Custom rods with Spring Bobber Attached

I’m currently looking for a custom panfish rod that has a spring bobber that is threaded and epoxied to the blank. I currently own the DH Customs Pannie Dropper (great rod) and I’m looking at purchasing the Thorne Brothers Tripwire. I also own the TUCR Precision Noodle and Bullwhip (which I love both of these). Are there any other custom rod companies that make panfish rods with spring bobbers attached? I’m not looking to attach my own spring bobber to a rod. I want something permanently attached. Thanks for any insight.

JT Outdoor has the exact rod your looking for. Look at the panhandler series. Can get one with or without the tapered spring bobber, I like the sure grip split handles, just my preference.

I will second the spring bobber that JT uses. I believe he is the only one that has a tapper on his spring bobber.

I saw a JT at scheels with spring bobber…was hard to resist

Go to EBay and enter Hardwater Custom. They make rods just like you want. I have a medium rod and use Light St Croix spring bobber. Very sensitive but all the back bone I need. Rods go for $40. Good luck.

I have built them on a power noodle blank with an Ice strong spring bobber shortened to a couple of inches and permanently attached to the tip. I have to say wrapping that guide on the tip of that spring bobber had me walking away a couple of times.

I’ve wished for years that tuned up customs would come out with a rod with a built in spring bobber. I’m not sure why they still have not. For the last few years I’ve been fishing the clam ice professional rod with the built in spring bobber. I think this is as close to a custom rod in a massed produced rod. I may have to give one of the JT rods a try.

Agreed on the JT spring. I have the 35″ Panhandler with the tapered spring and it rocks. My go to panfish rod.

Elk River Custom Rods makes nice rods with Ice Strong spring bobbers built in. And they have great reel seats on them too. They have an 11% off Veteran’s Day sale going. Just ordered the 26″ micro-lite as a Christmas gift for my daughter.

Beaver Dam makes that titanium dipstick i think is what it is called. It is a retractable spring bobber so you can extend it when your fishing for panfish and pull back in when you want to for travel etc… They are reasonable. Might fit what your looking for. Otherwise I have the JT Panfish Snare and looking forward to using it this winter should be a great one two punch with a bullwhip.

Not to steal the topic but does any know of a retractable spring bobber that could be permanently attached to a rod? Would like to add one to a couple of rods. Thanks

I have 3 bullwhips. I’m contemplating trying to attach a spring bobber to one of them. I love the feel of the bullwhip, but think it has potential to be really nice with a spring bobber attached. My thought is to remove the thread and epoxy from the top guide, lay the spring bobber on the top, and re-thread/epoxy both the guide and spring bobber. Does this sound like it would be too hard?

I made a Thorne brothers quiver stick with their tripwire epoxied on like their in house tripwire rod and I loved that rod. It shows the lightest bite. I loaned it out last year and he broke it. I am debating whether I am going to make another or just have Thorne make a custom rod for me. They are two to three weeks out now.

I would look at Ice Strong spring bobbers and get the size you need for the tungsten you will be using and attach it with heat shrink tubing they provide and try it before you cut off the epoxy and thread. If you choose to cut off the epoxy and thread you will need new size a rod builders thread like fuji or pro thread some guide epoxy some super glue and possibly a new tip guide depending on weather you can salvage the existing one or not. You will also need a way to turn the rod consistently for several hours while the epoxy dries. Be super careful not to cut to deep or you will compromise the tip of the bullwhip. They are really fine at the tip. If you have not built rods before I would contact someone local who has and they can walk you through the process.

If you haven’t made any ice rods in the past, getting the thread on the end of a tiny UL rod to hold the spring bobber wire on is tricky. If you take your time and have some patience you can do it.

Brandon Perry wrote:

I have 3 bullwhips. I’m contemplating trying to attach a spring bobber to one of them. I love the feel of the bullwhip, but think it has potential to be really nice with a spring bobber attached. My thought is to remove the thread and epoxy from the top guide, lay the spring bobber on the top, and re-thread/epoxy both the guide and spring bobber. Does this sound like it would be too hard?

You are correct mojo it is tricky. I saw something from Mudhole where they use a fly tiers bobbin to do this. Looked like it would work pretty well but have not tried it yet.

The key to this is to lay a few wraps of thread on the blank first, lay the spring bobber where you want it, and then finish the thread wraps… The thread on the blank will provide a little grip for the spring bobber…Done it this way for years without issues…

I’ve made my own spring bobbers using 27 lb single strand leader wire, and either an orange or chartruese colored styrofoam float like those used for crawler rigs.. It really helps when you’ve got older eyes…

Jim, are you using the stainless steel wire or are you finding titanium? I am looking for a source for titanium spring bobber wire.

Sportsmans direct sells titanium pieces to make your own spring bobbers. I build rods with these both permanently tied on or set up adjustable by putting on small surgical rubber that mudhole used to sell. The new stuff they have is junk and won’t work.

I used an old IDO thread to figure out how to make my own St. Croix spring bobbers. Now I can add them to any rod I want.
Found the 1/8″ rubber grommets from the hardware store. Found the right size ice rod eyelet to pair with it to glue onto the rod tip and then St. Croix sells the springs themselves separate to switch out different actions you want.
used the Loctite gel super glue and then painted over the glue with clearcoat to make it pretty.
Added this to my new Ace custom rods schooley.
pretty pumped about this set up!

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The top pink rod tip is a noodle rod with some removed and a trip wire installed. Best match I have seen, the wire acts at part of the rod. Most put a light wire on a carbon rod and the wire bends way to much before loading up the rod.

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Clam outdoors does sell the spring bobber they use on their rods separately. Theirs is made out of a material called Nitinol. I like this spring bobber material the best. It has almost zero memory and springs back to the original shape the best. Be careful with some spring bobbers. If they get bent for to long they will not return to the normal shape. On the Nitinol ones I’ve left them bent all the way in the rod case in the off season and when the pressure is released the next season they so right back into normal shape. The y sell 2 different models. A UL and A ML. I’d get both to play around and see what one works best for the weight of lure you plan to use the most.
Here is a link to them https://shop.clamoutdoors.com/nitinol-spring-bobbers.html#183=

Question: if you are using a spring bobber, why do you need a $100+ rod?

I absolutely love my JT panhandler. Never thought that I’d drop that kind of cash for an ice fishing rod, but after 3 years no regrets! I just purchased an open water panhandler now too!

Ryan

Sylvanboat wrote:

Question: if you are using a spring bobber, why do you need a $100+ rod?

You probably don’t need a 100.00 Rod. The spring bobber is the keyto the bite detection. I know people who love their High end ice rods ( Me included ) Some say they see every bite with their noodle rods. I can tell you. There are days that the bite is so lite and fast that without a sensitive spring bobber you are going to miss bite’s. The rod is for more than just bite detection. I simply like the hookset and fight I get on a higher $ custom rod. Can it be done with a cheaper rod – Yes it can. Then again you can get around on a Horse or Bicycle as well and most don’t because cars are better for it.