When it comes to predator fishing like pike, having the right lure can significantly increase your chances of success. One lure that has been gaining popularity among anglers is the vibrating and LED light jerbait – Snappr iBobber jerkbait. Designed to imitate wounded prey and equipped with captivating features, this lure can be a game-changer when targeting these aggressive predators. In this blog post, we will explore the unique characteristics and advantages of vibrating and LED light jerkbaits, delving into why they are a must-have for pike fishing enthusiasts.
Vibrating and LED Light Jerkbaits: The Ultimate Pike Magnet
Vibrating Attraction: One of the key features of vibrating jerkbaits is their built-in vibration mechanism. This mechanism produces strong vibrations that travel through the water, effectively attracting pike from a distance. The combination of sound and movement acts as a dinner bell, enticing pike to investigate and strike the lure.
LED Light Enhancement: The Snappr iBobber vibrating jerkbaits come with built-in LED lights, which serve as an additional attractant. These lights emit a pulsating glow that mimics the bioluminescent glow of wounded prey. Pike, being visual predators, are naturally drawn to light sources, making the LED feature of these jerkbaits an added advantage.
Tips for Using Vibrating and LED Light Jerkbaits
Selecting the Color: When choosing vibrating and LED light jerkbaits, consider the prevailing conditions and the size of the pike you're targeting. Opt for larger sizes to match the pike's predatory instincts, and select colors that mimic the local forage. Bright colors like Radioactive can be effective in murky water, while natural colors like Sea Nympth or Hot Hot Pink well in clear water.
Experiment with Retrieval Speeds: Varying the retrieval speed can make a significant difference in enticing pike to strike. Start with a slow and steady retrieve, allowing the lure's vibrations and LED light to do their magic. If that doesn't yield results, try an erratic, jerking motion to imitate injured prey. Pay attention to how the pike respond and adjust your technique accordingly.
Target Structure and Transition Zones: Pike are ambush predators that lurk around submerged structures and transition zones. Cast your vibrating and LED light jerkbaits near weed beds, fallen trees, rock formations, or drop-offs. These areas provide cover and act as prime hunting grounds for pike. By effectively presenting your lure in these locations, you increase your chances of enticing a strike.
Vibrating and LED light jerbaits have revolutionized pike fishing by combining lifelike action, vibrations, and pulsating lights to create an irresistible allure for these predatory fish. Their ability to imitate injured prey and attract pike from a distance makes them a must-have lure for any pike fishing enthusiast. Remember to experiment with size, color, and retrieval techniques to find the optimal presentation for the conditions you're fishing in. By harnessing the power of vibrating and LED light Snappr iBobber jerkbaits, you'll increase your chances of landing that trophy pike you've been dreaming of.
Photos: Courtesy of John Owens
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Bass Fishing in the Night
Summertime is here and with it comes the pleasure boaters, and the grueling heat waves where temperatures have the ability to reach in the high 90s and even into the 100s. Lucky for you, there is a way to avoid both! I’m referring to fishing during the night for bass! Night fishing for bass can be a very intimidating topic for those that have never done it. Today, I’d like to go over some tips I’ve learned over the years that have helped put more bass in the boat throughout the night during the hottest months of the year.
LIGHTS
When discussing lights, I don’t mean big light bars and the brightest flashlights money can buy. One light I would recommend buying is a headlight with a beam style light than allows you to focus in on one area in particular. These allow you to scout the bank, or waters ahead safely, and give you more information about that area as a whole. Investing in a set of blacklights to wrap around the entirety of your vessel will make night fishing a breeze as well. Depending on the type of line you use, the blacklight will make it glow which makes bite indication easier also. I’ve noticed its typically certain colors of braided line, and monofilament that shine the best under blacklights. Another great thing about using blacklights instead of regular LEG lighting is attracting fewer bugs. LED white lights are a beacon for every mayfly, gnat, and mosquito on the lake and you sure don’t want to fight that swarm all night. Whatever type of vessel you are fishing out of (boat, kayak etc.), always be sure you are following your states requirements of proper lighting at night. Those regulations are put in place to keep folks safe out on the water and that should be your biggest concern throughout the night.
AREAS TO FISH
It’s no mystery that bass travel deep into the depths searching for cooler water temperatures during the summer months. Without the presence of the sun, a lot of bass will make their way shallow to capitalize on the cooler hours of the night. Areas like flats adjacent to deep water, main lake points, docks, brush piles, and off shore humps are ideal areas to target. Bass are predatory fish and will set up on any ambush spot or area obtainable. I like to start the night out fishing as shallow as the dirt, and work my way to a few different types of off shore areas until I establish a working pattern. One key area a like to target in general during a night outing are creek channel bends. Channel bends are likely to hold all types of fish year round, so you are likely to run across a few different species (catfish, and carp being at the top of that list) as well!
BAITS TO USE
One of the most popular baits when it comes to night fishing is a big Colorado spinnerbait. I like to think of night fishing like I am fishing muddy water, throwing baits with a big, bulky profile, and those that put off a ton of vibration. The vibration put off by these Colorado spinnerbaits are second to none, and are the easiest for fish to find even in the darkest of water. When it comes to vibration, bass can get a bit tricky though. Bass use their lateral line to search for food when the water clarity is less than ideal. For me, it seems like there is always a certain amount of vibration that will get them riled up. If you throw too big of a blade and it puts off too much vibration and you could spook them away, or vise-versa with too small of a blade and not getting enough vibration, which will cause the bass to not be able to find your bait. Another great lure to use at night is the iBobber Robotic lure. It has a bright LED light built in that will attract fish from long distances at night and really stand out in the water. On top of having a bright light built in, the lure also sends off vibrations in the water to signal to those fish where the bait is located!
