The Fundamentals of Bobber Fishing

Bobber fishing in it's purest form is a great manner in which to introduce children to the joys of fishing, and serves a valid purpose for adults in certain situations as well. The fundamentals of bobber fishing can be mastered quickly by anyone in a very short time frame, and if done properly can result in a fun day with good results. The basic concept of bobber fishing is nothing more than suspending a bait floating above the bottom of the body of water so it becomes more accessible and attractive to various fish species that do not feed on the bottom. This is a wonderful way to catch large numbers of pan fish such as bluegills, perch and crappie, and even bass can be obtained in this manner of fishing.

Baits used for bobber fishing can be anything that will sink in the water - the idea is to float the bait about a foot or so from the bottom where it will become easier for fish to discover. The leaders should be strong enough to hold the type of fish a fisherman is desirous of catching, but not too heavy as to scare fish off. The type of bobber a fisherman selects should match the water conditions and the weather and winds conditions. On a windy day or on choppy waters a small bobber is difficult to determine when a bite is occurring, unless the Bobber goes all the way under the water. On these types of occasions, a larger bobber is more easy to recognize when a fish is nibbling the bait. On calm waters a small bobber is excellent, as it provides less resistence when a fish take the bait and will not let fish realize something is amiss.

Bobber fishing is also an excellent way to fish in waters that are overgrown with excessive vegetation, and can prevent snags, lost rigs and time lost in repairing broken leaders. In bass fishing in heavy weed cover, bobber fishing can allow success while fishing in areas where cast and retrieve fishing is impossible.

To bobber fish properly is just a matter of casting the line out and letting the bait drift where the wind or current takes the bait. This allows the fisherman to cover a greater range of area than can be accomplished by bottom fishing, and is similar in scope to trolling on a boat only much slower in it's presentation. An experienced bobber fisherman will cast out approximately 50 feet from shore, let the bobber drift, and if no bites occur reel the bait in and cast 45 feet from shore, progressively covering an area until fish are located. Once the preferred habitat is discovered, repeated bait presentations into that area will result in the greatest success. It is important to let the fish have the bait long enough before setting the hook, as evidenced by the bobber going under or moving laterally a distance of several feet rather quickly. When this occurs, the chances of catching the fish that is taking the bait is greatly increased.