Big Walleyes on Slip-Bobbers
By Bob Jensen

Whatever you call them, corks, bobbers, floats, call them a great tool for presenting a bait to a variety of fish. Although some consider bobbers to be a tool for inexperienced anglers, many of the best fishing guides rely on bobbers when the bite is tough. Following are some ideas on how to catch walleyes on slip-bobbers.

First of all, slip-bobbers are different from traditional bobbers that clip onto your line. Slip-bobbers actually slide on your line, making them much easier to fish with. Slip-bobber set-ups employ a bobber-stop that is set at the depth at which you want to fish. If you want your bait to be seven feet below the surface of the water, simply set the bobber-stop seven feet above your hook or jig. By doing so, the bait will automatically hover at the seven foot level.

The bobber-stop is very small so it can be reeled through the guides on your rod and onto your reel. This makes casting the bait out and reeling the fish in very simple.

Slip-bobbers are productive at a variety of depths. I have used them from two feet to thirty feet. One of the best times to use slip-bobbers is when the walleyes are concentrated on small, shallow structures. If we were to troll or drift over these small pieces of fish-holding areas, the fish would get spooked or our lures would be in the fish-zone for a very brief period of time. Slip-bobbers allow us to anchor a distance away from the fish so they aren’t spooked, and they keep the bait in the fish-zone for an extended period of time.

On a recent fishing trip we found some really nice walleyes holding on a small hump that topped out at nine feet and was surrounded by fifteen feet of water. We anchored about thirty feet upwind and allowed our bobber rigs to drift over the spot. Action was very good, but the fish wanted a specific bait set-up.

The best presentation was a sixteenth ounce Fire-Ball jig with a leech. A couple of split-shot were crimped onto the line about fifteen inches above the jig. Why add split-shot to the line instead of just tying on a heavier jig? Here’s why.

With the lighter jig, the leech can move around more freely, providing more action. A heavier jig would anchor the leech in one position. For maximum leech movement, go with a plain hook with a split-shot or two or three above it.

Six-pound test Trilene XT or XL is the line choice of many expert slip-bobber users, although four-pound test is preferred when the bite is really tough.

A longer rod is also preferred for sweeping hook-sets. The longer rod picks the line up off the water better than a shorter rod. A seven-foot medium action Lightning or Series One rod will do a very nice job.

Slip-bobbers are productive and they’re fun to use. Give them a try to discover how effective these little presentations can be for big walleyes.

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