by Joe Palvado

Created on: September 20, 2009

There are few pastimes more enjoyable than patiently sitting with fishing rod or cane pole in hand, gazing intently at a bouncing bobber on shimmering water and waiting for the signal that a fish is on!

Ingenious inventions, bobbers come in a dizzying array of colors, sizes and shapes. Some glow in the dark. Some rattle, some pop when jerked through the water. Some are made from balsa, some from Styrofoam or plastic. Some are weighted on the bottom so they automatically stand upright in the water. Some are threaded through fishing line and some are attached by simply snapping them to the line. Some are the size of a vitamin capsule and some are the size of a quart bottle. Each type is designed to apply to a certain type of fishing. Fundamentally, bobbers are used to suspend bait to a predetermined depth while also serving as superb bite indicators.

The classic round red and white spring actuated plastic bobber may be the most utilitarian. Produced in sizes ranging from a marble to ones as large as a tennis ball, the distinctive white top and fire engine red bottom make them readily recognizable. Designed with brass loops on either end that retract into a stem on top and either protrude or retract flush at the base by simply pushing the stem on top, the loops serve to fasten the bobber to fishing line and hold it in place wherever the fisherman attaches it.

A beginning fresh water fisherman would do well to select a variety of plastic red and white styled round bobbers and small round lead weights. Bobbers must generally be weighted. Practice in the home sink by matching the amount of weight to be attached on the fishing line so that bait quickly sinks to a desired depth while the bobber sits with stem upright and the red portion of the bobber is submerged once deployed.

Start with a marble sized bobber. They're great for bream and when fishing with crickets or small red worms. Crimp a small lead weight little larger than a BB or a small green pea by laying line in the slit of the weight and crimping it with pliers (most fishermen actually use their teeth). Position the weight about three inches from the spot where line meets hook. To test, simply snap the bobber on the line an inch or two above the weight, hook and bait. If the bobber floats stem side up and is submerged half way, you're good to go. If the bobber sinks beneath the surface, replace the weight with a smaller one, or if you prefer, attach a slightly larger bobber. If the bobber lays on its side, make sure that hook and bait are not resting on the bottom. If the weight, hook and bait are still freely suspended and the bobber still lays on its side, simply add another weight. Got it?

Now, go fishing! Oh, and take a youngster with you. Your happiness will be multiplied and you will have created a memory that will last you both a lifetime.

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