Ear Plug Fishing Bobber

Ken — Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:07 +0000

In an earlier blog “Soda Straw Bobber – DIY Fishing Float” I described how to make a bobber out of a soda straw and illustrated it with a video posted on the Survivaltek Youtube Channel. It works remarkably well but I have since tested a different material that does not require any tools to make. It is a moldable foam ear plug. In many respects it looks and acts like a bright orange marshmallow but it doesn’t melt like one when it gets wet.

To fasten the ear plug bobber to your line, push the hook through the flat top-end and out the rounded bottom-end. The ear plug will initially squish down in size as you push the hook through it but don’t worry, just wait a few moments and the material self inflates to it’s original size and shape. The ear plugs are limited in buoyancy but can be ganged up as necessary to float heavier bait. A single earplug is adequate for suspending a worm. The earplugs generally come in fluorescent colors so it’s easy to spot on the water. You can adjust the distance of leader by sliding the earplug up or down the line.

There’s no question that a manufactured bobber works best, but in a pinch the earplugs can accomplish the task. Give it a try and write your results in the comments section below.

Soda Straw Bobber – DIY Fishing Float

Ken — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 14:29:54 +0000

Have you ever gone fishing and forgot your bobber? I recently went fishing with a Czechoslovakian friend who told me that he used to fish using floats made from feather quills. I decided to explore that concept further and found that floats have been made from many air chambered items found in nature such as porcupine quills, swan feathers, and river cane, to mention a few. One rainy day, I stopped by the Post Office and upon exiting the car, I noticed a straw lying on the ground, and it struck me that it could be made to float as well. The following are the instructions on how to do the same.

Clip the tip of the straw at a slight angle, and then cut a 1/16th inch strip, which by virtue of the elongated shape, is larger than the straw’s diameter, and will slide onto the straw to use for fastening the fishing line. I took my Leatherman needle-nose pliers in one hand and clamped the end of the straw about 1/16th of an inch from the end, and with the other hand, I used a lighter to melt the end, thus sealing it. I repeated the process on the other end.

I took the fishing line and pinched it into a tiny loop at the place where I wanted to attach it to the bobber. By sliding the ring on the straw to the end, you can create a small gap through which to thread the fishing line loop, starting from the center portion of the straw and threading it out to the end. Once the line is passed under the ring, slide the ring towards the middle of the straw, thus exposing the fishing line loop which you pull over the end of the straw, then continue to pull it down to the other end and over, pulling it tight, thus creating a hitch on the straw. Now slide the ring within an inch from the end to provide the best results from the bobber. Once you bait your hook, you’re ready to cast out! It works great! You can view the entire assembly on my video posted on YouTube. Click HERE to watch.

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Ear Plug Fishing Bobber

Soda Straw Bobber – DIY Fishing Float