Catching Spring Slabs – Best Crappie Corks and Floats Reviewed
Spring is the beginning of crappie season for many anglers. There are many methods to catch crappie, but the best way to catch them early is with a cork, floating, or bobber. They can be used to suspend a jig at the right depth or drop a kicking cricket into stationary schools.
Spring crappie requires slow, vertical presentations, as experienced anglers are well aware. If your knowledge of bobbers isn’t deeper than the basic red and white ball, then you are missing out.
We are here to help. We will discuss what makes a cork for crappie, and we’ll also review some of our favorite corks.
Here’s a quick look at the top crappie corks and bobbers currently on the market:
- Thill Crappie Cork — Our Pick!
- Eagle Claw Balsa Style Oval Fixed Flap with 6-Inch Stem
- Betts Slippers – Mr. Crappie
- The fish 15g EVA Floats
- The fish 6″ Oval StickFloat
Looking for more crappie gear? See our reviews and buying guides:
- Crappie Hooks That Work
- Crappie Jigs That Work
- Crappie fishing line that is best
Review of the Best Crappie Corks and Floats for Bobbers
Thill Crappie Cork – Our Choice!
Color Pink / yellow
Size 1/4, 3/8, 1/4, 1/8 ounces, 1/8 ounces, 3 3/4 inches, and 4 inches in length
Bass Pro
Thill’s crappie Corks are a great, high-quality option for spring anglers.
These are our favorite weights because they eliminate the guesswork.
It is easy to spot the high-vis yellow and pink combination. The relative length of these corks makes them ideal for revealing strikes.
These floats also have a spring that allows for fixed rigging in shallow water and a string stop. This float is extremely small and does not require beads.
This is a nice feature that we love and makes the Thill cork an excellent all-around option.
Pros
- Surprisingly affordable
- Slip- or fixed design
- Beads are unnecessary
- Pre-tied string stop and ready to go
- For easy rigging, marked with weights
- Good length and high-visibility colors
Eagle Claw Balsa Style Oval Fixed Flap with 6-Inch Stem
Color wood/white/yellow/red
Size1″ and 7/8″ on a 6′ stem
Eagle Claw is a respected name in fishing and their hooks have a long history. The balsa-style float they make is a great choice for spring crappie.
These six-inch stem floatings, which measure six inches in length, are easily visible in high-vis yellow, red, and white. They also offer a spring system, similar to the Thkfish and Thill alternatives. You can choose between slip and fixed modes.
Pros
- Slip- or fixed design
- High-vis colors
- Excellent length
- It’s affordable
Cons
- Weights are not indicated for rigging
Betts Slippers – Mr. Crappie
Color Yellow/Green
Size1 1/2 “, 2″, 2″, and 2 1/2”
Available at Bass Pro
The foam float designed by Mr. Crappie is simple and works well.
Three sizes are available, each offering more buoyancy with every step. Mr. Crappie’s flotation devices are made of tough, long-lasting foam. They are easy to rig and feature a high-visibility combination of bright yellow/green.
We don’t like the design’s floats. Longer models will show lighter strikes.
Pros
- High-vis colors
- It’s affordable
- Simple design — nothing can go wrong
Cons
- Weights are not indicated for rigging
- It won’t take too long
The fish 15g EVA Floats
Color Glow stick in white/red/black
Size About 1/2 ounce
Fluorescent visibility is crucial for anglers who fish for crappie at night. You need a float with a glowstick, in addition to a line that glows under blacklight like Stren Original.
The fish’s 15g foam floats are a great choice. You can buy a pack of five, with 10 glow sticks. They fit perfectly into the tops. These glow sticks are bright and last a long time. They can also be seen from a distance.
Between casts, you will need to make sure that the glow stick is securely pressed into the top. They will fly off the top if they become loose.
The fish foam floats have a single bottom eye through the middle of which you can run your line. To properly rig them, you will need the usual stop.
Pros
- High-vis colors
- Amazing for night fishing
Cons
- Weights are not indicated for rigging
- Glow sticks can be lost between casts
The fish 6″ Oval StickFloat
Colored/yellow/pink/white (fluorescent)
Size1″ x 0.75″ x 6″, or 1.25″x0.75 x 6.
