How to Set Up a Fishing Pole With a Bobber
A fishing float is a piece of angling equipment that is attached to a fishing line for several purposes. Primarily, it can allow the bait to be suspended at a fixed depth. It can also be used to carry a baited hook to areas of water which are not easily accessible. This is done by letting the float drift in a current of water.
Lastly, it can also act as a bite indicator so that the angler visually knows that a fish caught onto the bait. In popular fishing terminology these floats are often called bobbers.
Types of Bobbers
Floats or bobbers can be found in different shapes and sizes. Different specifications of bobbers are chosen by anglers for different purposes. Bobbers are made of various materials like wood, plastic, and cork.
The main purpose of a bobber is to indicate the location where the bait is laid. Anglers like the bobbers to be steady in water so that they can serve as a reference point. An appropriate bobber is chosen depending on the water current and wind speed, so if the disturbances are high, you will want a heavier bobber which can maintain its position.
The size of the bobber depends on the casting distance and depth with long casting distances requiring a large, colored bobber so that it is easily visible to the angler.
What You Need to Set Up a Bobber
There are a few supplies you need to set up a bobber. First and foremost, you will need a hook. The hook size can be chosen according to the size of the species of fish you are fishing for. If you are fishing for typical freshwater fish, you can use a size 6 small hook.
The next thing you will need is a small clip-on bead weight. This will protect the mainline knot from the weight of the bobber. In addition, you will find it useful to keep some clippers around to cut the line and a pair of pliers to pinch on the weight.
Getting Ready to Set Up a Bobber
The method of setting up a bobber is quite simple and shouldn’t take you more than a few minutes. Take your fishing rod and run your line through all the loops. Now, from the line that is running from the reel through your rod, take your hook and pass the line through the little hole on the hook.
The right way to do this is to pass the line from the top of the hook towards the bottom and not the other way around. Run the line across the hook to a distance about two times the length of the hook itself. Align the line with the hook by turning it at the curve of the hook.
The next steps are the ones that can get a little tricky. Pinch the hook and the line together at the curved spot. Take the end of the line that is sticking out and wrap it around the base of the hook where you initially passed the line.
Make 7-8 wraps around the hook and hold the wrap using your other hand now and let go of the first pinch. You will see that you just released a small loop formed by the line that was around the curve of the hook. Pass the end of the line through this hole and pull the line from both ends until it is tight.
The Best Way to Put on a Bobber
Go about 1-2 feet along your line from the hook and pinch the bead weight onto your line. Pinch the bead using pliers to make sure it is secure and won’t slide around. Now you are ready to place on the bobber.
The height at which you place the bobber is important and should be determined from the depth of the water you are going to be fishing in. Usually, anglers keep about 2-3 feet from the hook end while placing the bobber, but you might want to go longer for deeper waters.
If there are two hooks of different sizes on the bobber you should pass your line through the smaller hook on the top and wrap it around the spherical surface of the bobber towards the bigger hook.
Wrap the line around this bigger hook several times before you let it go. Make sure that the line is tightly attached to the bobber. Once you do this, your bobber is set up and you are ready to go fishing.
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