Thread: slip bobbers?

Originally Posted by DrNip

I mostly had problems with the bead getting stuck in the eyelet than the knot slipping. Over time the knot does seem to loosen up and then it is just time to replace it.

Your bead should not go inside the eyelet, if you have the proper size knot and proper bead size. It should slide down the line freely. The problem could be that your bead fits too tightly to the line, or it could be that the bead opening is too big, allowing your knot to hang up in the bead, drawing it into the eyelet. To function smoothly, the line diameter, bead size (bead diameter and bead opening size), and the dacron line diameter (dacron works best for me, and will not slip if cinched down) should match up properly. I use a number of bead sizes and dacron diameters, depending on whether I'm fishing for cats, crappie, or blue gills. It took a lot of experimenting to get everything just right, but hopefully these tips will make it easier for you.

Originally Posted by Bigskyfisherman

If you don't mind getting cold, the float tube gives you a much superior ability to vary your technique, without the movement that you get from a boat that is rocking with the wind. And you are constantly in the strike zone, as opposed to slipping, although slipping keeps you in the zone longer than when you cast, count down, and retrieve.

I don't want to hijack the thread, but do you tube all winter? I don't, but that's mostly because of my work schedule rather than water temperature.

Originally Posted by deathb4disco

I don't want to hijack the thread, but do you tube all winter? I don't, but that's mostly because of my work schedule rather than water temperature.

Hello, Nodisco.

Yes, I have fished the tube all winter. There have been times that we have used a big hammer to break a path through 2-3 inches of ice in order to get out to open water. When people drive by or ride their bikes on the dam, they will say (not knowing how well sound carries across the water): "Look at that idiot out there." And I always say: "That's what my wife calls me."
When the water is really cold, the crappie are usually at 30-36 feet. In the 80's, I would catch and release 70 quality fish before going to my 9:30 shift. The last two years, creeping geezerism has cut down on the number of winter trips in the tube.
In spite of several layers of clothing and some thinsulate, a trip to the bank is necessary every 45 minutes or so, even if you didn't have a cup of coffee or anything else to drink before hitting the lake.
ps Tubing high mountain lakes in Montana is also a very cold water experience.

Originally Posted by Bigskyfisherman

Hello, Nodisco.

Yes, I have fished the tube all winter. There have been times that we have used a big hammer to break a path through 2-3 inches of ice in order to get out to open water. When people drive by or ride their bikes on the dam, they will say (not knowing how well sound carries across the water): "Look at that idiot out there." And I always say: "That's what my wife calls me."
When the water is really cold, the crappie are usually at 30-36 feet. In the 80's, I would catch and release 70 quality fish before going to my 9:30 shift. The last two years, creeping geezerism has cut down on the number of winter trips in the tube.
In spite of several layers of clothing and some thinsulate, a trip to the bank is necessary every 45 minutes or so, even if you didn't have a cup of coffee or anything else to drink before hitting the lake.
ps Tubing high mountain lakes in Montana is also a very cold water experience.

Thanks.

I don't want to further derail this thread, so I may start a related thread in the "Kayak, canoe ..." forum.

The beads and knots I used were purchased from BPS as a set along with my 9' Crappie Maxx rod. The knots do not slide through the eye of the bead but the bead gets stuck in the last eyelet of the rod like no other. The way I combated this was I went to Wal-Mart and purchased some beads in the hobby craft section. I have to use the Wal-mart bead and the BPS bead as the diameter of the eye of the Wal-Mart bead is too big and the knot will slide through it. The BPS bead is between the knot and the Wal-Mart bead.

Dr,
Those BPS stops are very thin diameter. In order to get a bead that won't let the stop slide through, the bead eye will be tight enough on your line that it won't slide freely down the line during the retrieve. It sounds as if you may need a larger bead eye and a larger diameter dacron line to use as a stop. The bead should be able to slide freely down the line as you retrieve. My beads never go up inside the guide eye. If the dacron line is too large, it will hang up as you cast. Experiment, experiment, experiment. And you will have a system that won't give you any problems (except for the jig-eating riprap or brush).

Originally Posted by cricket george

IKENI - I will show you how to do it at the Winter Camp. I also make slip floats for giggles occasionally.

Look me up before you start class on this Crickett !

Redge - If you are REAL lucky I might give you a private tutorial lesson this week.