Custom Baits - Forum

Fishing News and Reports => Fishing Techniques and Rigging => Topic started by: ctom on 12/17/15 12:15 UTC

Title: For you Southerners
Post by: ctom on 12/17/15 12:15 UTC
I'm sure you've all read or heard about spring bobbers that ice anglers employ while ice fishing. There is a whole world full of those things out there, some work great and some aren't worth anything. I pretty much have given up ice fishing with age but one item I have not given into getting rid of is my collection of Thorne Bros. spring bobbers. In the picture you'll see a spring in place on the end of one of my dock rods that see lots of crappie action at this time of year. The rod is an ultra light but the addition of this spring makes all hits very visible, even those that can softly sneak past the Nanofil line I use. Upward hits are seen immediately when the spring relaxes upward. Any other hit will move the spring down sharply. I have used these springs for many years and I don't miss very many hits while jigging the docks.

(http://i941.photobucket.com/albums/ad259/cttackle/IMG_1234.jpg) (http://s941.photobucket.com/user/cttackle/media/IMG_1234.jpg.html)

These spring went thru a whole process of discovery when they were being designed. Diameter, wire size, number of wraps per inch....you name it. It took something like two years to get these puppies dialed in to what they are today. Seen in the picture I have done a simple retro fit of the spring to the rod's tip top by using some latex tubing to snuggly hold the spring in place. The tubing on the spring makes it easy to slide the spring in and out of the tubing to adjust it for heavier or lighter jigs/baits. Wrapping electrician's tape around the tubing can adjust to larger rod tips without losing the adjustability. I know its hard to see, but the line then runs right thru the spring and to your bait. I have a 1/32 Do-It collarless head rigged with a 1.5" Do-It Thump It Grub on the line to show the spring with a load on it. The small green chartreuse bead at the end makes any movement of the spring stand out sharply against any background. The spring itself can add another dimension to jigging itself by gently bobbing a bait in a much tighter jig motion than the rod tip can offer.

For those who do the ice thing, maybe this is a spring you would like to try. For those who are on the fence as to which spring to try, maybe this is one that will shorten your search. You can get these by going to          www.ThorneBros.com  . As usual, the tackle industry likes to have two distinct seasons: ice and open water. They also like you to think that the fish know the difference. When I am on the docks jigging its not unusual for a guy or two to come down and join in and many of these guys are using ice rods simply because those rods are equipped with the spring bobbers. I get uncomfortable looking at them all hunch over watching the line and the spring on those 22" rods. They look like a fox humping a football. I can stand there and everything they can and I am not appearing to be a contortionist. The jist of this is that there can be a blend of these 2 imaginary seasons reflected in your tackle and often times what works super in one venue can offer the same results outside of what its designed for. This spring bobber technology is one such instance.

Title: Re: For you Southerners
Post by: 2XL on 12/17/15 15:20 UTC
The best spring bobber I ever found was the spring from a spent regular sized Bic lighter.
Title: Re: For you Southerners
Post by: Mike J on 12/17/15 17:24 UTC
I prefer a Thorne Bros tripwire myself.
Title: Re: For you Southerners
Post by: Lamar on 12/17/15 19:17 UTC
  You crappie guys ! What a bunch of sissy's. No respectable bass guy would use such an indicator to tell us we had a strike. Man up and get in the game. Use your finger and detect a strike like a real fisherman.
Title: Re: For you Southerners
Post by: ctom on 12/17/15 19:41 UTC
I've looked at the trip wire Mike, but I like this spring better. I think its a matter of what a guy gets sold on and where his confidences lay. I sure love this particular spring.
Title: Re: For you Southerners
Post by: Kasilofchrisn on 12/17/15 23:41 UTC
I don't use spring bobbers anymore,but when I did I liked the Lacko 610sb.
I also rigged then further down the rod.
Put 2-90* bends in them.
When the bead moves toward the rod set the hook.
Our rainbows up here tend to destroy spring bobbers rigged like in your picture.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

Title: Re: For you Southerners
Post by: ctom on 12/18/15 08:16 UTC
I've seen rods rigged as you mention Kas. Never really considered trying it but those who were set up like that did fine. Alaskan rainbow fishing is different from crappie fishing in Minnesota so the spring comparison is moot. Down here I don't use any kind of indicator for trout under the ice because if they hit, they hit hard.
Title: Re: For you Southerners
Post by: Do-it Rep on 12/18/15 10:53 UTC
I haven't tried that particular model.  I believe I used one last year that had the ability to slide in and out so on days when a spring bobber was not needed you could slide it back in out of the way.

Spring Bobbers are definitely a great tool to put more fish in the boat or on the ice for that matter.  So many people talk about a finesse bite for bluegills or crappies but even large predator fish like walleyes have their days when they are "off" or negative and a spring bobber can make all the difference between being able to detect a light bite and hooking up or missing those bites completely.

We were out at Erie last March and on one particular day the fish were very negative.  They'd race in to the bait but wouldn't commit.  I found that by adding a spring bobber, downsizing my bait, and adding a stinger hook that I could finesse a light bite, just enough to catch them on the front of the snoot when they'd barely suck the bait in or just put their lips on it.  The spring bobber made all the difference.  In fact, on a very tough fishing day when the fish were negative I was able to land 13 walleyes to my other two buddies total of 3.  I was able to detect those light bites that I would not have seen without the spring bobber.

Course, there is a time and place for everything.  The next day you could have used a hot dog down there and they'd crush it so hard it'd scare you.