One of the greatest multispecies presentations is a slipbobber and livebait. A piece of livebait hanging in front of a fish’s nose is going to get bit more often than not, it’s just that simple! These rigs can be modified for a number of bait options, and a number of species, but the concept remains the same.
Slipbobbers can be easily set up with a few components. To set up a slipbobber simply:
- Place a slipbobber stop knot on your main line and cinch the knot tight – this will keep your bobber at the set depth you desire;
- Thread a small stop bead for between the slipbobber itself and the stop knot, this will prevent the bobber from wearing down the stop knot. These beads will come with the package you purchase your stop knots in;
- Slide your slipbobber onto the main line, you can vary your slipbobber’s size based on the species you are targeting if you wish, but it is not critical. A Thill slipbobber is a great choice;
- Thread your egg sinker onto the main line. For most slipbobber sizes, a ⅛ ounce egg sinker is perfect. Upsize or downsize sinker weights as necessary;
- Tie a barrel swivel onto the main line. This will act as a stop for your weight and bobber, and also connect your main line to your leader line. A larger barrel swivel is ideal as it will have the egg sinker pressing against it;
- The next step is to add a fluorocarbon leader line. Fluorocarbon both sinks in the water and is completely invisible when submerged, which means it will help your bait sink to the fish and not spook pressured fish;
- When targeting panfish such as bluegill, crappie, or perch a 4-6 pound fluorocarbon leader is perfect. For species such as walleye, largemouth bass or smallmouth bass upsizing to 8-10 pound is ideal. For fish that have teeth, most notably northern pike, or larger species like channel catfish, upsizing to 15 pound fluorocarbon is ideal.
- Your leader doesn’t need to be too long, ideally 8-15 inches, which will make it easier to cast and manage your presentation;
- The final step is to tie the hook. For panfish, size 8 to 6 Octopus hooks are ideal. For walleye or bass, size 4 to 2 Octopus hooks work best. Larger species are best targeted with a size 1 Octopus hook.
Once the rig is set up, depth can be adjusted by simply sliding the bobber stop on the main line. This means whether you’re fishing in 3 feet of water, or 30 feet of water, the bait will hang exactly at the depth the fish are. This also makes fishing above submerged vegetation, such as weeds or trees, both effective and snag free.
Slipbobbers can be tipped with a variety of live bait options, but of course the most popular is nightcrawlers. Nightcrawlers will catch any and all species that swim, but are most effective for bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, and channel catfish. Nightcrawlers are an effective bait year-round, but often most productive in the warmer months.
Another unique element a slipbobber presentation can offer is fishing a hair jig suspended. To do this, simply replace the egg sinker with a 1/8 ounce jig head at the end of the set up. These hair jigs can also be tipped with nightcrawlers too, which can make them an incredibly effective mid-summer presentation.
Minnows can be just as effective, especially for predatory fish. Walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and northern pike will all readily strike a minnow hanging helplessly in front of them. Larger crappie or yellow perch will also often strike a minnow, making minnows a good option for targeting larger panfish. Minnows can work year-round, but are most effective when the water is cooler in the spring and fall.
An under the radar live bait option is leeches. Leeches are best used in the summer months, and can be an excellent livebait option for walleye, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass. A leech swimming through the water column is an underutilized, but often highly effective, presentation.
Slipbobbers are so versatile that other bait options can also be effectively fished under a bobber. For channel catfish, store bought cooked shrimp can be one of the most effective baits. This is a unique bait few anglers utilize, and produces an incredible amount of scent in the water that is ideal for targeting catfish.
Canned corn can also produce a number of unique species when fished under a bobber. Rainbow trout and common carp will often readily bite canned corn, and bluegill and other panfish can also be caught too.
An additional option for rainbow trout is marshmallows. A simple puffed marshmallow on a slipbobber can be one of the most effective trout baits, especially for trout that have been stocked.
Panfish Slipbobber Set Up:
- Ideal Leader Line: 4 or 6 pound Fluorocarbon
- Ideal Hooks: Size 8 or 6, Octopus or Aberdeen Hooks
- Ideal Baits: Nightcrawlers or Canned Corn
Walleye Slipbobber Set Up:
- Ideal Leader Line: 8 or 10 pound Fluorocarbon
- Ideal Hooks: Size 4 or 2, Octopus Hooks
- Ideal Baits: Minnows, Leeches, Nightcrawlers
Bass Slipbobber Set Up:
- Ideal Leader Line: 10 or 12 pound Fluorocarbon
- Ideal Hooks: Size 2, Octopus Hooks
- Ideal Baits: Minnows, Nightcrawlers, Leeches
Channel Catfish Slipbobber Set Up:
- Ideal Leader Line: 12 or 15 pound Fluorocarbon
- Ideal Hooks: Size 1, Octopus or Circle Hooks
- Ideal Baits: Nightcrawlers, Cooked Shrimp, Minnows
Trout Slipbobber Set Up:
- Ideal Leader Line: 8 pound Fluorocarbon
- Ideal Hooks: Size 4 or 2, Octopus Hooks
- Ideal Baits: Canned Corn, Marshmallows, Nightcrawlers
Northern Pike Slipbobber Set Up:
- Ideal Leader Line: 15 pound Fluorocarbon
- Ideal Hooks: Size 1, Octopus Hooks
- Ideal Baits: Minnows
Slipbobbers are one of the most versatile presentations and can produce across many fisheries for a number of species. These presentations can be tailored to specific species, and at the same time can generate bites from any fish that swims in a local waterbody! Whether fishing from shore or from a boat, slipbobbers are a presentation that can produce for all anglers!