Back to the big, bulky profiles, it’s hard to get bigger and bulkier than a 10-inch curly tail worm, like the Mondo Worm from Googan baits. I like to throw these on either a Carolina Rig, or a Texas rig. Both are great choices to pair this worm up with, but to choose one over the other, I’m throwing the Carolina Rig all night! Pro tip when it comes to your terminal tackle and these techniques. Swap out your lead weights for tungsten weights! The old traditional lead weights are less dense than tungsten, which means the metal is softer and they won’t have as loud of a ticking noise banging off rocks. Using a tungsten weight over a lead weight could mean the difference in you catching 5, and catching 25 on any given night.
COLORS TO USE
As for what color to throw, you want something that has a lot of contrast in the water. To put that into similar words, you want it to stand out in the water. So, the old faithful black and blue, solid blacks, or really bright colors like hot pink, white, and chartreuse. I primarily fish black and blue because it works day in and day out, in the clearest of waters to the dirtiest. That doesn’t mean go throw black and blue all night and expect results though. Some nights you may only get a few bites. On nights you are getting the results you are looking for, I do one of two things: go darker, or go the polar opposite. By “go darker” I’m referring to through your bait of choice in an all-black color. If they aren’t on the all black, or black and blue, change your entire approach. Throwing the polar opposite means digging into your tackle boxes, and picking out the brightest color you have in your bait of choice. Colors like chartreuse, hot pink, bright white, and orange. Use one of the color schemes mentioned above and you will maximize you catch rate at night!
Truly, fishing at night isn’t any different than during the daylight hours. Depending on the region you live in, sometimes the fishing is better in the night than it ever would be in the day. Bass fishing during the night can be an awesome time if done right, and it sure beats being out in the heat all day! So, leave the sunscreen at home, grab a headlight, follow these tips mentioned above and go catch your personal best bass this summer!
]]>Catch MORE Fish from the Bank - Here's How
With so many different types of vessels folks can use to get out on the water (boats, kayaks, canoes, tubes, rafts, etc.) there is one style of fishing that gets heavily overlooked anymore. I’m referring to fishing from the bank of a body of water. All of us have been there, whether it has been when we were little making memories with our families, to just not wanting to load up the trailer for the boat. Bank fishing can be done anywhere. There are public river access areas around the county to enable anglers to do just that. This topic is near and dear to my heart because growing up, I, myself, did not have the means of fishing from any form of vessel mentioned above. I bank fished everything from ponds, rivers, lakes, spillways, and even some tiny creeks that held fish. Some of my best memories were made from fishing banks as a little kid. Today I want to go over some of the best tactics I have learned for any type of fishery you may encounter that will help you become a better bank fisherman and land some bass this Summer!
LAKES
Bank fishing a lake can seem so over-whelming if you have never done it before. Truthfully, it is the most difficult form of bank fishing you can do. Lakes contain such a vast amount of water, and miles of shoreline it can be hard to determine where to start. I like to use the Navionics app on my phone to determine the best area to fish. I look for shallow pockets off the main lake. Specifically pockets adjacent to points, with deep water access nearby. Finding an area like this will allow you to fish a variety of depths, and an area of the lake bass will set up on in order to ambush bait fish. Bank fishing is especially hard during the summer months in a lake. Fish have ventured deeper in search of cooler water temperatures, and to a lot of the off-shore structures lakes have to offer. Luckily there are bass that stay shallow year-round and there is an awesome tool to search for those deeper schools of bass. ReelSonar makes a castable transducer that connects to your devices (Phone, or tablet) via Bluetooth. Once paired, download the easy to use ReelSonar iBobber app and you are set! The iBobber shows accurate sonar readings from depths of 4’’ down to 135’ and has a battery life at full charge up to 10+ hours! If you are bank fishing a lake, this little tool is a MUST HAVE!
RIVERS
One good thing about fishing rivers is there are a few different ways to go about doing it. Bank fishing and wade fishing go hand in hand when talking about river fishing. It is my favorite form of river fishing (especially in the summer months, because that water feels good!) Where do you start? I like to find those hard-to-reach sections of the river that no one else would make the venture to. Once you’ve made the hike to one of those areas, break it down and see what you have to work with. What is the bottom composed of (sand, rock)? What type of structures are along the bank (grass beds, boulders, laydowns)? Is there a fast-flowing current, or if it dead still water? These are all things you must consider when you are bank fishing the river. The act of fishing the river is fairly simple. I like to cast my lure up-river and bring it back down, most of the time at a 45-degree angle, but occasionally fan casting as well. Fish the structures along the bank, and any you may see in the water. The fish that reside in those sections likely have never seen a lure in their life and it can be lights out catching fish nearly every cast!
There is no better time than now to get out and enjoy a day by the water. Bank fishing can be some of the most fun, and stress free types of fishing you can do, but like anything else, it can be as hard as you make it out to be. I am hopeful that you have learned something you may have not already known by reading this article. As mentioned above, bank fishing has a special place in my heart because of all the memories I have doing it as a kid. If you are a mother, or father, get those kids out and introduce them to bank fishing! You would be surprised how long that memory will truly stick with them, and you! Don’t forget to check out ReelSonar’s iBobber while here on the site! It is one fishing purchase you will not regret as a bank fisherman!
Tight Lines! – Greg Marshall Youtube – Marshall Fishing.
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Best Baits to use in the Summer for Bass
There is no question that during the summer months is when fishing is at it’s all time high. You must take into consideration a couple things before casting a line into your favorite body of water. What fish are you going to target? Are you going after the deeper schools of bass, or are you going after the bank huggers in the shallows? What time of day is it, and where is the thermocline? All these factors play a huge role in bait selection, and in this article, I’m going to help you narrow the endless choices of baits down to just a few!
