Everyone loves watching a bobber sink.
Most anglers cut their teeth using this basic fishing approach. Waiting for the hook to set and pulling on the attached material evokes emotions even among the most experienced anglers.
In most cases, your introduction to fishing starts with panfish. Bluegills, crappie and float fishing go hand in hand and remain the primary, productive way to catch panfish.
But somewhere along the way, float fishing became sophisticated. Floats and plugs became “floats.” Call them what you want, but now we have a bobber/float to suit every type of panfishing.
Traditional bobbers
Old, customary bobbers made of plastic, cork and foam. These are fixed swim options, meaning you set the depth you want.
Your fishing line either snaps into place at one end (usually the bottom), tightens at the top and bottom, and then is secured or secured in place with a compact spring. These are proven panfish producers that are still effective, mainly in shallow water or when you want to stay above the vegetation.
Generally speaking, the maximum depth set for customary floats is 6 to 7 feet, simply because they become challenging to cast or throw if set deeper.
The bubble floats
Another form of solid floats are bubble floats, which have a rubber tube inside. You simply pull the line through the tube, lift the top of the float and twist the tube so that the line stays firmly in place.
Without rotating the tube, we can also utilize bubble floats as a gliding float system, but they usually work best attached and again in shallow water.
An additional option is to add water to the interior to escalate weight. Simply remove the cap and let the water flow for longer casts.
Bubble floats work best as a flipping option without the added weight. Think about hitting specific targets quietly, such as rush beds, weed pockets in dense cover, and pockets in rush areas.
Balsa floats
Light, tranquil, responsive and incredibly buoyant sums up a high-quality balsa float. They come in many shapes and sizes and are manufactured as fixed and sliding floats.
This is a versatile option that can be used in shallow or deep water. It can be “placed” in a shallow pan that can easily spook, or you can add weight underneath it to get a longer casting distance and target specific schools of fish.
This is a much quieter method of float fishing and provides greater sensitivity than other float options. Again, balsa is the best bet for spooky or slightly biting bluegills and crappies.
Pencil bobby
Another option that has been around forever is plastic pencils, which float higher on the surface but are heavier than balsa. They can be thrown further and are extremely sensitive.
They usually have a groove through which the line can be passed and a compact, tight spring to hold it in place. Pencil floats are a multi-purpose, fixed float, best used in shallow water. It’s also worth noting that the spring and groove will fray the line after a day of consistently catching vast catfish, so keep an eye on this.
Slip-on bobbers
There’s not much you can do with a slip bobber. Fishing in shallow or deep water, over submerged vegetation, flooded trees, rocks, or working fish suspended above deep water are some of its features, but not all.
It’s a uncomplicated process – tie a knot in the line and set it to the desired depth, add a bead above the bobber and let it slide.
One solid tip for slip bobbers: buy them with a brass or other challenging insert where the line passes at the top and bottom of the bobber. The plastic inserts will become “nicked” or chipped after hefty utilize, and these imperfections will eventually cause the line to fray and perhaps even prevent it from sliding properly.
