Slip bobbers are extremely effective when fished in the right place at the right time. When conditions call for it, you can put more fish on the end of your line by using a slip bobber. Many of the most successful anglers rig up a slip bobber when other techniques aren’t producing.

Some folks believe that bobbers are what inexperienced anglers use to detect strikes, and a bobber does help in letting you know when a fish has eaten your bait. While bobbers can help in strike detection, they provide other very important functions.

Slip bobbers are different than the fixed-position bobbers we used as youngsters. Those round, red-and-white bobbers that you snapped onto your line years ago did a good job of keeping your bait off the bottom and letting you know when a fish ate that bait, but they were cumbersome to work with. Since they’re in a fixed position, you can’t cast or reel a fish in close if the bobber is fixed to your line more than a couple feet above the bait.

Slip bobbers slide on your line. You set a tiny bobber stop at the position where you want to suspend the bait. For instance, if you want the bait 6 feet below the surface, you set the bobber stop 6 feet above the bait. The bobber stop is small enough to reel through the rod guides and even onto the spool of your reel, so casting and reeling in a fish is much easier.

You generally want to set the bobber stop so your bait will be at or a little above the level where you expect the fish to be. If you’re after walleyes, it generally works best to set the bobber stop so the bait will be within a couple of feet of the bottom.

Crappies and bluegills are often found a little higher off the bottom, so you’ll want to set the bobber stop shallower. It pays to experiment with how deep or shallow you’re setting the bobber. An adjustment of just a foot or two can make a difference.

There are lots of other considerations for fishing below slip bobbers. Sometimes, a thin bobber is preferred; other times, some anglers believe that a round slip bobber is better. The fish can pull a thin bobber under easier because it has less water resistance. A round bobber rides the waves better, though, which means your bait is moving up and down more, and that movement can be appealing to fish.

Sometimes, a baited hook with a split shot or two is the way to go; other times a small jig will be better. A minnow or leech will provide the jig or hook with action.

Spring, summer, fall and winter, shallow water, deep water or mid-depths, there are times when slip bobbers will help you catch more fish. If you’ve used slip bobbers, you already know that. If you haven’t used slip bobbers, this year might be a good time to do so.

Looking for some new fishing techniques to try this season? You’ll find plenty of suggestions in every issue of MidWest Outdoors. Subscribe on our website.