In my opinion, roughly 75% of bass anglers are bank beaters. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with it! The banks and shallows hold tons of bass all throughout the year, especially during the summer months. Like mentioned above, time of day plays a big role in bait selection. During the early hours of the morning and late hours of the evening, there is nothing better than a top water style bait. One of my favorites to use is a 110 size Whopper Plopper by River2Sea. These have been hot baits since there launch awhile back. I like to keep my color selection very simple. The Loon, and Powder (Black, and white) colors are interchangeable. I like to switch back and forth till the fish tell me which they prefer over the other.
Moving style baits are another great option along the bank and in the shallows as well. When bass are chasing shad or other types of bait fish, I reach for a square bill crankbait. Particularly a Rapala DT Fat series in the big shad color. Square bills come through cover easily and are a great choice for covering a lot of water in a short amount of time!
Sometimes fish are just in a funky mood and do not want to break the surface of the water or chase a moving style bait. When this is the case, I opt for a finesse style bait approach. A wacky rig senko is hard to beat this time of year up shallow. I typically use the 5-inch Gary Yamamoto Senkos in the Green Pumpkin color. One thing I like to do is dip about an inch of it into the garlic chartreuse Spike-It Dye. Some days, its seems like it gets me those few extra bites I am looking for!
BONUS BAIT: Looking for that big bite of the summer? There is an old saying that goes “Big bait, Big fish”. Glide baits are notorious for catching bass of lifetimes! One of my go-to glide baits is made by 6th Sense, The Draw. The draw can also be used as a search bait in a sense as well. I like to throw them around submerged grass beds, and laydowns. I couldn’t count the times have “drawn” big bass out from a laydown just to come and check the bait out, or absolutely destroy it!
Deep Baits
This one is for those seasoned anglers that have taken the time to learn their graphs, and those who are amid learning as well! I classify any water over 10 feet in depth to be deep, and there is an assortment of baits to catch bass holding in water from that depth and deeper. For finicky suspended bass I like to start out with a deep diving crankbait that dives to around the depth the fish are holding. The Rapala DT Series is ideal for doing just that. My preferred colors are big shad, citrus shad, and the green gizzard shad.
Sometimes the crankbait just will not cut it. In this situation, I like to fire out deep diving jerk bait. Yes, you read that right! Jerk baits are a huge player all throughout the year, including the summer months! ReelSonar has an amazing robotic jerk bait called the Snappr, and if you haven’t used it, you are missing out! Coming in at $15.99 and with a variety of colors the Snappr dives 4-6 feet and is a slow sinking jerk bait. This rechargeable jerk bait lights up and vibrates underwater, giving bass something they truly may have never seen before and force reaction bites. View bait here! https://reelsonar.com/collections/snappr-jerkbait
What if the bass aren’t suspended? What if while using you iBobber you notice the bass are stacked on the bottom of the lake. Luckily for you if bass are toward the bottom they are likely to be active feeding fish! In these situations, I pick up a football style jig! Football jigs unlikely to other style jigs are made to drag the bottom. I occasionally like to short hop them, but for the most part it is a slow and methodical drag. The best advice I can give you while dragging a football jig is once you feel you hit a piece of structure, stop moving the bait and let it sit for a few seconds and give your rod tip a few slight twitches. I couldn’t tell you the number of times I’ve catch fish after pausing the bait after hitting something a little different down there!
You still can’t seem to buy a bite? Its time to throw power fishing out the window and pick up a spinning combo for this next bait! Drop shots are your best bet if you come to this situation. The drop shot has evolved so much over the years and have become such a versatile bait, that you can fish them virtually anywhere, in any depth of water and catch a fish. Drop shot can be rigged with a variety of soft plastics (swimbaits, craws, or my favorite finesse worms.) If you are just needing to put some numbers on the board, I promise you, the 6 inch Roboworm FAT straight tail worm will get the job done. I like to throw the Aarons R and B, Aaron’s Morning Dawn, and the SXE Shad colors. They all work phenomenally, but one of those will always get bite!
Summertime bass fishing can get tough. We have all had those days that we just struggle, and normally its always the fish’s fault. “They just weren’t biting today…” We are all guilty of it. Whether you are a pro, or simply a novice everyone struggles from time to time. It is in high hopes that this list of baits, covering from the deep depths to the dirt shallow water, will keep you from having to blame the fish, and help you land that bass of a lifetime this Summer!
Tight Lines! – Greg Marshall – YouTube – Marshall Fishing
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Bass fishing in the summer can be some of the easiest fishing you do for the entire year. First, you must understand the beginning and end points of where bass are coming from, and where they are going. Understanding why fish are in these certain areas makes finding and catching them that much easier. Before jumping into where they are going, lets discuss where they are coming from.
EARLY SUMMER
Not every bass does the same thing at the exact same time. During the early summer months, bass are still in their spawning phase. Weather it be they are in their pre-spawn, spawning, or post spawn guarding fry, most bass will be around those spawning bays and flats near the backs of creek arms. This is, in my opinion, the best time to be out on the water because there are so many ways and areas you can catch bass (and big ones at that!) I like to start out in the backs of these bays and pockets in search for spawning fish, or fry guarders. If I am unsuccessful, or unable to establish a working pattern there I start working my way out of the creeks checking transition areas along they way. That’s where your post spawn and some pre spawn bass will be. Bass do not simply make their way from the backs of the creeks to the main lake in one day. Just like during the pre-spawn it is a slow and steady process.
