Spring bobbers

Is there an easy way to thread a spring bobber? I wasted at least 10 minutes of time today trying to get 2lb line threaded through my spring bobber. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Zac

This is what I use.
Cabela's: Cabela's Bobbin Threader

I use the longest needle in my wife's sewing kit.

Bobbin threader! Why didn't I think of that? Thanks.

I drilled a hole through the metal end of the bobbin threader and put it on my lanyard with clippers, forceps. Always ready if I need to change anything.

Frabil makes a nice threader too. I made a couple out of eight inch lengths of .014 stainless wire folded in half and the loose ends taped together with electrician's tape.

For those who need a threader to string a spring bobber, there is one spring bobber on the market at ThorneBros.com that makes any other spring bobber of threadable design look sick. We refer to threaded bobbers as line-thru springs. The Thorne springs are color coded for weight designation with the chartreuse green end being the lightest and what gets the panfish action. These are the line-thru springs I use. If you go to the Thorne site, you'll fin that they offer a ton of custom built rods that use their springs and many, many based on a spring-less design like the PowerNoodle, or Quiverstick. I own several of the power noodles and they are like fishing with air and the tips of those rods load using jigs down to almost 100th of an ounce on 2 pound line. I've landed 18 pound carp on the same rod ...so you kind of get an idea of what these rods are capable of.

For the loop-end springs where your line runs only thru a larger loop on the end of spring, many choices are available in both commercial rods and in springs for retro-fitting rods not designed for springs. The best of the loop springs for general use is that St.Croix spring. The rods tend to be junk now that they are made abroad, but the springs are outstanding. Try retroo-fitting a 5.5 guide to the tip of the rod above the factory tip-top. Add a rubber o-ring type grommet to the eye of the guide that will hold the spring barrel snugly and you'll have a very fishable rod. Don't use or do this to a rod that is like a buggy whip, the rod needs to be just a hair stiffer than what one would normally use for, say, sunfish.

In addition to the St.Croix springs and those found in tackle shops that are so common and poplular YourBobbersDown.com also has an interesting line of loop end spring bobbers for adding to any rod. This company also offers a ton of high end ice jigs and other ice specific innovations.

For the most part, I feel that spring bobber equipment sold in the package stores are ok for general use. If you want to get past the so-so stuff you have to go do some serious shopping. Minnesota might be slow or behind in fad and trends like tattoos, peirced whatever and green hair, but we are inside the door of ice fishing innovation while the rest of the world is just walking up the sidewalk.

Minnesota might be slow or behind in fad and trends like tattoos, peirced whatever and green hair, but we are inside the door of ice fishing innovation while the rest of the world is just walking up the sidewalk.


Funny stuff there...........Wanna see my tattoo? LMAO Good read my friend.

CTom,
Thanks for the insight. Ice fishing isn't something that's considered "normal" here in Kansas. I can't find much in the way of gear in stores in this area. Most of my shopping and learning about ice gear is done online, so your post is much appreciated.

Zac

Make your own I use Berkley single strand wire and cut up corks from a wine bottle. Cut to double length you need and fold wire then push it into the cork and superglue the end by the cork. Tight Lines Rich

[QUOTE=CTom;1317981]For those who need a threader to string a spring bobber, there is one spring bobber on the market at ThorneBros.com that makes any other spring bobber of threadable design look sick. We refer to threaded bobbers as line-thru springs. The Thorne springs are color coded for weight designation with the chartreuse green end being the lightest and what gets the panfish action. These are the line-thru springs I use. If you go to the Thorne site, you'll fin that they offer a ton of custom built rods that use their springs and many, many based on a spring-less design like the PowerNoodle, or Quiverstick. I own several of the power noodles and they are like fishing with air and the tips of those rods load using jigs down to almost 100th of an ounce on 2 pound line. I've landed 18 pound carp on the same rod ...so you kind of get an idea of what these rods are capable of.

For the loop-end springs where your line runs only thru a larger loop on the end of spring, many choices are available in both commercial rods and in springs for retro-fitting rods not designed for springs. The best of the loop springs for general use is that St.Croix spring. The rods tend to be junk now that they are made abroad, but the springs are outstanding. Try retroo-fitting a 5.5 guide to the tip of the rod above the factory tip-top. Add a rubber o-ring type grommet to the eye of the guide that will hold the spring barrel snugly and you'll have a very fishable rod. Don't use or do this to a rod that is like a buggy whip, the rod needs to be just a hair stiffer than what one would normally use for, say, sunfish.

In addition to the St.Croix springs and those found in tackle shops that are so common and poplular YourBobbersDown.com also has an interesting line of loop end spring bobbers for adding to any rod. This company also offers a ton of high end ice jigs and other ice specific innovations.

For the most part, I feel that spring bobber equipment sold in the package stores are ok for general use. If you want to get past the so-so stuff you have to go do some serious shopping. Minnesota might be slow or behind in fad and trends like tattoos, peirced whatever and green hair, but we are inside the door of ice fishing innovation while the rest of the world is just walking up the sidewalk.

I was trying to reply with quote but didnt work out.
Ctom I couldnt find any spring bobbers on their site. Do you have a link? or part#

wilbur try this link Spring Bobber & Spring Bobber Threader

Oops forgot besidesThorne bros another pretty good one is
Reeds Sporting Goods: Family Outdoor Outfitter
also in MN

The link above is the one. You can retro fit this spring to any rod by replacing the tip with a 5mm tip or guide. These springs react to a breath.

Yeah I have used them. They are very sensitive. The thing I dont like is the tip is too small it keeps icing up if you fish outside. I like to hole jump alot. I have no problem threading them. All you need is good glasses.

good morning guys.....dental floss threaders work great for threading your line through your strike indicators and are pretty cheap......jeff

Will admit CTom, before actually saw my first spring rigged pole honestly doubt ever actually caught a dozen fish thru the ice, luckily 1 was a small walleye...went fishing later and this 1 older guy is busy giving a crowd all his opinion and heartily hefting keeper crappie after keeper `gill and then a bass and haw! haw!ing it up; NO one else was catching squat! Finally walked up and said "Hello"; he squinted at me like had 3 heads as was eyeball`n his rig and he says "Got a ball point pen?" Told him probably had 1 in my truck, he retorted "It ain`t gonna help you catch supper in there"; taking his hint, went and retrieved it. He unceromoniuosly took it apart and told me to hand him the ice pole, to which he proceeded to half heartedly sort of crudely stuck the spring onto the end of, tossed it back and told me to fish away from him! With less than genuine gratitude went off, drilled a hole, cleared it, had to rerig of course and caught 31 fish, actually ran out of bait! was SINCERELY grateful then, and told him so; he simply roared back "Quit mak`n so #$%^ much noise `round my holes! SOME of us are try`n to catch supper!" A really sweet old fossil...

I think I know him....lol

I use the spring bobbers I have made from springs I bought at Harbor Freight. I just stretch the one I want and put a piece of red heat shrink tubeing on the end. These seem to be a little bigger at the end so line goes thru easier and stops some of the iceing problems when real cold out. I have been using line thru the pole type ice jigging poles. Just can't fish them in water deeper then maybe ten feet as the reels on em are diffecult to use in the cold. Rich

The cold can create some issues for a lot of things. I'd imagine that the line-thru rod would really get fussy if the temps take a nose dive what with the ice build-up inside the blank.