Slip bobbers for dam fishing?

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crackehelmet
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Slip bobbers for dam fishing?

Unread postby crackehelmet » Thu Jan 10, 2019 5:24 pm

I've donated a lot of tackle to the river bed in front of dams. So I've been toying with some ideas about how to reduce my per trip cost and still have a decent shot at catching fish. What I've been thinking of lately is using a slip bobber with a buck tail jig tied on under it, tipped with a plastic twister tail or fluke (stealing this idea from crappie fishermen). my Thinking is that if I cast up stream along the edge or into the turbid water, the float will allow the jig to get near the bottom without hitting it and the current will provide action to the plastic. once the rig has completed a horizontal pass I can quick reel it back in to avoid snagging in rocks.

I've never seen anyone do this though, so I'm wondering if there is a reason they don't. Thoughts?


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Jonny
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Re: Slip bobbers for dam fishing?

Unread postby Jonny » Fri Jan 11, 2019 12:57 am

I’ve done it and it works if you do it correctly. The bobber moves in the current much quicker than the job itself would since it’s lighter and has a bigger area. You also are at a set depth so you need to really know the spot to be able to pick the depth accurately. When I fish dams, my best spots are the ones with depth changes of a couple feet. Big boulders. A bobber struggles with this.

Can it be done? Sure. But I found it was an even more expensive way to fish. Just make your own jigs and it’s not as hard on the wallet. My dad and I will lose a good 50 jigs during the walleye run every year. Think it costs me $10 at most if I remember right.
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crackehelmet
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Re: Slip bobbers for dam fishing?

Unread postby crackehelmet » Sat Jan 12, 2019 12:09 pm

Jonny wrote:I’ve done it and it works if you do it correctly. The bobber moves in the current much quicker than the job itself would since it’s lighter and has a bigger area. You also are at a set depth so you need to really know the spot to be able to pick the depth accurately. When I fish dams, my best spots are the ones with depth changes of a couple feet. Big boulders. A bobber struggles with this.

Can it be done? Sure. But I found it was an even more expensive way to fish. Just make your own jigs and it’s not as hard on the wallet. My dad and I will lose a good 50 jigs during the walleye run every year. Think it costs me $10 at most if I remember right.


Well darn. Thought I might have been onto something there. I'll still give it a go but I'll be cautious. I'll tie the jig to a leader so I just lose that if I still get snagged up. As far as making my own I'll look into it. I have concerns about dealing with molten lead coupled with having no idea what I'm doing :)
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oldrank
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Re: Slip bobbers for dam fishing?

Unread postby oldrank » Sat Jan 12, 2019 12:17 pm

I run slip rigs for alot of different scenarios. They work well. Look up slip bobber rig for steelhead. Pretty much just what you described. I'll run a couple of small splitshot up the leader though. It's important to match the bobber speed to jig speed. The bobber should float straight up and down.
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Re: Slip bobbers for dam fishing?

Unread postby crackehelmet » Sat Jan 12, 2019 12:35 pm

oldrank wrote:I run slip rigs for alot of different scenarios. They work well. Look up slip bobber rig for steelhead. Pretty much just what you described. I'll run a couple of small splitshot up the leader though. It's important to match the bobber speed to jig speed. The bobber should float straight up and down.


Thanks for the direction, looking it up now. Supposed to be decent weather this weekend so I'll report on how it goes.
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Re: Slip bobbers for dam fishing?

Unread postby Jonny » Sat Jan 12, 2019 12:44 pm

crackehelmet wrote:
Jonny wrote:I’ve done it and it works if you do it correctly. The bobber moves in the current much quicker than the job itself would since it’s lighter and has a bigger area. You also are at a set depth so you need to really know the spot to be able to pick the depth accurately. When I fish dams, my best spots are the ones with depth changes of a couple feet. Big boulders. A bobber struggles with this.

Can it be done? Sure. But I found it was an even more expensive way to fish. Just make your own jigs and it’s not as hard on the wallet. My dad and I will lose a good 50 jigs during the walleye run every year. Think it costs me $10 at most if I remember right.


Well darn. Thought I might have been onto something there. I'll still give it a go but I'll be cautious. I'll tie the jig to a leader so I just lose that if I still get snagged up. As far as making my own I'll look into it. I have concerns about dealing with molten lead coupled with having no idea what I'm doing :)


Make sure your leader is a lighter weight than the main line, and connect with a barrel swivel. I usually run 10lb braid to 8lb flurocarbon.

I should have specified. I only paint and tie my own jigs. I have somebody else pour them. I ran the math and it would take me a couple years to break even, and that’s if I can find a good source of lead. I pay a fraction more to have them poured and no headache on my end.
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Re: Slip bobbers for dam fishing?

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Sat Jan 19, 2019 11:10 am

Slip cork will work. Prob is sometimes the fish aren't near the bottom. Find the fish depth first then set the slip cork. Personally in such conditions I prefer a drop-shot with a jig that has a styrofoam head so it floats. The sinker on the drop shot stays on bottom, then run leader how ever high off bottom u want jig. Use a good action tail and it just sits there working its magic and u never have to move it until it gets thumped. Due to weight on bottom the fish sets the hook on itself just reel it in if u r talking crappie.
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