Slip bobber rod

Broke a slip bobber rod today and am looking for a replacement. The rod was an 8’ Cabelas Pro Guide PTC that was awesome for everything from gills to walleyes and was $30 on sale. Unfortunately, they don’t make them anymore.

What rod do you guys recommend? Requirements are 8’ and not too expensive (preferably less than $60). I have no problem dropping some coin on a jigging rod, but see no reason to spend that kind of money on a bobber rod.

St. Croix Eyecon series has an 8' slip bobber rod.  It has a short handle which I like because I cast left handed and reel right handed to I switch hands and bringing a short handle across your body is easy.  I use it to cast #4 and 5 shad raps a mile.

Those Crappie Stix look like they would fit the bill, but unfortunately the 8’ is out of stock.

Check out

ACC Crappie Stix

I use a 12 foot crappie rod paired with a Pfleuger large arbor spinning reel loaded with 4lb trilene xl.  I use the weighted Thill bobbers with enough additional sinkers to sink the bobber when it first hits the water, but then bobs back up.  For shore fishing, it’s easy to pitch to nearby cover, but when you want to really get it out there, it loads up like a little surf rod.   Was catching a mixed bag Saturday out of Oconto which included about 8 bulldog sheephead and a nice smallie.  No worries playing the bigger fish with the flex in the rod.

I hear you there. It is a balancing act for slip bobber rods. The action needs to be slower to load up on casts and protect light line when fighting a fish. It also needs to have enough backbone for picking up line and burying the hook in 20+ feet of water, while also not being a wet noodle.

I still haven’t purchased a rod, as my fishing has transitioned to my braid slip bobber rods for fishing leeches in deeper water. Some day though...

I took a rod building class years ago and we discussed various actions and, "pool cue rods" don't work great for tossing soft light bait around on a bare hook. One guy used an 8 foot fly rod blank to make a spinning rod for tossing small spinners and rigging for floats. The St.Croix blank was 80 bucks by itself. That said...... an 8 foot 6 inch soft action, downrigger rod (22 bucks) made a great replacement spin cast rod when my normal rig got crunched by a car door. It cast small light spinners better than the one I broke. Softer actions on longer rods help keep bait on a hook when making longer casts.

The limit creek rods look nice, and I have seen them mentioned on other sites as well. They are more than I initially planned in spending, but I may have to give them a shot.

Have 2 Limit Creek telescopic 8/6,s work good . 

Lighting Rod. I have an ultralite that is probably 25 years old. Just won't break! Fleet Farm has them.

I have some telescopic bobber rods from limit creek that are really nice.  That said, when I take a bunch of people fishing and need to throw out a number of bobbers for eyes...as long as I have a no stretch line and FC leader I never have a problem with hooksets...even with 6'6" rods.

Usually I would go to Fleet and look for a medium action rod with decent eyes.  Usually can find one for around $30-$40 that is decent.  I like medium action for an all around rod for a more solid hook set.  

If you ever get through Park Falls, the St. Croix factory store has a lot of cheap ones that they repair and then sell for $30.  I have bobber rods that are Avids.  Its a timing thing though if the guys before you didn't clean them up.  I look for the ones that are maybe an inch or two shorter where they just put on a new tip.

I would recommend either Berkley Cherrywood or Lightning rod models,  I like the sensitivity and the price . Just my 2 cents .