Ice Strong Spring Bobber? The 199 New Answer

Mounting options for your Ice Strong Titanium Spring Bobber

OPTION 1

Tie your bobber directly to your rod tip with rod building thread/spool and a dab of glue.

*This is a fixed option

OPTION 2

Use a dab of glue and heat shrink tubing over the rod tip. Shrink it with a heat gun. Best if the shrink tubing is applied after the bobber is wrapped.

*This is a fixed or adjustable option

OPTION 3

Use LocTite Fusion/Plumbers Tape, a self-adhesive tape.

*This option allows customization of the bobber.

OPTION 4

Use small rubber bands/hair ties.

*This option allows customization of the bobber.

OPTION 5

Use dental floss and fingernail polish.

*This option allows customization of the bobber.

OPTION 6

Guide hoses and tip top guides.

*This option allows customization of the bobber.

NEW VIDEO – 2020 – Mud Hole Custom Tackle talks about using Ice Strong Titanium Spring Bobbers in Option 1 & 6 rod constructions.

NEW VIDEO – 2020 – Lawrence Luoma, a top tournament angler and member of the US National Team, was commissioned for this article for InForum.com with a discussion of Schooley rods and reels, his go-to jigs, tightlining, custom rods and Ice interviews Strong Titanium Spring Washers. Check it out here, along with a video on how to install and use it!

Rick Wesner of Facebook Ice Fishing Michigan talks about installing the Ice Strong Outdoors Titanium Spring Bobber (Option 3) as well as other tips and tricks and how to use your bobber effectively!

VIDEO INSTRUCTIONS

Broken Line Podcast’s Patrick Olson shares his technique for attaching his Ice Strong Titanium Spring Bobbers with thread (option 1) as well as heat shrink tubing (option 2).

Chad Wright from Wright Way in the Outdoors demonstrates his technique for attaching his Ice Strong Titanium Spring Bobbers with the heat shrink tubing (option 2).

Ed Begley from the Begley Ice Team demonstrates his technique for attaching his Ice Strong Titanium Spring Bobbers using the heat shrink along with some epoxy (option 2).

Ed Begley of the Begley Ice Team demonstrates his technique for attaching his Ice Strong Titanium Spring Bobbers with Loctite Self-Adhesive Tape (option 3).

Joe Devera from Devera Fishing demonstrates his technique for attaching his Ice Strong Titanium Spring Bobbers using small rubber bands/hair ties that allow the bobber to be adjusted (option 4).

Rob Graham demonstrates his technique for attaching his Ice Strong Titanium Spring Bobbers using dental floss and fingernail polish (option 5).

#FishStrong #IceStrong #TrollStrong

Thill balsa floats are available in slip or spring models. The glide floats slide up and down the line for easy casting. The feather models attach directly to the line and are more difficult to cast when the float is set more than about 3 feet off the hook. Both experienced and novice anglers use Thill floats. Not only do they serve as stroke indicators, but the floats can also be used to hang fishing lures at a certain depth.

spring swimmer

Tie a fishhook or jig to the end of the fishing line. When tying on a plain hook, clip a split-shot plumb line or two to the line about 10 inches above the hook.

Wrap your fingers around the spring and pull down to reveal the slot at the bottom of the float. Insert the line into the slot and then slide the float until it is in the desired location on the line. The distance between the float and the hook is the distance underwater where the hook hangs. Release the spring when the float is in the correct position.

Bait the hook or jig with a piece of live bait such as a minnow, leech or nightcrawler. Or slide an artificial grub or 3 inch worm into the shank of the hook.

Throw the swimming pool into the water. The hook and weight should fall down leaving the swimmer standing upright.

Nothing is more daunting, especially for a beginner, than going on a trip and not catching a single fish. If you just want to feel the pull on your line and aren’t sure what type or size, the basic earthworm and bobber rig is what you need. It is inexpensive, easy to assemble and use, and attracts most species of freshwater fish. What’s exciting about it is that it produces like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get on it, from a 3-inch bluegill to an 80-pound catfish.

To be successful with Worm and Bobber, think small. Frequently I see people mounted with too much worm on big big hooks with huge floats. As a result, they end up with lots of kibble and lost bait, but few fish. A small hook fits in the mouth of smaller fish but still catches big fish. A small portion of a worm on the hook usually works better than threading an entire Nightcrawler on the hook. With too much worm the fish can easily grab a section away from the hook tip and rob your bait. Instead, try a short 1-inch section of the worm. For the bobber, a smaller one is more sensitive and offers less resistance to the fish, making it easy for them to eat your bait. Finally, a short distance between the bobber and the hook (usually 1 to 2 feet) will get your worm in front of a lot of fish but prevent your hook from catching on the bottom.

Try a small piece of worm on a #4 to #6 hook under a small float this summer. Crimp a small split-shot ballast on your line just below the bobber, enough weight to keep the bobber upright but not so much that the float sinks. Fresh bait gives off natural odors that attract fish, so replace your worm as soon as it becomes soggy and pale.

Now you can stop fishing and start catching!

You can also follow Tom’s fishing tips and updates at www.facebook.com/tomredingtonfishing and www.twitter.com/Tom_Redington.

The simple bobber rig is possibly the most widely used rig in all of the fishery for targeting all types of fish.

The basic bobber rig can be set up in a variety of ways and is commonly used by beginners due to its ease of use and ability to catch fish. Whether you’re fishing in a lake or river, from a boat or from shore, a basic bobber rig is hard to beat!

