sight bobs...

[Gary Bills]

OK, this is hardly traditional...I put my hands up to that straight away... but after a bottle of nice (strong) red wine on my birthday weekend I must ask, - do any of you guys use sight bobs for carp fishing? I suppose the subject just about fits into float fishing for carp, which is traditional.. and so I shall press on, because anything that is not about bolt-rigging boilies at a distance must be at least, vaguely, in the right camp... So here we go..
Sight bobs, I love 'em, and they work for me. Unlike a float, they lie flat on the surface and, if the wind blows, they drift naturally with a drifting, sometimes rising bait; - i.e - they do not "rudder" the bait, as a float does...
It's a cross between freelining and nymphing/dry fly fishing: not really float-fishing at all, and bobs are both astonishingly visible and very sensitive. I've come to see, through the use of sight bobs, how Walker was (obviously) right about carp being neurotic about resistance. The fish cannot possible feel the sight bob, but you see the tentative jerks, the testing takes that no alarm would ever register: then the sight-bob slides away into the depths. I use no shot or putty because, as I've explained, the drift of the bob "keeps time" with the wind, and often the take comes while the bob is drifting..It's all so natural. I usually use small and medium sized bobs, although the larger sizes can be useful in choppy conditions. Effective range is about 20 metres, but, above all, using a sight bob is effective, subtle and tremendous fun! Am I alone in using them?

[Snape]

Not heard of these. Is the bait on the surface, on the bottom or mid-water?

[Gary Bills]

Not heard of these. Is the bait on the surface, on the bottom or mid-water?

The bait is on the bottom, or at least the bottom weed, Snape, - I usually allow for around four inches on the "bottom", pehaps six to eight inches if the fish are nervous about the line. I recommend using two rugby ball shaped bobs, joined by the peg; - so the "float" looks something like a tiny dumb-bell. As I say, the bobs are very visible (to the angler) but very small, compared with any float - and the takes are remarkable. If you require a little extra distance for the cast, use putty at the join between the two bobs, but test (obviously) before you cast in case the putty sinks the bob; - at best, the putty will take the bob to the "plimsole line", making it all the more sensitive.
I hope, funds permitting, to fish Redmire next year because I reckon this will really work well over the weed, with light baits. Having said that, I'm prepared to be a member of the Pitchford Club and eat my words!
In fact, I already have the t-shirt!

[Mark]

I'd never heard of then either FB but I hope you had a good birthday weekend. :thumb:

[Gary Bills]

Well, - re: "bobs" - until six months ago, because I thought this technique out myself, I imagined that I was the only person using them - but I then read a web article which advocated using them in much the same way as I have outlined: and so it is certain that a number of carp fishermen are now using bobs - and I must say, they really do work, especially for close-range business...
As for my birthday - I'm well puddled now! - and thank you for your kind wishes...

[St.John]

Happy birthday mate, have a nice one. St.

[Gary Bills]

Happy birthday mate, have a nice one. St.

Thank you, St John - it's turning into a good one!

[The Sweetcorn Kid]

Happy birthday young man!!!!

[Gary Bills]

Happy birthday young man!!!!

Not so young these days! But thank you for your kind thoughts, SK.

[Rich]

Hi
You are not on your own. i started using them with leaded nymphs years ago it followed they would be great in shallow water for carp. i use a range of cork balls painted black and white so you can always see them. their uses are endless sometimes the best float in the box! In open water keep the hook exposed to aid self hooking , in weed cover the hook etc. In closing try several sizes until you get the best hooking ratio.
rich