Fishing bobbers and floats are very similar and pretty much do the same thing.

Bobbers are usually a round shape with bright colors, while floats are usually long and slim with only the tip visible. The bobbers are mostly made with bright colors so the fisherman can easily see them and floats are used by those with more experience because a small sliver is the only thing that’s seen. These are usually white and yellow with a bright orange tip.

It’s easy to decide which one you should use, but the difficult part comes when you’re trying to figure out exactly which model you want or need. There are the simple ones that don’t have any bells or whistles and there are some that light up or make noise. It’s important to figure out which features you want, so you can choose the one that best for you. Keep in mind, you can always get more than one kind and try them out to see which is your favorite.

To help you figure out exactly what you need, we’ve put this together to help you see what options are out there and what some of the best products on the market are. Hopefully, you’ll be able to find the best product to make your fishing adventures enjoyable and relaxing.

What Bobber to Pick

Before looking at actual products, it’s important to consider what exactly you’re looking for. Doing this can narrow down your search and help you find the best product. In addition to looking at the special features of each product, you also want to look at the features that each will have. Some of these common features are talked about below.

Weight Sizes For Your Bobber

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It’s important for your sling shots to equal or be a bit less than what your float weight says. For example, if your float/bobber says 11g then your sling shots should weight 8-11g. 

It’s also important that you use fully rounded sling-shots instead of the butterfly ones. The reason for this, despite them being a one time use is that your line won’t tangle as much. Nothing is more frustrating than tangled line. 

For the most part, you’re going to find weights that vary in weight (in ounces/mg). There are some that are way heavier than that, but most fisherman that aren’t fishing in the ocean aren’t going to need much heavier than that. Different weights are going to be better for different situations. For example, a smaller sized weight is going to be great for bodies of water that aren’t that deep, while the heavier ones are good for deeper waters.

Types of Bobbers

Next, you’ll want to consider the types of weights you can add to your bobber. There are quite a few options and some people like certain ones better than others. It’s important to know what’s available, so you can decide which one is going to work best for your wants and fishing needs.

While there are quite a few different types to choose from, the top 3 are: eggs, split shot and dipsey. Keep in mind, just because these are the most common ones, it doesn’t mean that you won’t prefer a different type or design. That’s why it’s so important to consider the different types.

The egg weight is named that because it’s shaped like an egg. Since these are more rounded than other sinkers, these do a better job of moving around rocks and sticks that are in the water. The split shot weight are some of the easiest to get on and off your line. They work great if you need just a little extra weight and you put your line through the groove in the middle. The dipsey sinker is very similar to the egg, but it’s a little heavier and longer. They do well with rocks and such, but they also have a higher chance of getting caught.

Which To Choose?

When looking at the best weight for your bobber, you’ll need to think about your preferences and where you do most of your fishing. In most places, any of the available weights will do fine, but certain areas will require different ones.

For starters, if you’re in an area that has a lot of rocks and stuff on the bottom or in the water, your best bet is going to be the egg. These will have less chance of getting stuck and causing your line to snag or snap.

If you’re in an area that has some rocks and debris, but not too much, then you would do good with a dipsey. They also work great if you’re trying to figure out where the fish actually are.

Finally, the split shot are great for those areas that are a little on the deep end and require you to add a bit of weight to your line. Since they are so small, they don’t usually get caught up or cause lines to break like others do.

Bobber Stoppers

Fishing bobbers are fixed right above the bobber to help keep your bait at a certain depth. You have to be careful because if the stop is smaller than the eye of your rod, you can reel it through and have issues when you try to cast it back out. Let’s take a look at 2 of the more known and common stops.

Fishing Bobber Stopper (black)

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These bobber stoppers are black in color and are mostly rubber. There are quite a few different designs for these, so you’ll have to figure out which you want. Most of them are attached the same way regardless of the design, though. Keep in mind, smaller ones can easily go through the eye of the rod and the bigger ones will stop right at it. Not only will the stopper prevent your bobber from sliding around, but it will also help you fish at the depth you want.

The exact tying instructions are going to be a little different depending on the type of rubber stopper, but most of them will have a loop or divet where you put your line. You’ll want to loop it and tie it a few times to ensure that it’s fixed in place and won’t move around.

Fisherman Fishing Stopper Bobber

These particular stoppers combine a rubber ring and 30 beads. There are 6 strands of wire with 5 beads each. They come in small, medium and large. The great thing about these stoppers is that they are big enough to stop before you reel it through the eye of your rod. Keep in mind, the smaller stopper isn’t going to weigh as much as the medium or large. They are great for fishing in most bodies of water, including streams, lakes and ponds.

These are super easy to use. You put your line through the ring and tie a few knots to keep them in place. You can then put hooks and bait on each of the little loops at the end of the beads. This will let you catch multiple fish at once.

