Back to Basics With a Slip Bobber in the BWCA

Jan 14

Boundary Waters Fishing- Back to Basics

Today we discuss the BWCA slip bobber rig. You know by now that it’s never too early to start thinking about and planning your next canoe adventure. In the world of wilderness camping, less is more. This certainly applies to fishing. Whether you are a die hard or a novice, simplifying your methods and tackle can make life in the back country just a little bit easier.

The Slip Bobber - Tried and True

Given a limited amount of space and a need to provide a few for dinner, one of the most reliable and easy methods of being successful is the slip bobber set up. The beauty of this tried and true rig is in its simplicity not to mention how inexpensive it is. A slip bobber set up, unlike a regular clip on bobber allows you to fish at a variety of depths just by sliding a string knot up or down your fishing line. It can easily be fished from a canoe or from your campsite. Made up of only a hook, a weight, a slip bobber and a knot stop, the entire rig might set you back a mere 3 bucks.

Rig a Slip Bobber With A Variety Baits

The rig itself is basic, though there are a few ways to set it up. While this rig is mostly used with live bait, it can be adapted for use with a variety of soft plastic lures and bio baits. This makes it usable in the Quetico Park.

After a day of paddling…perhaps into the wind, the slip bobber rig takes little effort to use. Parking on the shore at camp and tossing your rig in front of a wind-swept rocky point has yielded many walleyes and bass over the years. The set up is effective all season long because you control the depth that it is fished at.In spring and early summer, use a depth of 3 or 4 feet for a sure bet for hungry, shallow post-spawn walleyes and pre-spawn bass. Later in the summer, a depth of 8 to 12 feet will reach those fish seeking cooler water or less light penetration.

A slip bobber rig can be fished much deeper as well, for when the big ones descend into water in excess of 15 or 20 feet. This is an excellent late summer and fall method for big autumn smallmouth bass. In Quetico, rigging with plastics or bio baits like Berkley Gulp, works great…especially when you let your bobber ride the waves, which helps provide good lure action.So, when packing for your next Boundary Waters fishing trip, remember the slip bobber rig. Include the slip bobber in your arsenal for simplicity, for affordability, and for ease of use. It is a tactic you can usually count on.

Dave

For more information on BWCA fishing, click here, or call us at 218-365-5837

Dave Sebesta

Dave’s passion for canoe country was born in 1980 when he came to Canoe Country fresh out of high school to work for the summer. Since that time, Dave has traveled throughout the Quetico Provincial Park and Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness learning their portages, lakes, campsites, and fishing spots. Over the years, Dave has built a reputation as one of the great fisherman of the BWCA and Quetico. He has been working in the outfitting industry for many years and just completed his 20^th year with Williams and Hall. He is our General Manager. You will find him pitching in wherever there is something that needs doing. Dave is also an excellent nature photographer and you will find his prints at many of the finer shops in Ely. Dave lives on Moose Lake year-round and besides photography enjoys hiking, fishing (he is superb), canoeing and camping with his wife Eva, and son, David.

Back to Basics With a Slip Bobber in the BWCA

Boundary Waters Fishing- Back to Basics

The Slip Bobber - Tried and True

Rig a Slip Bobber With A Variety Baits

BWCA Canoe Trip Preparation Tips and Ideas

Discussing the Question of a Canoe or Kayak in the BWCA

Williams and Hall Outfitters