Joe

I think you are saying that you're using the spring bobber to produce extra jiggle rather than to detect nibbles. I tried spring bobbers briefly at the very thing that lets you detect a nibble also makes it harder to set the hook due to its flexibility. I guess you have to give it a really hard snap. To detect nibbles and decide when to set the hook I prefer a slip float. My recommendation doesn't mean much as I don't catch a lot of fish but DBfish aka "The Slip Float Evangelist" swears by them and catches lots.

I agree with this too. Another way to get the action without the extra hardware for skittish fish that do not want a larger profile is with a loop knot with the fluoro leader...have tried it and works well for tunstens and bugs but I have never been as confident in my loop knots for larger fish as compared to a Palomar or Trilene knots (panfish I feel fine with the loop knots). There are other finer wire snaps (or swivel snaps) that are strong enough for most whitefish and lakers and if you can get some good saltwater hardware, there is even more choice. The benefits of snaps of course is the ease of changing up lures compared to retying.
And of course, you can use larger fly clips in place of snaps if the changing of lures is important....I find the larger clips to be easier to use (some of the small ones are just too small to allow easy changing of lures at least with fingers).

Why not make a double knot to make the loop more secure?

If you mean the clips in the attached pic, I have found them impossible to work with in warm weather, never mind cold. Is there a trick to it? Maybe use forceps?

Loop knot. I don't think my lack of confidence is in the knot slipping but more the line cutting into the line and breaking. Maybe a double knot will reduce the pressure in the one point?

Yeah, those are the things I was talking about. There are a few sizes. I usually try to get the largest ones the stores carry. The smaller ones are impossible for me to deal with by hand. Forceps may help. Pliers ...well, I often lose grip of the hooks and sometimes, lose the hooks.

Yes that rod was already setup with a snap swivel from the nipissing trip. I just wanted to get my son's line down as this was the lure he designed and has been itching to try. I actually added a round sinker to the leader about 6 inches above the bug for added weight and to help the sonar pick it up. The lure that I lost the 2 chasers was a 6mm tungsten "teardrop" style jig I hand painted with epoxy similar to the fiskas. They recommend a double surgeons knot so the lure hangs plumb.

Fiska with double surgeons knot

Oooh...a double surgeons knot would work well for small lures like this. I used double surgeons knots for other applications but would act like a loop knot and is a decent knot. Cool.

I have full respect for people using micro baits for Lakers. I can’t do it. I don’t have the patience.

I love biggers baits that I can call curious fish in with. I absolutely love fishing lake Joe but I haven’t gone this year because of poor ice. I was concern about access from foots bay being sketchy. Heck of a drive for me to be turned around. I have had it happen before.

Off Friday and may take the ride up.
Will post back unless someone else beats me there.

I found that if you use a jig head and grab it at the widest point you can remove these quite easily most of the time


like anything a bit of practise makes it more efficient

I have settled on using these. They seem pretty unobtrusive,

I went out today and set up the hut while my son was getting ready. Got my first one on the first drop with the gold bug. Dropped it back down then proceeded to drop my second line. Second fish came on the first drop of the tungsten jig. Wow will this be a banner day? Rushed back and picked up my son and was marking most of the day. Only stayed 3 hours. Packed everything up except 1 line and as I was reeling it up bam fish on! A good one, rod bent and peeling drag. Passed it over to jr and he got it to the hole, and there it was, gone. Poor guy lost what would have been his pb. Ah well, we'll get him next time buddy. The slush pits have started.

I dont know what the access is like at Foots as I access from our property.

My buddy likes those clips too. I've been using the fastach clips for a while. With and without swivel. Im not really sure why I had that snap swivel on to begin with. I think someone was borrowing that rod on the nip trip. Anyways the fish didn't seem to mind it.

No pics today...forgot the phone on the charger.

I use these as well - usually the smallest gauge ones I can find (I find them to be sufficient for most of the fish I catch). You can even attach a swivel to it as well and make it a swivel snap.

So lots of window shoppers coming by? What other offerings did you try. We have had that happen a lot on Ross. Tried tubes, real worms, small jigs with limited success.

I use these as well - usually the smallest gauge ones I can find (I find them to be sufficient for most of the fish I catch). You can even attach a swivel to it as well and make it a swivel snap.

You can just buy these with a swivel in various sizes, which is what I use in the summer. In the winter I like to use a swivel to join the leader to the main line so I have a min of hardware next to the bait/lure.

I also use the smallest snaps I can buy and no issues with them at all. this is for all seasons