MID-SUMMER
By the middle of summer, bass will all be spawned out, and will have settled into their summer haunts. This is where understanding those end points where they are going becomes so crucial. At this point, a good percentage of bass are out in deeper water on the main lake. These fish reside on main lake points, ditches, offshore humps, brush piles, or like on some of the famous TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) lakes (Guntersville, Kentucky Lake, and Pickwick Lake) they can be found on ledges. Although a vast majority of the bass population can be found in this deeper water, do not be discouraged if offshore fishing isn’t you cup of tea. Luckily, there is a percentage of fish that stay shallow this time of year. These fish can be found in bushes, laydowns, creek channel swing banks, and emergent, as well as submergent vegetation beds.
LATE SUMMER
Around the end of summer and beginning of fall is when things really begin to get tricky! You may notice some of the offshore brush piles, or main lake points you were catching them on all summer just aren’t holding that many bass, if any at all anymore. So where did they go? By now you’re probably seeing big bait balls being pushed to the surface, and into pockets getting hammered. This marks the beginning of the early-fall feed. At this time of year, bass are already thinking about beefing up and getting ready for the winter to come. The good news is when this begins to happen, all you must do is find and follow the bait. Bass are chasing those baitfish around, so as the saying goes “find the bait, find the fish.” Also, not all bass will chase bait fish. Some of your bigger bass in the lake would rather set up in ambush spots like under docks, laydowns, and on main lake points waiting for bigger meals such as bluegill and perch, so keep that in mind this time of year.
Breaking down a season into sections helps tremendously. Bass are constantly changing their behaviors; it is up to us as anglers to adept to those changes and fish the conditions we are given on that day in order to be successful. If not, you will have a bad day out on the water. So, this summer adapt, and overcome the challenges these fish throw at you daily and I promise you will land more fish!
Tight Lines! – Greg Marshall – YouTube – Marshall Fishing
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We as anglers like to break down seasons into sections. The Fall is broken down into early, mid, and late fall. The Winter is broken down as early winter, heart of winter, and late winter. The spawn is no different. In this article I’m going to discuss where to find bass during each stage of the spawning period using triangles!
Hear me out! I know it doesn’t sound like much, but I’ve applied this system since I discovered it and it has really helped in narrowing down the areas you are fishing. A few years back I stumbled upon a video featuring Bassmaster Elite Series Angler Brandon Palaniuk showing how he uses triangles to eliminate the dead water and locate bass in the Spring. I’d like to take you through it and give you the most information I can! Let’s jump right into it!
To breakdown the triangles, the “tip” or top of the triangle is where the bass spend their Winter. This will be an area with deep water adjacent to shallow water. These areas usually have a very steep vertical drop and are composed of a hard bottom. The base of your triangle or the bottom is areas in the back of creeks or bays off the main lake where bass will eventually end up to spawn. Look for the creek that has the most shallow water at the back of it. The more shallow water a creek has the more fish can pile into it at once. Now, after you have made your three dots marking those areas, connect the dots, and go fishing! Make multiple triangles. Sometimes you can pattern a triangle inside of a triangle on the water! Those fish WILL be inside of your triangle somewhere!
During the early pre-spawn bass will be located more toward the tip of your triangle. They are still prone to cold fronts and will remain there until the weather “stabilizes” a bit. As the pre-spawn begins to heat up, you may find those fish that were once at the beginning of your triangle now have migrated to the halfway up it. During this stage I like to look at the transition areas, or areas where chuck rock turns into pea gravels, or checking out the secondary points. Something else I’ve noticed is bass will relate to something that’s different or a type of drastic change in the bottom composition. So, if you have one of those two, you’ve found the fish!
Finally, those fish have now made it all the way from the beginning of your triangle all the way to the end! These fish started out on the main lake and have now ventured all the way to the back of the creeks and bays. Bass will make their beds as shallow as the dirt, to around 10 ft. Ive found it is most of the time around 2-3 ft.
The spawn has come to an end. Now that the spawn is over, bass will begin their transitions back out to the main lake. You should be able to catch bass in just about every part of your triangle at this point. The best part about that is if you caught them during the pre-spawn good, chances are they are likely to be stopping in those same areas on their way back out of the creek. The spawn takes so much out of these fish, which is why they go on a feeding frenzy after spawning. The post-spawn is a great time to get out and catch quantity of fish!
This triangle method of Palaniuk’s is worth checking out. I have used this for the past few years now and it has helped me locate more fish, establish a pattern, and put more in the boat! Another reason I enjoy this triangle so well, is not only does it work during the spring, but also the fall when the shad are moving as well.
- Tight lines
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Most people purchase iBobbers for fishing, affordability, user-friendliness, the convenience of its small castable size, and Bluetooth Smart Technology. But when you buy something, you want to get your money’s worth, so we encourage people to be creative with how they use their iBobbers.
We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite non-fishing applications for the Waterbed Mapping Feature, and we would love to hear your suggestions on our Facebook and Twitter pages:
1) Locating reefs for scuba diving
I wish I had known about the iBobber when I was conducting my masters’ thesis research on artificial reefs in Charleston. If you haven’t gone diving before, the artificial reefs in South Carolina are a far cry from the crystal-clear waters and shallow reefs in the Caribbean. We would dive at depths of 60’ or greater, and depending on the time of year, visibility would be 10-15’ on a good day. Our research vessels were equipped with depth sounders, so we would know when we were on top of the reefs. But we had plenty of days where choppy waters would push our boats, since we didn't risk dropping an anchor on the reefs, so we would still have to search for the sites once we were underwater. And at depths of 60', we would have less than half an hour to find the reef, collect our data, and return to the surface safely.
The iBobber projects sonar up to 135’ in depth and 100’ from your smartphone, and it handles saltwater like a champ. For these reasons, the iBobber would make an affordable, easy-to-use supplement to any scuba diving operation that frequently contends with choppy water and deeper dive sites that you can’t see from the surface.
