Bucketmouths and Bobbers
By Scott Bonnema
You never know what’s going to pull that baby
under. That’s the beauty of bobber fishing. There’s always mystery, as well as
suspense and excitement.
We grow up casting bobber-rigs for panfish, mostly sunfish, and some crappies.
The setups are pretty simple. A clip-on or slip-bobber fixed above one or more
split-shot sinkers followed by a plain ‘ol hook with bait, usually an angle
worm, because they’re the easiest to find.
Bobber fishing works for largemouth bass too as you might already know having
hooked a few while panfishing. Bobber fishing for bass on purpose is a great way
to improve your skills and have the chance to fight a real big fish.
Getting rigged properly is the first order of business. A quality spinning rod
and reel works best. Spool the reel with 8 or 10 pound monofilament. Those line
weights are strong enough, as well as easy to see and tie knots with.
Next comes the bobber. If the water you’re fishing is less than 4-feet deep, I
suggest using a snap or clip-on bobber. It will stay at a fixed distance above
your bait. If it’s deeper, thread on a slip-bobber. But before doing so,
remember to slide on the knot and bead. The knot will hold the bobber at an
exact depth; the bead prevents the knot from getting stuck in the stem of the
bobber.
Choose a bobber that’s fairly large and brightly painted. It can always be
weighted to match the hook and bait, but too small a “float” – another name for
bobber – makes seeing it on long casts awfully tough.
Next, tie on a bait holder hook. They’re usually round, sometimes called
“octopus” hooks, and have barbs on the shank (the longer, straighter part of the
hook). Normally, a size 4 or 6 matches-up fine.
As far as weight goes, I pinch on enough split-shot so half the bobber sits
underwater, half above. You can test buoyancy alongside the dock or boat. Keep
adding or subtracting sinkers until you get the perfect combination.
Now you’re ready for bait. Crickets and grasshoppers will catch bass, and
panfish, plus you can go out and catch your own. Night crawlers work, so too do
leeches. Even a big shiner or chub will get bit. Bass aren’t too choosy about
live bait.
Time to fish. My two favorite spots for bobber-fishing bass are around the dock
and in the lily pads. Everyone knows that bass hang around docks, but not
everyone knows exactly where. Here are a few hints… Start on the shaded side.
Bass like the cooler water and it’s easier on their eyes. Bass also hide under
boats, especially big ones, like pontoons. And boats that are docked for longer
periods generally hold more fish. Behind the boat, look for a “blow hole”.
That’s the deep trough made by the prop.
Lily pads are my other favorite. Sometimes you can cast to them from the dock.
Otherwise, hop in the boat, with your lifejacket on, and look for a patch of
pads. Bass seem to like larger diameter pads – 6-inches or more, and ones that
are part of a big and thick field. Cast as close to the edge as possible, or try
to land the bobber in an opening. And you’ll know that it’s a good bed of pads
when you hear that “smacking” sound. Those are sunfish eating aquatic insects
from underneath the pads. And if there are sunfish around, there’ll be bass.
Most bass anglers use artificial lures – spinnerbaits, crankbaits, plastics,
etc. So you might be surprised to hear me talking about live bait. I also fish
with artificials, but realize that there’s no better way to learn the basics of
bass fishing than with live bait. You’ll be sure to get more strikes. And if you
set the hook quickly and release fish right away, there’s no harm done.
Remember to practice FPR (Fish, Photograph & Release). And nothing goes better
in a tackle box than the Fuji QuickSnap Waterproof 800.
Scott Bonnema
classicbass.com Pro Staff
Editor’s note: Scott Bonnema is a touring bass professional who fishes
tournaments and offers instructional seminars throughout the Midwest. He’s a
member of the Rapala Team, and Pro Staffs of Fuji Film,
Northland Fishing Tackle, Ranger
Boats and Mercury.
