Bubble Rig Availability

I want to make sure I can find bubble rigs when I get there in October. I was looking at the J&M website and they had them there, but they were $4, already made up with the plastic tubing leader and treble hook. I thought that was a little steep, even Bass Pro has them for less than that and they are usually high on everything. When I fished at Navarre a few years ago, I could buy just the plastic bubble without the leader, hook and plastic tube for about half that at Walmart. Is there a place around GS where we can but just the plastic bubble.

You can certainly find them cheaper. I will say the ones you get at J&M seem to be a little more durable than the ones you can get at Bass Pro. Comes in handy when one smacks against the piling.

The WalMart in Gulf Shores seems to always have the cheaper ones in stock. The brand carried by J&M is tougher.

You get what you pay for.....cheap(walmart) or quality (J&M).....your choice

ONE maker of plastic bubbles is Rainbow plastics; their Tuff-bubble brand seems thicker and more durable and only a hair more expensive.

If you make your own rigs, remember colorful or shiny stuff is what spanish target. Minimal hardware and beads in black or clear is best to keep teeth off leaders..

WalMart, BPS, and any of the local shops have, or should have them, but they aren't the same quality
J&M should also have just the bubbles...I don't think their entire inventory is on the website

Walmart has the tough bubbles in green and orange don't remember the price but they had plenty. I gave away about half dozen last week that I had repaired to people that had been using the cheap ones from Walmart none were the tough bubbles. Just go to J & M and by the dozen pack of clear Tough Bubbles I think it was around 15 bucks and well worth it.

Is Sams tackle in orange beach still open? I remember buying bubbles there at a good price.

Just go to J & M John is one of the moderators for this Forum and I like to steer him all the business I can.

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Originally Posted by Robert(Tato)Piteo

Just go to J & M John is one of the moderators for this Forum and I like to steer him all the business I can.

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And he's just an all around great guy.

Avoid the Eagle Claw bubbles. They are junk. I have been severely disappointed in everything I have bought from Eagle Claw lately.

Everyone carries the bubbles. The Tough Brand bubbles are the way to go. J&M carries both Tough and Eagle Claw. I use the Tough brand because they last a lot longer. J&M also has the rigs pre made but I choose to tie my own. J&M is compearable in price to everyone else, even Walmart! Do yourself a favor and get everything quality you need at J&M. You won't be sorry...

I've never had to worry much about how long the plastic bubbles last. I usually get cutoff (or snapped off by a faulty cast by the fisherman) before they wear out.

Last time I was in J&M a few days ago, they had plenty of Tough Bubbles so you can make your own.
I still run a bead of Shoe Goo around the bubble to protect it from bumping pilings, etc.

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Originally Posted by GregInAtl

I've never had to worry much about how long the plastic bubbles last. I usually get cutoff (or snapped off by a faulty cast by the fisherman) before they wear out.

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I made several bubbles rigs by taking 60lb sevenstand wire and running in through the bubble with a swivel on each end. Tie one end to the main line and one to leader with the straw. This stops some of the bite offs when spanish hit the bubble during a feeding frenzy. Once you get a fish on get the bubble to the surface as fast as possible/

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Originally Posted by Haywire

I still run a bead of Shoe Goo around the bubble

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It's on my to-do list to get some

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Originally Posted by GregInAtl

It's on my to-do list to get some

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A wrap of black electrical tape helps hold them together and helps keep it from cracking when you smack it against a piling. I never tried the tough bubbles. BTW the Spanish tore up a small chrome Clark Spoon behind a bubble last week. Lost it and only had one. You might want to invest in a couple.

+1 on the small Clark spoons (and "Squid" spoons), especially on sunny days when they really flash.

The old NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION, appli es here. In about 10 years of fishing the pier, I've seen a number of variations to the bubble. It's inherently fragile and dosent make muster for longevity. I've solved those issues with my own concoction and I wish everyone well. Spanish is a big part of my reasons for driving the ling distance to and fro to the pier. I've shared my rigs with others and soon enough, they'll be a common thing. Meanwhile, keep Kraken EGGS.

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Originally Posted by dasarge1953

The old NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION, appli es here. In about 10 years of fishing the pier, I've seen a number of variations to the bubble. It's inherently fragile and dosent make muster for longevity. I've solved those issues with my own concoction and I wish everyone well. Spanish is a big part of my reasons for driving the ling distance to and fro to the pier. I've shared my rigs with others and soon enough, they'll be a common thing. Meanwhile, keep Kraken EGGS.

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What's your rig ?

Im reluctant to divulge what it is John, respectfully. Rather, Im willing to tell ya what it isn't. Its not a plastic egg. Nor, is it a ball bearing, claw hammer or ax handle. Suffice to say that it's important to experiment. Come up eith ideas to get around the often shortage of egg rigs. Spanish break them. Get busted against the pier and having to drain bubbles, etc. Tried golf balls once. Worked fairly well but there are those who reducule. So, use your imagination and trial and error. Unlike some, I dont sell my stuff.

i use a tennis ball.

I've tried popping corks with minimal success. I've had better luck with bubble rigs

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon...._AC_US218_.jpg

https://www.amazon.com/38mm-Ball-Bou...m+bouncy+balls

I've been using the large weighted popping cork from BPS for years and have caught tons of Spanish on them. You would just have to see my modification to them. Can't seem to find the ones without the slots in them but went on line and looked them up. Comal Tackle I add a 3/4 oz. egg sinker to the back and can throw them along way on a Shimano Calcutta 400. Only problem is when making a long cast it hard to outrun the sharks. They sell about the same rig at Academy Sports.