Best 5 Bobbers in the Market

Now that you know some of the different options, it’s important to look at some of the popular products on the market. Not only will this give you a good idea of what others use, but you’ll also get a better idea of the different types. With that being said, here are the best 5 bobbers in the market.

iBobber

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Not only is this a bobber, but it’s also a fishfinder. You attach it to your pole and cast it right in. You can then use a phone or tablet to connect it with bluetooth. It does a great job in saltwater or freshwater, and it can tell you when there are underwater structures, like logs or large rocks.

Besides finding the fish and structures underwater, some of the other things it can do are: tell you how deep the fish is, tell you the water temperature, gives you mapping of the waterbed, gives you a trip log, sounds an alarm when fish are found and gives you the ability to share the information on social media. While it’s more expensive than many bobbers, all of these high-tech features really make it worth it.

Thill Gold Medal Mille

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The Thill Gold Medal Mill is a great option if you want a high quality bobber without all kinds of extra bells and whistles. These particular products are some of the easiest to use and they do a great job of helping you catch some pretty decent fish. While there are multiple color options, the most common are white, yellow and orange combined.

The bobber actually lets you suspend living or dead bait, depending on your preference. You can also set it to allow multiple different depths, depending on your location and what you’re fishing for. They’re ready to use right out of the package and they are made to work great in areas that get a lot of wind.

Push Button Round Buoy Float

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The push button round buoy floats are the ones that are most common and the majority of people are used to seeing. These round shaped bobbers are white on the bottom and red on the top. They come in quite a few different sizes and are quite easy to attach and see. You’ll want to make sure you have a variety of sizes, so you can choose the one that works best for where you’re fishing at.

These bobbers have a little button on the top and a small metal hook on the bottom. The way you install it is by pushing the button and threading your line through it. You then let it go and push it down to make the hook on the bottom pop up. You thread your line on that little hook too and it’s all installed. You can then cast out normally and watch the bobber to see if the fish are biting.

Weighted Snap-On Float Assortment

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These work the same way as push button round buoy floats, but have a few differences. The first is that they are made of foam instead of plastic. They are similar in construction to the EVA foam bobbers. They also have a little metal piece on the bottom that gives a little bit more weight, which means you’ll have to add less weight later on.

They come in a few different shapes, including circular and elongated. The type you choose will depend on your personal preferences and where you’re fishing at. You install them the same way as the push button buoy floats and they are usually pretty decent in staying in the spot that you put them in.

Thill Fish N’ Foam Cigar-Weight Clip

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The Thill Fish N’ Foam Cigar bobbers are more similar to the snap-on floats than they are the push button buoys. With that said, though, they have features from both types. The majority of the time, these come in bright colors, like orange or yellow. Similar to the snap-ons, they have an elongated shape and a small piece of metal on the bottom to add some weight. On the other hand, they are installed the same way you install a push button bobber.

Once you hook both sides of the line to the small hooks, you can turn the hooks so they go down into a little hole. This helps ensure that the bobber won’t come off or move. As a result, you shouldn’t have to move or reattach the bobber once it’s in place.

Glow in the Dark Bobber/Float Fishing

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Many people love going night fishing, but it can be hard for those that need a bobber. The fix to this are glow in the dark bobbers. These glow quite bright and let you see whether or not a fish is hitting your line. There’s many options out there, but we’re going to look at 3 of the most popular options.

Best Glow In The Dark Float/Bobbers

EVA Foam Glow in the Dark

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The EVA glow in the dark bobber is a bobber made of foam and just a little bit of plastic. The shapes are these are usually somewhere between a floater and a bobber. They aren’t as long as a floater or as round as a bobber. They’re usually more oval or egg shaped. With that said though, there could be several different designs and shapes.

Most of the time, the entire bobber doesn’t glow in the dark. You can find some that do, but the majority will have 1 or 2 areas that glow. Depending on the way it’s made, this could be the top of the bobber or the little plastic piece that sticks out. It’s important to find this out before purchasing.

Fishing Night Bobbers (with battery)

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The fishing night bobbers with batteries are different than the EVA ones for a couple reasons. The first is that they aren’t made of foam. Most of the time, they are made of sturdy plastic that prevents water from getting in. The other is that they use a battery to light up. This means they have a certain amount of run time before the battery dies or needs recharging.

There are a few different options for these. The first are ones that blink. They are usually red and will blink every couple of seconds. The other big option is when they stay lit the entire time. These don’t blink and you’ll see them the same way you would as the glow in the dark EVA bobbers.

Fishing Bobber Glow Sticks (Glow Sticks Only)

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The final type of glow in the dark bobber are the glow sticks. While some packages will come with a holder, most of them are the glow sticks only. You can find packages with anywhere from 1 glow stick to ones that have several. You can also choose from a variety of colors, including: green, yellow, pink and orange.

They work the same way as a normal sized glow stick. You crack it to get it to glow and it will lose its glow after a certain amount of time. To attach to the pole, you use a holder and slide it right in. It will sit on top of the water and you’ll be able to see its exact location and whether or not a fish is hitting your line.