2) Teaching the basics of fisheries management
As both a fisheries biologist and avid sport angler, I realize the importance of understanding why we manage recreationally valuable fish species. The iBobber is user-friendly and affordable enough that teachers with an interest in biology or fisheries could easily incorporate the sonar and waterbed features into their lessons to help students apply what they learn in the classroom to the real world. Now I’m on the other side of academia as a part-time biology professor, and I love brainstorming unique ways to get college students excited about science. If I ever had the opportunity to teach a more advanced class on aquatic biology or fisheries, I would take the students out to the nearest lake or other body of water and show them through the iBobber Sonar and Waterbed mapping how fish tend to congregate around structures, such as man-made fish attractants as well as natural formations.
3) Teaching children about boating safety
My fiancé teaches boating camps during the summer to middle schoolers, and the first thing they learn is the importance of wearing life jackets. But kids at that age still often think they’re invincible, and some of them may not realize how the water levels in a lake can drop abruptly from 5-10’ near the shore all the way to 100’ or greater in some places.
Naturalists, boat safety officers, Boy/Girl Scout leaders, or anyone who teaches boating safety can use the Waterbed features on the iBobber to give students a clear visual of how water depth can quickly change on a lake to reinforce the importance of wearing life jackets and good boating safety practices.
4) Scouting unfamiliar waters while boating
Boating safety isn’t just for children. Whether you use a motorboat, sailboat, or a kayak, sooner or later you’re going to encounter unfamiliar stretches of water where it may be hard to see the bottom. You don’t want your expensive motorboat to accidentally run aground while trolling in an unfamiliar cove where the waterbed suddenly becomes too shallow. For those reasons, people typically equip their boats with sonar and fishfinders that project downward to see what lies directly below them.
However, the castable iBobber can provide advanced notice of sudden changes to the waterbed before you’re directly on top of something, and if you’re in a kayak without any of the typical motorboat electronics, sometimes those few yards can prevent you from paddling across a submerged obstacle and possibly damaging your boat.
5) Locating submerged historical sites and ruins
So what do you think about our unconventional uses for the iBobber? How many of these have you already used? If you have come up with some creative applications for the Waterbed Mapping or any other feature on the iBobber, then we would love to hear your thoughts on our Facebook and Twitter (@ReelSonar) pages!
We are really excited to get this kicked off and see some monster fish sent in by you!
HERE ARE THE RULES:
1. You must use one of iBobber's Robotic Jerk Baits to catch a BASS. Buy Jerk Bait here: https://reelsonar.com/collections/snappr-jerkbait or on amazon: https://amzn.to/3xbdTTc
2. Must Register email below
3. The BIGGEST bass MEASURED by LENGTH by the end of the tournament WINS grand prize.
4. WHAT TO SUBMIT: Take a PHOTO of your bass next to a measuring device like a measuring board or tape measure. WITH "iBobber" written on a piece of paper next to the fish.
5. Must show the fish with our jerk bait in the photo
6. SUBMIT BY: posting the Photo on your social media and tagging us (@ibobber_reelsonar) OR send the photo to tournament@reelsonar.com
Notes: Buy one of our jerkbaits on our website, Amazon, or Instagram shop. Once you catch a big fish send in your full video submission to Tournament@reelsonar.com. Tournament starts April 1st and ends April 30th if you have any questions Email: Tournament@reelsonar.com
*If suspect cheating we have every right to not accept your submission*
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A lot of the time when you see people fish docks they will just cruise past the end of a dock and pitch around it and move on to the next one. If you want to have more success at fishing docks it is important to pick them apart. From the picture, you can see that when I fish a dock I like to approach as close to the shore as it takes to get under every section of the dock. I then work my way all around the dock and lift before moving on to the next one. This allows you to fish all the cover provided by the dock and hit it from every angle ensuring that if there is a fish there, you are more likely to get a bite. Another big key is to get your bait under the dock and not just around it. A lot of times those big fish are hiding way under the dock or the lift and it takes some practice to get your bait back in those tough spots. A couple of baits that I would recommend for this is a C to C Baits Little D jig with a creature trailer, or a tube bait. Both baits are great for skipping and make it much easier to get into those tough spots that you couldn’t hit by just flipping your bait in there.
Another key to fishing these baits in mid-summer is to make sure that you are dragging them slowly along the bottom. Mid-summer bass can often be lethargic and take a slow-moving bait that must be right in front of their face to eat it. I like to use the Little D jig because of its smaller profile, and the way the bait sits on the bottom. When it sits on the bottom the trailer stands up at a 60-degree angle to the bottom, representing a defensive look of a crawfish. Often when a fish under a dock bites, it just grabs on to the bait and sit with it in its mouth. So, practice is the best way to tell if it’s a fish, or something on the bottom that the bait is caught up on. Once that fish is on it is important to get it out from under the dock as quick as possible to prevent it from burying itself in the dock and getting you tangled in dock rails or lift members.
-Patrick Rohlfing
]]>"One of the most useful tools in a fisherman’s armory is a fishfinder. But what if you want to fish from a dock, kayak, or SUP? The iBobber could be your solution. Completely self-contained, iBobber looks more like a toy than serious fishing equipment. The iBobber is a castable fishfinder that connects to your Android or Apple device via Bluetooth. It displays depth, water temperature, bottom contours, and all the other information that anglers rely on. Suitable for both freshwater and saltwater fishing, the iBobber runs for up to 10 hours on a single charge."
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If you’re like me and you either A) aren’t the greatest ice fisherman that ever lived, or B) simply don’t really like it, then you’re craving open water fishing and want to know exactly what you have to do to be successful this time of year. With bass fishing much slower in the north this time of year than it is during the summer, it’s easy to get frustrated. But by switching gears a little bit, you can find that the Walleye are very active at night, and you can catch some pure giants if you know where to go and what to look for. That’s where having an iBobber is key!
