Bobbers, floats, or strike indicators are all the same names for a buoyant device meant to suspend a fishing presentation. Typically constructed from foam, plastic, balsa, or other materials, fishing floats are used when an angler needs to suspend their presentation from just off the bottom to just below the surface. Typically bobbers are used with live bait where they are cast out and then left in a stationary position while the live bait dangles in place, helping draw in fish. However, anglers also use floats or bobbers when drifting or retrieving artificial rigs.
Bobbers and floats come in various shapes and sizes. The most popular styles include round bobbers, cigar bobbers, slip bobbers, pinch bobbers, and spring bobbers.
