Corks, Bobbers, Floats and Balloons at IDOfishing.com

Corks, bobbers, floats and balloons, any thing you name it, it is a fun way to fish. Almost all of us started fishing with a pole in our hand watching a bluegill or crappie yanking a bobber under. Growing older does not detract from the enchantment of watching that little bit of float tease us. I have seen guys ice fishing watch a cork until their eyes cross and they fall over.

Kidding of course, but they will watch until their eyes get fuzzy and someone drags them off home.

Float fishing is an off again, on again thing with those of us who pursue catfish. That is not to say that it isn't productive, because there those few times when it is the best way to fish. It is just that there are also many times when you are wasting your time.

There are two real reasons to float fish. First, there are times when it is the most productive way to fish for catfish. Second, you can make presentations that are not possible any other way.

Here is an example of it working and will give you some incentive to try float fishing if you never have. One year, my friend Ken and I were doing the August trip to the Red River. We were anchored below the dam at Lockport, Manitoba watching a group of young men on our port side. They were absolutely killing the catfish. We, on the other hand were mostly spectators. They were fishing with balloons in very shallow water.

I had tried floats of various kinds from time to time with very little results. These guys were just putting on a clinic. Needless to say, when we hit the dock that evening, the first thing we did was find some balloons. I think we paid the enormous sum of $.98, (Canadian of course) for a package of 100 balloons.

The next morning, we were out bright and early on the spot and went after it with the balloons. The trick is to float the balloon so that the bait is suspended just barely over the bottom, occasionally ticking a rock as it goes merrily down stream.

The catfish were still there. Oh man were they there. We caught catfish until we were worn out. We stayed until the sun went down. Hungry, sunburned and as happy as dead pigs in the sunshine, we had made it work.

The amazing thing was, the water was only 18" deep! One of the many cats we caught is my still long standing personal best on display down below. 39 1/8" of very angry catfish.

Balloons are a pain in the @#* because they are so tender they often break, sometimes even before you cast. They are also slow to tie on so when one breaks you have down time until everything is done up right to get back into the water. One of the fun things about balloons is to watch one when you have a fish on. The water pressure causes them to expand and contract as the fish dive so your float is always getting bigger and smaller depending on how the fight is going. These days, I use a styrofoam bobber the size of an apple that you can see for 100 yards. I have caught fish at the extreme end as the float slides down river on the current. Makes an interesting hookup when you have three or four wraps left on your reel and the big bobber disappears. I have catfish hit so hard the bobber makes a pop as it goes down. Now that is exciting.

If you have tried floats and given up, or if you never have, give it a try. You never know, some day you will have that magic moment when the catfish will not leave it alone.

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Northstar - Even as you have done it unto the least of my children, you have done it unto me.

Corks, Bobbers, Floats and Balloons

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