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Fishing basics

Start fishing

Five easy steps to start fishing

1 – Prepare your rod and reel: Make sure your reel has line, then press the button on your spincast reel or open the bail (if you have a spinning reel) to close the line off the reel solve. Pull out enough line to thread through all the guides on your rod.

2 – Attach a Hook: Hooks come in different sizes and shapes. A #6 or #8 hook with a long shank (straight edge) is a good size to try. Use an improved clinch knot to tie the hook to the line (see How to tie an improved clinch knot).

3 – Attach a Bobber: To attach a bobber, loop the line around the top and bottom hooks. To reveal the bottom hook, press the top button on the bobber. For the top hook, press the button while holding the bottom hook. Attach the bobber so that the fishing hook hangs directly over structure (e.g. weeds, logs, etc.) or the ground.

4 – Attach Bait: Attach the bait to your hook using one of the methods shown here.

From left to right: worm rig, bait thief worm rig and digball.

5 – Casting and Retrieving: Cast your bait using the technique in How to Cast. Next, turn the spool handle forward until it clicks to prevent more line from coming out. To take up slack in your line, coil the line until the float begins to move. When a fish bites, the swimmer either moves along the surface of the water or dives under. When this happens, give the line a quick tug strong enough to move the float and set the hook in the fish’s mouth, but not so strong that you pull the hook, bait and/or fish fly over your shoulder. Now reel in the line until you can pick up the fish with your hand.

Common bait rigs

Common bait rigs using either a minnow or a worm.

Usual basic rigs for carp or catfish.

Bottom rig with a slip sinker to reduce the weight a fish feels when taking the bait.

Thread the end of the line through the eyelet of the hook and bring it back to the line. Make five “S” twists around the line. Bring the end back to the hook and slide it through the first loop closest to the eye. Pass the end back through the large loop you just made. Holding the hook and line, tighten the knot until it looks like the knot pictured. Cut the excess cord from the knot.

This is how casting is done

Learning to water takes some practice, but it’s actually pretty easy. Beginners will find it easiest to learn with a spin-cast outfit. (Note: You can practice throwing in your yard first by tying a rubber stopper or other non-sharp, weighted object to the string.

Getting a feel for the gear: Hold the rod in front of you to get a feel for how the spin cast reel works. Coil the line until the bobber is about four inches from the rod tip. Now firmly press and hold the unlock button. Notice how the bobber stays in the same place. Now release the release button. The bobber should fall to the ground. You have just learned how to detach the line from the reel, a very important step in casting.

To prevent loops forming in the line that can become tangles, gently stretch the line with your thumb and forefinger as you coil the line. You should hear a click when you start rolling – this is the reel’s pickup pin being activated. Now you can wind the line back onto the spool of the reel. When fishing, remember to always reel in enough line after you cast to hear that click. This will prevent excess line from coming off the spool and loose line can result in missed fish.

Final Check: Your line is ready and your hook and bobber are tied. Place your bobber 6-12 inches from your rod tip and make sure your line is not wrapped around your rod. Before you eject, look behind you to make sure no one else is there. Also watch out for trees and bushes that may get in your way.

Eject: Press and hold the reel release button. Using your wrist (not your whole arm), slowly bring the bar straight up over your shoulder. Next, gently swing the bar forward, causing the bar to flex with the movement. When the bar moves in front of you and reaches approximately the 10 o’clock position, release your thumb from the button. The bend in the rod casts the bobber and bait. You just made a cast!

catch a fish

1 – Once you see the bobber moving or feel a tug on the line, make sure you put the hook in the fish’s mouth (see #5 in Five Easy Steps to Start Fishing) . After setting the hook, keep the line taut and your rod tip up. Roll up the fish slowly.

2 – Now you have to decide what you want to do with the fish. Is it big enough to keep? Is it used for food? First, check the fishing regulations to make sure the fish is legal to keep. If this is not the case, carefully release the fish back into the water, being careful to handle it with wet hands and as little as possible. A fish that you carefully catch and release may one day be caught again when it is bigger.

3 – To take a fish off the line, hold it tight around the body. Watch out for sharp spikes on the fins of the fish. If it’s a bass, put your thumb on the bottom lip and your index finger on the outside, as shown below. (Note: never put your fingers in the mouth of a toothy fish like pike or pike). To remove the hook, push it down and twist it so it comes out the way it went in.

4 – If you decide to keep the fish you can keep it alive by threading a string under the chin and through both lips as shown here. Let the fish swim in the water and tie the other end of the line tightly to the shore. Some people use wire fishing baskets to keep their fish alive. You can also keep fish fresh by keeping it on ice in a cooler until you can clean it.

catch and release

For many people, a fresh fish dinner is the perfect way to end a fishing trip. However, more and more anglers are choosing to put their catch back in the water. This practice is called catch-and-release fishing and can minimize your impact on local fisheries.

When catching and releasing, follow these simple guidelines to improve the fish’s chances of survival.

Play and Land Fish Fast: Do not fight fish to exhaustion, especially in warmer waters.

Handle fish as little as possible and release them quickly: If possible, unhook fish in the water. Have the necessary tools (needle nose pliers) handy and be sure to wet your hands when handling fish.

If a fish is hooked low, don’t try to remove the hook, instead cut the leader or hook.

Keep in mind that fish smaller than the minimum legal size for this species must be released once caught. See the New York State Fishing Regulations Guide for more details on catch and release.