LIke I said, you’re going to be fishing at night. So seeing depth with the naked eye is absolutely not possible. But because these fish are going to be on or just off the bottom, you need to know depth so that you can properly target them without losing tons of lures. Many river beds fluctuate in depth this time of year. So you can’t really be sure from one day to the next if you’re fishing in 7 feet of water or 8.5. Not to mention that river bottoms change all the time. What is normally a 10 foot hole one year can be filled in and only be a 5 foot hole the next. This is another reason why it’s always good to know the depth from day to day.
Because you’re going to be fishing on or near the bottom, you will need to know your depth so that you can determine what baits to use. If it’s 7 feet deep, a jerkbait that runs 6 feet is perfect. But if it’s 9 or ten feet deep, you’ll want a 9 foot diver because the bait that dives to six feet won’t get down deep enough. A couple quick casts with your iBobber will also tell you right away if there are any large obstructions that you need to avoid, so that you can properly work around them.
It can also tell you if the fish are suspended, rather than tight to the bottom. This is very helpful to know because you don’t want to use a bait that will be running beneath the fish. Fish will often come up to get a bait, but very seldom will they go down to get one. This will also help you determine what depth to target with your slip bobber if you’re using live bait like minnows.
Because you’re on a riverbank, having the iBobber is key to your mobility. Having a bigger, bulkier unit will limit your ability to move from spot to spot, which is really key when trying to locate big schools of walleye. By being able to carry the iBobber and your phone easily, you’ll be twice as mobile as people with big units that require dedicated batteries. Also, don’t forget to bring your ReelSonar scale and gripper tool. The screen on the scale lights up with a soft green light, making it easy to see the weight without blinding you in the dark.
]]>10. Is cell service required to use the iBobber?
No. iBobber connects to your smartphone and/or tablet via Bluetooth Smart technology. This is a direct connection from your iBobber to your device, so it will work the same if you're standing under a cell tower, or in the middle of Antarctica. Unlike units using Wi-Fi, using Bluetooth also means that you can still use your phone if you ARE in cell range.
9. What happens when you lose it?
iBobber is a fish finder first and foremost, and that is the primary use for this device. We recommend people use heavy braid for line, and attach it with a swivel. When used in this manner it is very difficult to lose. You may, if you wish, use iBobber as a traditional bobber. Of course you'd be risking a snag, but even then remember that the iBobber floats, so you should be able to retrieve it. (We will not replace your iBobber because you got it snagged on a submerged structure or in a tree. Speaking of trees...)
8. It's great until you get it snagged in a tree...
iBobber is not intended to detect squirrels or to determine the ripeness of apples, and should therefore NOT be used in trees. The iBobber is intended to be used ONLY in the water to detect depth, submerged structure/vegetation, and of course, fishes (see wise-guy video).
7. What does it cost?
MSRP is $99.99
6. Where can I buy one?
iBobber is currently available at Dick's Sporting Goods, Cabela's, Academy Sports and Outdoors, Amazon.com, TackleDirect, Argos, and a variety of smaller brick-and-mortar shops throughout the U.S. and Canada. http://reelsonar.com/pages/retailers
5. Can you use it for ice fishing?
Yes, but you must drill a hole, and place the iBobber in the hole directly onto the water. iBobber will not read the bottom while you're holding it in your hand or if you simply place it on top of the ice.
4. How deep will it read?
iBobber will measure depths and fish down to 135 feet.
3. How far will it stay connected to my device?
100 feet in good conditions. We have tested it to reach as far as 150+ in perfect conditions with clear sight-lines, but the real world is not perfect. Users may experience differing ranges depending on environmental conditions, charge on your device, charge on your iBobber, and most commonly the quality of the Bluetooth receiver on your device (phone, tablet, etc.).
2. What is the sonar angle?
iBobber has a single beam sonar at a 90 degree angle, 42.5 degrees from center. This should give you a very good range of views of what's below. For example, if you are at 20ft deep, iBobber "sees" about 40ft diameter on the bottom. It also means that anything solid, like a dock pylon or thick ice just under the surface of the water, will reflect the signal and potentially give you some 'interesting' readings.
1. Why does the screen move even though my iBobber isn't moving?
The sonar units in iBobber and other fish finders send and receive signals, then “print” the echo on its display. iBobber starts plotting on the right side of the screen and moves to the left every approximately 0.5 second. In addition, echoes returned from any object in the water between the surface and bottom are also displayed. By knowing the speed of sound through water (4800 feet per second) and the time it takes for the echo to be received, the unit can show the depth of the water and any fish in the water.
Conclusion
So there you have it! If you have a question that we didn't answer, leave a comment below!
Thanks! -ReelSonar Team
]]>Girls in the Outdoors is dedicated to encouraging girls to participate in outdoor activities such as fishing, hunting, camping and geocaching. Founder Hilary took the iBobber out for a test run and wrote a long blog post detailing her experiences with iBobber, including charging, battery life, app usage, and yes, fishing with it.
"I was surprised how well the iBobber worked. We were fishing in one of our favorite spots and the iBobber told us that the fish were shallow. We were fishing deep though because that is usually where we catch fish in that spot. The people next to us were fishing shallow and they kept catching fish and we never did. I must learn to trust my iBobber!
Another benefit of the iBobber is more than one phone can log into one iBobber, so your friends and family can enjoy your iBobber too. You can also turn on a fish alarm and a hit alarm (if you're using it as a bobber). You can log your trips, check the weather and map the bottom of the area you are fishing. I REALLY like that the iBobber can be used while shore fishing, fishing from a boat, fishing from a float tube or kayak and even ice fishing! It was interesting finding out how deep some of our favorite shore fishing areas are."
]]>Nothing better than a review from a fisherman that's used iBobber for months and has really had a chance to test out the features!
