills. above illustrates the shallow habitat i concentrate the slip float presentations... flipping into tight pockets short casts to weed edges and casts tight to the bank and under overhead cover. more of a guerrilla approach. the braid comes in handy slicing thru the lily pad stalks etc when fighting the larger fish tagged in these areas. yeah if im dragging bottom i switch to a drop shot with a thin barrel type sinker to slide thru thru sticky stuff on the soft composition.

[Tony Livingston]

If a particular combination just "feels" right, I think angler confidence will improve, and with it so will the catch ratio.

[John Sheehan]

Slip-I use a  bead between the bottom of my slip floats to cushion the blow it receives  from banging against the split shot when hook setting and/or  popping the float . Those plastic float stems don't split since I've done that .

[Slip Sinker]

interesting detail John... now im going to have to check mine at that point.... noticeably my floats have only been lasting me a year or so before they look really beat up... casting tight to the bank, rip-rap and bridge pillars have taken its toll on many of them.

ive been contemplating coating them with a more durable finish before using them new.

[Tony Livingston]

I always add an additional bead and stop below my slip floats. It lets me capture the float between stops and fish it fixed style, without cutting and re-rigging.

[Slip Sinker]

what a great tip Tony ... thanks for sharing!