# Spring Bobbers



## fur and feathers jr. (May 3, 2007)

Does anyone know how to make a decent spring bobber without buying one, I tried a very small zip tie with no luck just seeing if anyone has made one themselves? 

Thanks


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## Scott K (Aug 26, 2008)

I haven't tried it but I've heard the spring from a ball point pen works.


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## naterade (Nov 30, 2008)

There are a couple of threads on this site that explain how to use a spring from a lighter and heat shrink tube to make one.


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## krt (Nov 5, 2001)

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=224563&highlight=spring+bobber

This thread talks about them with pics.


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## jimbo (Dec 29, 2007)

do you want to make some because you don't like the sensitivity
of the store brands ?
because i'm not crazy about some of them. ( the flat ones)
so i'll take & stone them narrower at the base to increase their sensitivity .

also
lighter spring? never saw one.. any pics?
same with pen spring. aren't they too short & stuff ? or do you stritch them out?


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## wally-eye (Oct 27, 2004)

Frabill spring bobbers are the bomb.....the ones with the little rubber piece that fits in the last eye and a tiny spring.........excellent.


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## tinmarine (Nov 19, 2007)

I'm trying a couple of these this year. Seem to be more sensative than the springs.

http://www.customjigsandspins.com/icefishing/accessories/finbobber.html


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## neil duffey (Feb 22, 2004)

in the end, making one at home might even cost more than buying on... i just got two for my self last friday... iv never used em before... i think they where 1.99 at blue water bait. there sweet. spring type, not flat.


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## chuckwagon157 (May 17, 2008)

I personally like the flat ones, but grind 'em down. also......



wally-eye said:


> Frabill spring bobbers are the bomb.....the ones with the little rubber piece that fits in the last eye and a tiny spring.........excellent.


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## naterade (Nov 30, 2008)

jimbo said:


> lighter spring? never saw one.. any pics?
> same with pen spring. aren't they too short & stuff ? or do you stritch them out?


I have not made one, just recall seeing the thread here somewhere. Searched for it but didn't find it.

As I recall, a Bic lighter spring form under the flint. Probably stretch it a bit, paint it a bright color so it's easier to see, then attach to end of rod with heat shrink tube.


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## double trouble (Nov 20, 2003)

here is a few. i use a got-a-bite strike indicator which is a piano wire hoop with a bead or a panfish popper

many styles
http://www.yourbobbersdown.com/Online Strike Indicators.htm
panfish poppers
http://www.frabill.com/index.php?pa...&category_id=5&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=7
super tape for attaching your own
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96807


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## rippinlyp (Feb 18, 2008)

I have made my own spring bobbers out of the spring in a stappler. It is far mor sensitive than anything you can buy. just gaet the sping and stretch it to the appropriate lenght. Paint the tip with flame orange rustoleum and heat shirink to the rod like any other. Has worked for me for years. P.M. me if you need more info.


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## jimbo (Dec 29, 2007)

those frabill spring bobbers look like the ones on my innerflow rods
(except for the plastic end)
they screw on over the ends of these rods


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## RyGuy525 (Mar 17, 2005)

the frabill ones are awesome! Just make sure you have a bobben to help you thread it. I actually like them more than the spring on my st.croix legend rod....


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## jjc155 (Oct 16, 2005)

ive seen some made with guitar strings for the spring.

J-


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## newaygogeorge (Aug 16, 2006)

neil duffey said:


> in the end, making one at home might even cost more than buying on... i just got two for my self last friday... iv never used em before... i think they where 1.99 at blue water bait. there sweet. spring type, not flat.


I have used them all the frabil type can be very sensetive but the problem I have with all the spring types is needling them on the job if I have too and the ice build up. The spring dia is so small just a micro size chip of ice plugs them up also I find the rubber gets stiff and will not hold onto the rod or in the eye lid well often popping loose. I only use flat spring steel type I can adjust each rod to a specfic sensetivity by sliding the bobber rwd or fwd on the rod tip, i add a piece of duct tape around the bobber attachment end to keep it secure and i dip the eye lid end in jig head paint to a color that stands out well in all light conditions. I also can adjust the flat steel by bending it so it stands taller.


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## bloo_gilz (Jan 7, 2001)

Gutz has posted this in the past & his wraps look awesome..
Way, way cheaper to make your own.


http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=216858&highlight=spring+bobbers


http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=224563&highlight=spring+bobbers

Have fun with it & experiment a bit. Mark


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## fur and feathers jr. (May 3, 2007)

Are them on the guitar one heat wraps? or thread?


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## greelhappy (Feb 20, 2004)

Love trying to make stuff at home. 9 out of 10 times nothing works, but every now and then............BINGO. Here is what I did. Get some wire that a flower shop uses for their decorations, wrap it around a nail, pull the nail out, done. Stretch the wire to desired length, attach to rod and your set to go. Side Note: I personally do not use spring bobbers. If you are looking for something that is so sensitve to indicate a bite, wouldn't you have to be staring at that spring constantly? That does not sound to appealing to me. But hey! whatever catches fish.


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## Gutz (Mar 22, 2006)

fur and feathers jr. said:


> Are them on the guitar one heat wraps? or thread?


The ones I made last year were wrapped with thread (a thread with a pair of ba$#! like kevlar, rod building, or anything a little thicker than usual) and coated with a 2-part rod building epoxy. This rig was a little too permanent because the guitar strings stared to rust.

This year, based on suggestions I read here, I am going to fix the thread with clear fingernail polish. Someday soon I'll post pics of an easy way to tie off the thread. Essentially, you just wrap the thread over itself to start. When you're 6-8 wraps from the end, you lay a separate loop of thread down, wrap over it, cut your wrapping line, thread it through the loop, and pull the loop (and the tag end) under the wraps, leaving the tag end wrapped 6-8 times and ready to cut.

You can adjust the length and diamter of the guitar strings to whatever you want. Technically, the supplies are the same price or cheaper than buying a store bought spring bobber but you'll half to value the time (30 mins for me now, 1+ hours at first) it takes yourself. Personallym I really enjoy doing it so the time it takes is a bonus.

-Gutz


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