"I've been playing around with the iBobber for about 4 months. For those of you that aren't familiar with this unit, the iBobber is a product from ReelSonar that allows you to have all the functions of a fishfinder in the palm of your hand. There are many practical applications for the unit, and I've even found some other uses that are really exciting as well that I think a lot of anglers are going to find appealing!
The iBobber is very simple to use. The first couple times I took it with me to the lake I brought along an extra rod spooled with braided line that I only used to cast the iBobber. Paired with my smartphone (works on apple or android, smartphone and tablet), it's really lightweight and very easy to use. You only need to download a free app, and connect with the device to your phone with Bluetooth Smart. This is great because you don't need cell service to connect, so it will work even in the most remote places. But also, if you do have reception, it won't interfere with your calls like a wifi connection would. After my first couple trips I began using the unit as a ..."
]]>"With all the new portable fish finders on the market, it can be really overwhelming to know which is the right one for us as consumers. With that in mind I decided to put two of those options up against one another straight out of the box to see what the deal was on each of these units. Many of you probably go into a purchase of a unit like this with a predetermined idea of what you’re willing to spend, and features you need to have. But there are certainly features from each unit that you might not have been made aware of (both good and bad) that could play a big part in you being satisfied with your unit after purchasing it. Price can always be a factor, and since it’s the easiest to differentiate we’ll start there. In this case the Deeper Pro+ (DPP) is $239.99 and the iBobber is $99, but there functions of each that the other doesn’t have."
Jim goes on to consider ease of use, weight, battery life, and the features of the apps that go along with these fish finders. A lifelong fisherman with an impressive fishing resume including more than 50 tournament wins, Jim knows what to look for in a fish finder. If you are not sure which is best for you, this article can help you sort it out.
]]>The folks at FirearmsGuide.com took iBobber out for some fall fishing:
"Pyramid Lake in California was the spot to try this hi-tech bobber that can make life easier for every fisherman. Packaged in an incredibly small package, the iBobber is a simple device that you can hook up to your fishing line and cast with your lure...
Weather on Pyramid Lake in September is great. I had no trouble at all gaining a connection to the iBobber, and it immediately began streaming the depth and lake bed visual to my phone. Within seconds this time, it started to pick up fish as well, sitting at about 18-24' deep. Quick adjusting of my fishing gear was all it takes to get a first fish. iBobber was working fine all day, helping me a lot and I was happy to have it that day with me. I have no idea how it would perform on ocean but on the lake it worked just fine!"
Check out the rest of the review at FirearmsGuide.com.
]]>Survivorgeek Reviews the Multi-tool Pliers.
"First of all, let’s discuss the sheath and lanyard. I’m surprised these are not more common with fishing tools, as it is not only just common sense to have your tools easily at hand, but also to have ways to keep them from being lost over the side of a boat! Suffice it to say, these seem like two really essential components for a tool that you’d always want with you.
The pliers are quite long which allow easier extraction of hooks and are spring-loaded, which makes them easier to use one-handed. (They also have a latch that keeps them from popping open at an inopportune time.) I tested it on a length of paracord and it cut through pretty easily. Braided (not to mention monofilament!) fishing line doesn’t stand a chance. The pliers also have an integrated leader crimper and serrated line cutter, which can even cut braided line with ease..."
]]>Jo.K takes iBobber out for a test drive and comes home with a couple of nice bass. He describes what happened the first time he put iBobber into the water, showing both the app screens and the results of casting in the spot that iBobber marked. Then he details some of the app features and functions, such as the Trip Log, Lunar Calendar, Current Conditions and of course the Waterbed Mapping. His informative review is packed with pictures and is a great read for those considering a sonar fish finder.
"With the iBobber being more on the budget side, I took a chance. I was a bit skeptical given the mixed reviews but so far, I have been very pleased with my purchase."
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Stephen at Fly Fishing Simplified tested out our Multi-tool Pliers and had some great things to say about it in his review titled ReelSonar Multi-tool Pliers a Fisherman's Best Friend.
In part, he says:
"The long yet narrow needle nose pliers were a particularly attractive feature. Fishing down south means frequent encounters with chain pickerel, gar and bowfins. Those are 3 species of fish you do not want to get your fingers anywhere near. The REELSONAR MULTI-TOOL PLIERS make it possible to reach deep into their toothy mouths without risking the loss of a digit."
]]>Justin, a (mostly) catch and release fisherman, tests out the ReelSonar Multiplier tool. Check out his review: Effortless Hook Removal with the ReelSonar Multi-tool Pliers
]]>Outdoor Life reviews The 4 Best Castable Sonar Fishfinders in the May 2016 issue. Find out how the iBobber compares to units that cost more than twice the price!
"Dashboard-mounted sonar units help boat-based anglers catch more fish. So what are we landlubbers supposed to do? Now, thanks to personal sonar “bobbers,” fishermen on shorelines, docks, and piers can identify structure, bait, and gamefish.
These tennis-ball-size fish-finders can be cast or trolled and transmit what they see below to your phone or tablet. We put four units to the test. "
]]>Check out the iBobber in Texas Fish & Game magazine, May 2016 issue.
]]>America's #1 Bass Fishing Magazine for the Weekend Angler takes a look at the iBobber fish finder, digital scale and multi-tool pliers in their Summer 2016 Gear Review.
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As our Facebook following continues to grow, we’ve been getting more messages from customers asking questions about how to use certain features of the iBobber. As the saying goes, if you have a question, chances are someone else has the same question. So for this week's blog, we're compiling your most frequently asked questions and answers about the iBobber - just in time for summer fishing!
]]>Q: Why won’t the iBobber connect to the Bluetooth on my tablet/smartphone?
