Came across an article in a book about using a plastic bubble that can be filled with water and allows you to tie a tippet to it to deliver a fly with a spinning rod. Has anyone used this method? and where would one get the bubbles? My local bait shop said he hasn’t seen any in years.
Bubble and fly
Bubble and fly works, but it is a bit of a compromise. Since the bubble is heavy (and even heavier if you use water or oil), it cuts down on the sensitivity you normally have between the line and the fly–even more than small sinkers. So, it works best with floating flies where you can see the strike. It’s not impossible with wet flies, streamers, or nymphs, just a bit less tactile. (A lot of nymph fisherman use a piece of foam as a “strike indicator,” which is a glorified light bobber no matter how you slice it).
Actually, there are still a few clear bubbles around, but you have to look harder to find the kind that will actually HOLD some water to reduce buoyancy and add casting distance. Old-time books recommend filling the bubble with light oil, which retains floatation qualities (doesn’t sink your bubble), but you would have to make sure it is relatively sealed or leave a bunch of oil in the water for nothing.
Short a real bubble, a lot of small, plastic bobbers will do the same thing if you just fill them 1/4 or 1/2 full of water. No mess, no oil, no extra expense. I liked a bobber under 1" diameter when I had to do this.
It’s not the same as fly fishing, but I remember doing this as a kid to add casting distance with deer-hair sliders and light poppers, and the fish didn’t seem to care as long as they were hungry.
Good luck!
wal-mart, not that I’m a fan but
A buddy of mine uses those and he gets them at the larger wal-mart in our area. They come in 2 sizes.
Casting bubbles
I frequently fish the flies I tie using this method. The bubble is best for dry flies. Streamers and nymphs are better presented using just a split shot on the line. Though a bubble will work for them when filled completely with water, as it will keep your fly at the same depth throughout the retrieve. Spinning with flies is particularly deadly on smaller streams where it can be difficult to use a fly rod. As well as on big windy lakes where you need to get down deep. I recently ordered some from Cabelas, they come in orange, clear and chartruese. I like the colored one as it is easier to see when presenting smaller dry flies. Betts also makes these, but they can be hard to find. Google casting bubble and it should turn up a few hits for you.
Thanks for the info
I went to cabela’s online and found them, thanks everyone for the info. I thought this method would be good when fishing on lakes in a canoe solo.
If you don’t know how, learning to use
a fly rod is much more fun than the bubble and fly method. With a spinning reel, it tends to cause a lot of line twist, even with swivels. Better to use small spinner baits and lures with spinning tackle.
I know how
I just wanted a way to deliver a fly when I’m solo in canoe. trying to cast with a fly rod and controlling the canoe at the same time can be a little difficult unless your anchored.
Bubble & Fly
I have used this method many times and did very well sometime. After casting the fly you must reel in a litte at a time jerking the fly thru the water. I bought them in Colorado where I am sure that you will find them.
Bass Pro
Bass Pro has them and also sell rods specificly designed for them.
Casting bubbles come in several types
– Last Updated: Apr-19-06 2:08 AM EST –
some of which slide onto the line and twist in place, and some tie on. Some take water to adjust weight and some don't. I have used them extensively in remote lakes with a spin/fly pack rod. You can cast much farther with a casting bubble than you can with a fly rod, with no need for backcast etc.
My favorite type bubble is a long teardrop shape with an eye in each end, a style that does not take in water for weight adjustment. Tie main line to the small end and leader with fly at the end to the big end of the teardrop. No trouble with line twist with that type. If I'm using six or four lb. main line on a spinning reel, I'll use two or three lb. leader, larger if needed for larger trout. etc.
I've had a few big trout inhale the casting bubble but never have put a hook on one directly. I use as long a leader as I can cast, to get some distance between bubble and fly. My biggest annoyance is that the bubble leads through the air when you cast, trailing the leader and fly back along the mainline. That often causes a tangle so that the leader is fouled on the bubble when you start to retrieve.
The solution is to gently stop the line while the terminal gear is still airborne and outgoing. That stops the bubble while the fly and leader keep going, straigtening the whole assemblage out in the air before it drops on the water for your retrieve. Sometimes you have to not just stop but pull back gently to straighten it out, but you will get the feel of it if you try it.
Casting bubbles come in clear plastic, yellow and red for visibility. I mainly use the clear, but the big trout tend to chomp on the red ones.
They have fallen out of vogue but I still see them in sporting goods stores in the Pacific NW once in awhile. I prefer the larger sizes but about all I've seen in stores is a small size, with much less weight for castng.
Works great for jigs too
If you want to fish your jigs slowly but not drag them though the weeds where they don’t get seen and do get hung up with trash, then a bobber works well with that too.
I’ve actually had just as much luck with weighted bobbers that are foam and have a small lead weight on them.
More Casting Bubbles
I know this thread is like way old, but when I replied to it I couldn’t provide a source for the really good bubbles I used when I lived in Washington and Idaho. Finally found a link. These have a rubber tube in the middle that you can twist around the line and adjust your leader length quite easily.
I have been using this method pretty much exclusively for the last couple of seasons and it is a deadly presentation both in lakes and streams/rivers. I have caught everything from little bluegills to hard fighting, leaping rainbows and screaming drag, rod bending smallies with this system. It will produce fish when nothing else seems to work. Anyway off my soap box…here’s the link if anyone is interested.
http://www.rainbowplastics.com/cart/display.php3?ID=I493&token=98aec46797f7d65319