Stick floats from Thkfish are a great addition for any crappie angler.
These floats come in two sizes and are each six inches in length. You’ll be able to see light strikes and nibbles in these floats thanks to their mix of fluorescent, high-visibility colors.
These, like the Thill, come with a spring system to allow you to fix them in shallow water.
We recommend you to go lighter than 1/8 ounces for your terminal tackle and weight. These are not as buoyant as the Thills, in our experience.
Pros
- Slip- or fixed design
- High-vis colors
- Excellent length
Cons
- Weights are not indicated for rigging
- It’s a touch pricey
What makes a perfect cork, float, or bobber for crappie?
Most people associate cork, flot, or bobber with the red and white plastic models. This style is not the best for crappie and has many problems.
Why we don’t recommend a fixed bobber for crappie
Fixed bobbers can be used for their intended purpose. They will keep your hook from touching the bottom and signal a strike perfectly. They’re a common tool that we all know and have been used by generations of fishermen from both banks and boats.
They also have two problems.
- Depth –They are intended for very shallow fishing by design. They have a spring that grips the line between the bobber and the line, which is why they stay put well if you aren’t familiar. You can move them around, but they will not stay in place if you fish deeper than one foot.
- Casting –A fixed bobber can be used to fish deeper depths. To do this, position the bobber at the depth that you desire. Next, reel the bobber to the tip of the rod. Then cast your line and terminal tackle with a wobbly Bobber.
This rig makes casting almost impossible, as anyone who’s tried it can attest!
What we look for in a Crappie Fish Float
Floats can be quite simple. Here’s what to look for when you’re spending your money on floats.
- Slip designs -The the’slip float’ does exactly what it says: it slides along the line, allowing for normal casting and suspending your terminal tackle at the correct depth. These floats are simple to rig and use and they’re extremely effective.
- High visibilityCrappie won’t drag your float underneath, especially in the early spring cold water. They will instead sit down just below a stationary lure, and then gently suck the hook into their mouths.
These gentle strikes can be seen with a high-visibility color and a longer floating that exaggerates the motion of the lure beneath it.
How to Fish a Slip Bobber, A Float or Cork for Crappie
You’ll never stop learning once you have rigged your first slip float. It’s easy to do if this is your first time.
Stops for Bobber or Float
An afloat or bobber end is required to set the depth of the terminal tackle and the point where the float will be placed on the line. There are many styles to choose from.
You can find string stops such as Rod N Bobbs floating stop with glow beads or Eagle Claw Bobber stops. These use a pre-tied knot to stop the float. This is often used in conjunction with beads. Some float designs like Thill have a narrow aperture for the line. This means that the bead is not necessary. The knot will suffice.
You also have rubber stops such as the Tinksky Fishing Rubber Stopper. These rubber stops are also easy to attach to your line.
Both systems can be used to cast effortlessly by riding the line through your guides.
Rigging
It is very simple to rig a slip float. These videos will give you a quick guide:
Match split shot weighted or lure
The perfect cork should be weighed to match the split shot or lure suspended beneath it. This keeps the cork vertical and allows it to show even the lightest of nibbles.
Thill is one example of a float model that has the right weight of shot, jig head, or terminal tackle. For most other models, however, you will need to experiment. A split shot is used to balance the buoyancy of afloat. We want it to sit vertically with the waterline centered at the color divide.
Our Pick: The Thill Crappie Cork
Good crappie floats have a slip design and high-vis colors. They also have plenty of lengths and clearly marked weights to rig. All these features are available at an affordable price, making the Thill our top choice.
The Thkfish and Eagle Claw stick-floats are excellent, especially when you consider their buoyancy. They’re designed to keep your tackle in the right places and allow you to cast long, smooth casts. Any of these three will provide outstanding performance. We’d be happy to recommend any of our favorites without hesitation.
The fish’s EVA floating floats for night fishing is just as great, provided that the glowstick remains attached between casts. They’re also very durable and can last for a long time, making them a great buy.
Have you tried any of these floats before? Are there any other floats you like? Do you have a suggestion?
Please leave a comment below to let us know your thoughts!