Use slip bobbers for best bream fishing success.
Slip bobbers are essential when bream-fishing the Wateree River. They make casting into tight cover easier, and casting to tight cover is sometimes the key to starting a fight with a bull bream. This isn’t the place for conventional bobbers, which attach directly to the line.
Setting the depth of those old-style bobbers puts a serious limit on casting ability. If your desired depth is 18 inches, that 18 inches of line between your bobber and hook is left hanging while you cast. It’s like you’re casting an 18-inch-long lure instead of a tiny cricket. When fishing in tight cover, that’s guaranteed to end up tangled or snagged in the structure you’re fishing around.
The slip bobber solves this problem. It slides freely on the line, and the depth is controlled by a small, sliding knot tied onto the line. This knot is small enough to glide through the rod’s eyes, allowing the angler to reel until just the bobber and hook are free.
That makes it as easy as casting a small lure into cover, and the slip cork will slide to the knot, still allowing that 18-inch, or any desired, depth.
All slip bobbers aren’t the same. Cheap ones will develop cracked edges that hinder their ability to slide and will damage line. A few of the better brands include Wing-It, Everlasting Slip Bobber, and Rod-N-Bobb’s. These brands cost more, but their durability means one of them will outlast several of the cheaper brands, saving money and frustration in short order.
Editor’s note: This article is part of the Bream-bustin’ river feature in the July issue of South Carolina Sportsman, which is now on newsstands. Digital editions also can be downloaded right to your computer or smartphone.
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