Float N Fly anyone

[snagged in outlet 3]

3 minutes ago, rps said:

What has puzzled me: How do you land a fish in a boat on a 12 foot dropper, even with a 12 foot rod?

I understand dragging it ashore, but, even with my 4 foot net handle and a 7'6 Ned rod, light line landing is difficult without risking the tip of my rod. With a 12 foot dropper, I wouldn't want anyone near with a phone camera.

Watch the Tactical Bassin guys about how they rig it with a threaded bobber stop.  No need for the long rod...

[FishnDave]

1 hour ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

Watch the Tactical Bassin guys about how they rig it with a threaded bobber stop.  No need for the long rod...

Exactly.  Slip bobber rig. When you reel in, the bobber can go down the line all the way to jig.  When you cast out, the jig falls below the bobber to a predetermined depth...where you set that bobber stop.  And that is a depth you can easily change as required.  I knew guys in Iowa that would fish for walleyes that way.  I never tried it.

[aarchdale@coresleep.com]

Ive tried slip bobbers before around 15ft for crappie and with light weight lures it doesnt work that well 8-10ft max for the way i have always done slip bobbers

[Johnsfolly]

32 minutes ago, FishnDave said:

Exactly.  Slip bobber rig. When you reel in, the bobber can go down the line all the way to jig.  When you cast out, the jig falls below the bobber to a predetermined depth...where you set that bobber stop.  And that is a depth you can easily change as required.  I knew guys in Iowa that would fish for walleyes that way.  I never tried it.

I had a few years that all I used were slip bobber rigs. Then got into fishing trout magnets below weighted floats and stopped using the slip rigs. Need to get back to using a slip rig again.

[Quillback]

I think the main issue with the slip bobber on the float-n-fly is that if you want to slowly swim the jig, it will pull up to the bobber once you start retrieving it.  Fixed bobber the jig will stay at depth as you swim it.

[Dutch]

30 minutes ago, Quillback said:

I think the main issue with the slip bobber on the float-n-fly is that if you want to slowly swim the jig, it will pull up to the bobber once you start retrieving it.  Fixed bobber the jig will stay at depth as you swim it.

The way we fished it the bobber had to be tightly anchored, snapped at top and bottom  and with a bead under it that had been stuffed with strands of living rubber.  The bobber was a tear drop rigged to lay on its side.  When it stood up, time to set the hook.  We never waited for it to go under.

[snagged in outlet 3]

1 hour ago, Dutch said:

The way we fished it the bobber had to be tightly anchored, snapped at top and bottom  and with a bead under it that had been stuffed with strands of living rubber.  The bobber was a tear drop rigged to lay on its side.  When it stood up, time to set the hook.  We never waited for it to go under.

I thought that was what made it so deadly since the fish were lethargic and just hold the jig in their mouth.  

[Quillback]

1 hour ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

I thought that was what made it so deadly since the fish were lethargic and just hold the jig in their mouth.  

And (according to the experts) if they come up from below and slack line it, the bobber will go on it side.  

[FishnDave]

I suppose one could use a twist on or clip on bobber that will stay put on the line....and when fighting the fish, when the bobber gets within reach, just reach out and remove it, so you can reel the fish in closer?  Or grab the line to pull the fish to the boat/net when it gets close?  Several other choices as well.  Pick what works for you.  But it really does work well.

If the fish aren't spooked by your boat, I supposed the angler could do without the float and just tightline the jig over the side of the boat.

[abkeenan]

58 minutes ago, Quillback said:

And (according to the experts) if they come up from below and slack line it, the bobber will go on it side.  

I made up like 8 of the cigar shaped bobbers to the specs of Mike Bucca. He has quite a few videos on YouTube of him fishing the FnF and of him giving tutorials of the how-to's including the specific bobber so that you can detect a "lift bite". I took them, cut them in half, created a cavity to transplant the weight in the middle instead of at the ends and then epoxied them back together. I did this like 4 years ago and HAVE YET TO TRY THE FnF. I have all the jigs and everything.