Bouncing betty

[RvW]

No, I am not posting about my date last night, I am wondering if anyone else has tried these rubber ball weights?

I spent an our on the creek again this afternoon, and I think, not sure, but I think I like these little things. First time trying one.

[norms gone fishing too]

don't step on them things my fishing buddie says there not very nive when they go off

:grin: :grin:
norm

[RichH]

We used them on the Rogue a couple of years ago in real low water and they worked great. We wound up landing over 20 fish on our float down the crick.

[ibeanfishin]

c-o-t-r; i tried these years ago thinking it would help to save a few rigs, but i found out that when i snaged-up boy was i snaged. lead is a lot cheapper . just my opinion.

[MasterCaster]

I think they work pretty good in slower or low water but they seemed to have too much drag or something in more current. I just couldnt get them to drift the way I wanted. I only tryed them a couple times though and went back to slinkies. I am now using 1/4 hollow core lead almost 100% of the time. I just dont think anything can beat the feel of the lead.

Jon :smile: :grin: :smile:

[fatfish]

I fished them many years ago (maybe 20) and found that the size was not well suited for fast water. They worked best in slower currents with a small rocky bottom. They also seemed expensive compared to lead. When they snagged up you normally kissed them goodbye. I felt you had a better feel of the bottom by using plain lead.

[riverraider]

They are a must have. Only use in really slow water or on current edges where you can't get lead or a slinkie to glide. You'll feel goofy casting the darn things but they work. I normaly use the 1/2 ounce style for the areas mentioned.

[RvW]

Goofy? Yeah, I alone on the banks of Neskowin creek looking over my shoulder with every cast.. [img]graemlins/eek13.gif[/img]
The water environment is much like what you folks who do use them have explained, quite shallow, round rock bottom averaging the size of an orange and larger. If not sand.

I lost a bunch of sliding pencil lead there the last few times I fished it, and wasnt sure if I should go to an inline slinky, or try something else. The bettys seemed to work out of hangups from above the hangup, and like someone here said, the feel was weird. Theres a strange boyancy about these things that makes the bottom bumps seem extreme vs lead, but the lead was snag city.

Anyway the water on this creek seems ideal for the last few weeks!, and other than water level, I see no effects from the rains.. very clear, with a bit of a green tinge.
This creek runs shallow, 1 to 3 feet with nice undercuts, and what look like great deeper tail outs (4' to 6') below the shallow faster water. Much of this creek I have fished is a foot deep, crystal clear, and bouncy from the round rock structure under the surface. Averages 10 to 20 feet wide
So far, I have only thrown a gob of eggs with yarn, and a very small corky (not sure of the size numbers, but these are the same as a pencils eraser) getting my leaders as close to 18 inches as I can judge. Ive hooked into two steelies, lost them both in the last 2 weeks, and landed a 10+/- pound buck Nov, 22nd..and a 12+/- on the 23rd, both chrome bright and very aggressive. Over all, four takes with about 20 hours of fishing.

Knowing these conditions, how would YOU fish it?

[ 01-03-2003, 12:53 AM: Message edited by: cirrhosis-of-the-river ]

[Ramstrong]

cirrhosis it's good to hear of someone fishing slab creek. My Uncle grew up just outside of cloverdale and I've heard some good stories about that crick. When in the area, I've always wound up fishing the salmon instead.

As far as betties go, I've made my own in the past. If you pour your own lead. Pour some cannonball's then dip them in vinyl tool handle coat, attach a duo lock snap to the eye. Vioala bouncing betties! It's a lot cheaper that way. Especially if you get your lead for free from a tire store.