A: Make sure your tablet or smartphone is running Bluetooth 4.0. The iBobber runs using Bluetooth Smart Technology and requires Bluetooth 4.0. Because this is the most advanced version of Bluetooth currently on the market, some older tablets and smartphones have not upgraded from Bluetooth 2.0 or 3.0.
Q: My iBobber picks up fish in a friend’s swimming pool and shows 15-inch fish in 3 inches of water on a river. Clearly there are no fish in either place, so what gives?
A: We actually published a blog on this exact subject a few months ago. Any type of sonar on a fish finder has a required minimum distance to work effectively, but to understand why, we need to look at the animal kingdom. Check out this excerpt from our earlier blog:
“Anyone who has watched a nature documentary on dolphins has probably heard their sonar, or echolocation. If you look closely at an Amazon River Dolphin, their eyes are so small that they’re essentially blind, so they rely on echolocation to navigate the murky river waters and locate prey.
Bat sonar can travel up to 17 m, but in water, dolphin sonar can reach farther, anywhere from 5-200 m, or 16-656 ft. However, the take-home message is that sonar requires a certain amount of distance to work. The iBobber works best in water depths of at least 4 feet. Otherwise, the sound waves will bounce back too quickly to provide accurate readings of the waterbed or the presence of fish. In addition, if the bottom of the swimming pool is curved, the sonar can bounce back and forth from one side to the other and confuse the iBobber or any other fish finder.”
Q: My iBobber won’t turn on when it’s in the water, and I charged it last week. Is it broken?
A: Take a close look at your iBobber, and you’ll notice that it doesn’t have an on/off switch. The iBobber is technically always on but simply in hibernation mode outside of water. Since the processor is always on, the iBobber is constantly searching for contact with water. We currently have the longest lasting battery on the market for mobile fish finders, and a full charge lasts about 7-10 days. Make sure to charge your iBobber for at least 30 minutes before you go fishing, along with your smartphone.
Q: How strong is the tie point on the iBobber? How far can you cast it safely?
A: We’ve reinforced the anchors on the iBobber with metal rings. A lot of bass anglers use 15-lb line and can cast up to 60-80 feet. You should be fine for most casting applications as long as the iBobber lands on water instead of rocks.
Q: Can I tow the iBobber behind my kayak while trolling for trout on the local lakes and have the iPhone/iPad watch the depth, contours, and fish locations?
A: It is totally possible to tow the iBobber for kayak fishing (See the proof above), but the sonar display will lag a few seconds behind even your slowest paddling speed. Try a start-stop approach for the best results: paddle a few feet, remain stationary, and refresh the sonar display on the iPhone/iPad. If you have two rods on your kayak, use one for trolling the iBobber and a second with the lure for fishing.
Q: When connected to the iBobber, if you press the Sonar button twice it comes up with what looks like a temperature screen. What is this?
A: It’s actually not a temperature screen but a basic raw sonar display. We added the raw sonar interface to appeal to more experienced anglers and those looking for a display similar to more expensive boat-mounted fish finders. Check this helpful link for how to read and understand the amplitude interface: http://fishfinderselect.com/how-to-read-a-fish-finder-screen/
And there you have it! If you had a question, we hope this blog answered it. But if not, no worries! Send us a PM on Facebook or email us at info@reelsonar.com, and feel free to include a screenshot or photo of the issue you're experiencing. We'll get the issue solved and get you back on the water fishing!
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Coach Magazine takes a look at the iBobber in the Time Saving Tech section of their April 2016 issue.
]]>Coach Magazine takes a look at the iBobber in the Time Saving Tech section of their April 2016 issue.
Fishing can be fun, but fishing can also be rod-snappingly frustrating, particularly if you end up eating cooked boot for lunch because all the fish were on holiday. However, shoe stew will be a thing of the past if you add the iBobber sonar device to your tackle box...
]]>Spring has officially sprung, and we love how many of our iBobber fans have been taking advantage of this prime fishing weather. Oh, and by the way, have you noticed that we're almost to 9,000 Facebook fans?! So many fans means lots of customer-submitted photos of your fishing triumphs, so this week we're highlighting your contributions in a photoblog.
First, let's take a digital road trip...
]]>First, let's take a digital road trip to France. The iBobber has officially made waves in France with the international customers, and it gives us a great chance to see what species people like to target in other countries. Our friend Adam has been enjoying great success with the carp at Lac Les Ecurie in Northern France.
Let me rephrase: Adam has been going to town on MONSTER carp.
Has anyone here in the States ever caught such a huge carp?! If so, we hope you'll share your photos on Facebook as well! In the meantime, we hope Adam will keep sending us carp photos.
Let's come back a little closer to home for the rest of the photos. We're seeing more anglers taking the iBobber to tournaments and competing alongside traditional boat-mounted fish finders, and we hope to see that trend continue. We would love for the iBobber to let more people participate in tournaments and not feel like they're at a disadvantage because they can't afford hundreds of dollars on a fish finder. At less than $100, the iBobber is a great value and loaded with user-friendly features.
And finally, let's check in with our friend Brett, who spent the winter ice fishing and shared some of the highlights with us. Now that the ice has thawed, he's still spending plenty of time on the water and putting the iBobber through its paces.
Also, can we just take a moment to appreciate that sweet hook tattoo? If any of our other fans have fishing-related ink, we would love to see some photos on Facebook. Bonus points if the tattoo is next to a fish, as seen below:
To our photographers, thanks for all the amazing hero shots! Don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@ReelSonar) to share your photos. We may feature them on a future blog! Stay tuned for more fishing stories, media coverage, and iBobber updates. For now, keep on fishing!
]]>Boot Camp Radio Interview with iBobber's Nina Kaseburg.
]]>Things That Make You Go Aww calls the iBobber "A Fisherman's Favorite New Gadget".
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