Bobbers

[willson]

So, i have tried on both of my steelhead trips to use some bobbers. i got the 1/4 steelhead stalker floats. I also bought an additional tube of the yellow top band and 2 little black o'rings for backups made by steelhead stalker as well. I have had a hell of a time with these things.

I can not for the life of me get the bobber to stay at the point in my line i set it to. It continues to climb up. i make sure that yellow band is on nice and tight but it just doesn't stay. Not too mention that the paint started peeling off the top of the bobber the first day i used it. I went to wholesale sports formerly sportsmans warehoue and bought some of the round ones that are a twist lock. those worked for 2 casts until even with the top locked i could just pull my line through it. So... my question, what do you all use? I heard bobber stops are the way to go but i have not used them yet. I really want to try bobber/jig technique but need a reliable bobber setup.

thanks!

 

[JAYDEE]

Thill, Beau mac, and West Coast floats are good. I've never had any issues with these floats.

 

[waco]

i like west coast floats!! not very chip but good!!! i have tried different ones and the little tube on the middle fall apart but not with this ones they last long!!!

 

[willson]

thanks for the suggestions. out of the ones that were suggested do any of you feel that they wont have the same problem with the bobber moving up the line?

 

[waco]

just put the stoper tight and you wont have a issue!!!

 

[Diehard]

those bobbers your useing work great for smaller shallower streams were your makeing short casts the bigger rivers you will do a lot better with a slip bobber stop style bobber 3/8 or half ounce depending on flow these work great for jig fishing if your running the micro jigs in small streams you might want to stay with your smaller size bobbers i like to use as little a bobber as possible so the fish doesn't feel much resistance when pulling the bobber under good luck

 

[jeffcycles]

Use a fixed float, there is one made by Thill. If you add an additional piece of surgical tubing to the top you shouldn't have many problems. The surgical tubing is usually sold near where slinky stuff is sold.

West Coast are good if you need to fish deeper with a bobber stop. Beau Mac's seem to cause me difficulty when threading line through. After a while many of them develop issues where the line doesn't pass through, rather it starts to coil up inside. Very frustrating.

 

[Phil_Bud]

Lemme just say I dont think its the steelhead stalkers gear...because the stuff obviously produces...
2ndly and lastly...you just need bobber stops. no better way to go...it may take a bit longer to rig up but is key wen jig and roe fishin.

 

[willson]

ok thanks! its good to get different opinions. im gonna buy some bobber stops and some of those other brands too and see what works.

 

[MIKE (YGA)]

well it may be your line bud? wat kind are you usin. steelheadstalkers bobberstoppers work just fine for me

 

[willson]

well it may be your line bud? wat kind are you usin. steelheadstalkers bobberstoppers work just fine for me

i am using a 10lb trilene fireline.

 

[michigan_transplant]

honestly if i am not fishing a very deep hole, and only have one or two poles with me i just use a cheapo clip on bobber. that way i can use a spinner real quick, clip the bobber on and tie on a jig, fish that then bounce some lead and a corky. Then move on and try it again in a different hole. With the bobber stops and everything I found it was too much hassle unless I was fishing a big deep or really fast moving hole. hope this helps.

 

[jeffcycles]

Lemme just say I dont think its the steelhead stalkers gear...because the stuff obviously produces...
2ndly and lastly...you just need bobber stops. no better way to go...it may take a bit longer to rig up but is key wen jig and roe fishin.

I've caught 10 Steelhead throughout the last month, all by using Thill fixed floats. Their key is the simplicity!

 

[beaverfan]

I've caught 10 Steelhead throughout the last month, all by using Thill fixed floats. Their key is the simplicity!

I can't stand fixed floats, its way to difficult to adjust depth as many holes you would need to adjust it several times to effectively fish. If your fishing one single hole with consistant depth throughout the entire hole then a fixed bobber might be equal but most holes I know of a slip bobber is far easier to use.

 

[JeannaJigs]

Use a fixed float, there is one made by Thill. If you add an additional piece of surgical tubing to the top you shouldn't have many problems. The surgical tubing is usually sold near where slinky stuff is sold.

West Coast are good if you need to fish deeper with a bobber stop. Beau Mac's seem to cause me difficulty when threading line through. After a while many of them develop issues where the line doesn't pass through, rather it starts to coil up inside. Very frustrating.

I second the thill fixed floats, they're orange and black. Surgical tubing at the top is a must, but they work amazing, and don't go anywhere. Not awesome for large water, but for most winter steelhead streams they are excellent, my go to float.

In my opinion, everything with stalkers attached at the end has proven to be crap, the large sliding floats aren't any better.

 

[steelhead_stalkers]

Thanks for the compliment! :lol:

The west coast floats are hard to beat, the steelhead Stalker ones are not good at all. I like drennan floats, they ride nice and it does not take much to pull them under. My two favs are west coast and drennan.

 

[Jig'n]

Another fan of West Coast and Thill floats!

 

[jeffcycles]

I can't stand fixed floats, its way to difficult to adjust depth as many holes you would need to adjust it several times to effectively fish. If your fishing one single hole with consistant depth throughout the entire hole then a fixed bobber might be equal but most holes I know of a slip bobber is far easier to use.

But the fixed-floats simply slide up the line just as you would adjust a bobber stop.... :think:

 

[GDBrown]

I used to have difficulty with the bobber stop moving as well. Then I had someone suggest that I try dacron line for the stop. It will be hard to get anything to stay put on #10 mono but I have found the dacron slips the least. I bought a small spool of the lightest dacron line I could find and have been using it for years now. It is especially good when using a light braided line as they are notoriously slippery. I make my own bobbers with weather stripping material and small plastic tubing I get at the hobby store. That way I can adjust the bobber size to the weight of my rig. Fisherman have been doing this for years.... I'll try and post of photo later today.

GD