Dog Days of Summer Continued: Slip Floats + Walleyes +Livescope = Success
Kids (and everyone else) loves to watch a bobber go down.
I start fishing northern Michigan after a phenomenal summer on Lake George in Upstate NY. I go from fishing smallmouth bass that are very cooperative to fishing walleyes that are still hanging onto their summer blues. When the going gets tough (and you can see tons of fish that don’t want anything to do with your more aggressive offerings) you put on a slip float and a leech and watch the bobber go down.
One of keys to the system is the rod. I like long bobber rods. The Douglas xMatrix DXS 9632M is the perfect rod for bobbering ‘eyes. Here are the key features about this rod that make it a fish catching machine:
Douglas xMatrix DXS 9632M Key Features:
Long rod perfect for picking up lots of line quickly and for sweeping hooksets.
Long rod is also great for helping bomb casts to fish keeping distance from your Livescope.
Moderate action helps keep fish pinned. The rod is one huge shock absorber against the hard head shakes of a walleye.
Super lightweight - weighing in at only 4.3oz - makes fishing it easy on the body.
I have played around with both mono and braid and here’s where I’ve landed. Mono is better to throw on windy days (way less tangles). I prefer braid on days that are a bit calmer.
The other key to slip bobbers is throwing to fish. Garmin’s Livescope helps with this challenge. Many call this technique bobber scoping - hitting fish on the head with a bobber and watching as they readily take the offering. Just remember, when you crack the code for catching tough summer fish be thoughtful to keep only what you need for a meal. We have to grow as anglers who take conservation seriously - keeping limits just means there’s less fish to reproduce to keep your favorite fishery healthy.