Styrofoam slip-floats tackle winter fishing

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 31/12/2005 (7264 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ONE of the best techniques to use on a variety of fish at this time of year, when the daytime temperatures are above freezing, is the slip-bobber or slip-float setup.

The float slides down the line for casting, but slides up to a pre-set depth in the water. The basic setup has in the past consisted of a hollow-shaft float, and above it a bobber stop that is either tied on your line or slipped on first before any other terminal tackle. Most anglers will then slip a bead on their line between the bobber and bobber stop to prevent the stop going through the top of the float. Some floats have a smaller hole at the top or a fastening system with a hole in the end of a solid shaft. Unfortunately, in colder weather these floats would freeze, thus losing their function.

A U.S company has come up with a variation on the system. Called Ice Busters, these Styrofoam slip-floats have a tiny stop at the bottom of the float that allows you to slip your line through. This also eliminates the need for a bead — a simple small rubber stop will do the trick. What I like best of all is that the stop is submerged in the water at the bottom of the slip-float, thus preventing the stop from freezing in the guide. It’s the slickest ice float on the market right now and comes in three different sizes. Brad Dokken, the outdoor editor of the Grand Forks Herald, gave me three to try when I fished with him a couple of weeks ago. He also mentioned the fellow from Minnesota who came up with the design is now a millionaire. These bobbers are not cheap but are worth the money. You can also trim the top half of the float if you want to downsize.

Once you decide on the type of float you want to use, the next thing to go on is a hook of some form, preferably a stand-up style. This will increase hooking percentages drastically because when a fish takes down your float and you set the hook, invariably the fish will get hooked in the top of the mouth. Don’t forget to add split-shot as required if fishing deep water. The right amount of shot will also make the float neutrally buoyant, a key factor in getting finicky fish to bite.

Of course, there is the other end of the spectrum and by that I mean using a jigging style spoon as an attractor, then using the slip-float to hold the lure in place after the fish has been attracted to the bait.

You do this by rigging up a jigging spoon that has had the treble removed onto which has been tied a short piece of fishing line and a single hook off of the split ring. You would match the size of the hook to the size of bait you are using and the kind of fish you are after. A minnow, wax worm, or maggot on the drop-line provides the finishing touch. The spoon flashes and attracts fish, while the scent of live bait is the added trigger. The great thing about fishing this under a slip-float is that you can jig the spoon, then let it sit suspended right in front of the fish until they can resist it no longer. You will want to tie on a barrel swivel just to eliminate line twist.

I’ve had excellent luck jigging drop-line spoon rigs without a float to catch everything from perch to lake trout, but adding a slip-float is deadly. The heavier the spoon, the larger the slip-float you’ll need. Jig the whole rig and allow the spoon to glitter and flash for a half-minute or so. Then drop the rod and allow the spoon and baited drop-line to sit motionless below the float. Tie on a barrel swivel a foot above your lure to eliminate line twist when using drop-lines.

This style of setup without the bobber worked on Camp Lake this past week for rainbows. One of my fishing partners this particular day had rigged up a flash spoon and drop rig with a mealworm. We caught some feisty smaller rainbow on this beautiful late December day. In fact, the weather has been so warm, we fished most of the day without hats or gloves. While there is slush on most of the lakes in the Whiteshell it is still relatively easy to get around.

High Lake has also seen a lot of angling pressure for lake trout with a few fish being caught.

This warmer weather has also heated up the big walleye bite on the Red River once again. Most successful anglers are fishing north of Selkirk in the deeper holes in the river. A lot of the walleye are being caught suspended with jigging spoons or jigging cranks. Goldeye continue to be everywhere in the river and the saugers are extremely plentiful below the locks. If you want to get a young angler in on a hot bite, this is the place to take them.

Don’t forget also that the lake trout season in Ontario opens Jan. 1, 2006. Just be careful. On a lot of the bigger trout lakes and Lake of the Woods, ice conditions are still iffy.

dlamont@mts.net