There's something beautifully subversive about fly fishing with a hand reel. While others wrestle with heavy rods and complicated casting techniques, you're out there with gear that fits in your pocket, quietly proving that the best solutions are often the simplest ones.
Enter the A-Just-A-Bubble bobber – your secret weapon for turning any GoReel into a compact fly fishing system. This isn't just another fishing gadget; it's your ticket to fly fishing freedom.
Why Bubble Bobbers Work Brilliantly with Hand Reels
The A-Just-A-Bubble bobber solves the fundamental challenge of hand reel fly fishing: getting lightweight flies out to where the fish are. Traditional fly casting relies on the weight of the fly line to load the rod. With a hand reel, we need a different approach.
The bubble bobber acts as your casting weight while providing the delicate presentation that makes fly fishing so effective. Fill it partially with water, add your favorite fly on a leader, and suddenly you've got a system that casts beautifully with the backhand toss while keeping your fly riding naturally in the current.
It's like having a portable fly fishing rig that weighs less than a candy bar and takes up about as much space in your pack.
The Setup: Simple and Effective
Setting up your GoReel for bubble bobber fly fishing couldn't be more straightforward:
Your Main Line: Start with 6-8 lb test monofilament on your GoReel. This gives you the casting distance you need while maintaining the sensitivity that makes hand reel fishing so engaging.
The Bubble: Thread your main line through the A-Just-A-Bubble bobber. These clear plastic floats are designed with a tube running through the center – perfect for this setup.
Add Weight: Fill the bubble about 1/3 to 1/2 full with water. More water means longer casts but less subtle presentation. Less water gives you delicate delivery but shorter distance. Start somewhere in the middle and adjust based on conditions.
Your Leader: Attach 18-24 inches of 4-6 lb fluorocarbon or light mono as your leader. This creates separation between your fly and the bubble, giving fish a more natural presentation.
The Fly: Tie on your favorite pattern. Dry flies, wet flies, nymphs – they all work. The beauty of this system is its versatility.
Mastering the Cast
The backhand toss adapts perfectly to bubble bobber fishing. The added weight of the water-filled bubble gives you something substantial to cast while keeping the motion smooth and controlled.
Start with the bubble hanging about 18 inches below your hand. Use the same natural backhand motion you've developed with your GoReel, but let the bubble's weight help load the line. The release point feels similar to regular hand reel fishing – that intuitive moment when everything aligns.
Watch the bubble arc through the air and land with a gentle splash. Your fly settles nearby, riding the water like it belongs there. No complex casting techniques to master, no timing to perfect – just the same satisfying motion you already know.
Reading the Water with Your Setup
One advantage of bubble bobber fishing is how it helps you read the water. The clear bubble acts as a strike indicator, showing you exactly what the current is doing to your presentation. When fish hit your fly, you'll see the bubble react before you feel the strike through your line.
This visual feedback makes you a better angler. You start noticing subtle current patterns, understanding how your fly moves through different water types, and developing an intuitive sense for when everything is working perfectly.
Species and Situations
This setup shines in surprisingly diverse fishing situations:
Stream Fishing: The bubble lets you reach productive runs from the bank without wading. Present flies naturally in current while maintaining complete control from your position.
Lake Fishing: Cover water efficiently, working different depths by adjusting how much you fill the bubble. Early morning when fish are surface feeding? Light bubble and dry flies. Afternoon when they go deeper? Add more water and switch to nymphs.
Pond Adventures: Perfect for those neighborhood fishing spots where a full fly rod setup feels like overkill. Your entire system travels in your pocket, ready for spontaneous fishing moments.
Fine-Tuning Your Approach
Water Temperature: In cold water, fish move slower. Use less water in your bubble for a gentler presentation. Warmer water means more active fish – add water for distance to cover more territory.
Wind Conditions: Breezy day? A fuller bubble cuts through wind better. Calm conditions let you fish with minimal water for the most delicate presentation possible.
Fly Selection: Match your flies to local hatches, but don't overthink it. Woolly buggers, adams patterns, and simple nymphs work in most situations. The presentation matters more than having the perfect fly.
The Learning Curve
Like any fishing technique, bubble bobber hand reel fishing has a learning curve – though it's gentler than you might expect. Your first few casts might feel awkward as you adjust to the different weight distribution. That's completely normal.
Give yourself a few trips to dial in the water amount, leader length, and casting rhythm. Most anglers find their groove within an hour or two on the water. Once it clicks, you'll wonder why you ever thought fly fishing required complicated gear.
Adventures Enabled
This is where bubble bobber hand reel fishing really shines: the adventures it makes possible. Backcountry streams that seemed too remote for fly fishing? Now they're within reach. Urban ponds during lunch breaks? Your entire setup fits in a desk drawer.
Last month, I hiked to a high alpine lake with my complete fly fishing setup in my shirt pocket. Four miles of trail, no rod case to carry, no worry about breaking expensive equipment. At the lake, I was fly fishing within minutes of arrival, presenting tiny flies to selective cutthroat trout who hadn't seen much fishing pressure.
That's the freedom this combination provides – fly fishing without the weight, complexity, or fragility that usually comes with the territory.
Caring for Your Bubble
A-Just-A-Bubble bobbers are simple, but a little care keeps them working perfectly:
- Empty the water after each use to prevent freezing damage
- Check the tube occasionally for clogs (a simple rinse usually clears them)
- Store with your GoReel for a complete, always-ready system
- Replace when the plastic becomes cloudy or cracked
Beyond the Basics
Once you're comfortable with the basic setup, experiment with variations:
Multiple Flies: Try a small dropper fly 8-10 inches behind your main fly. Two chances at success with every cast.
Adjust the Bubble: Half-sink it by adding just enough water to make it ride low in the surface film. This creates incredibly natural presentations.
Leader Variations: Longer leaders in clear water, shorter in stained water. Fluorocarbon when fish are spooky, mono when visibility isn't critical.
The Hand Reel Advantage
Throughout all of this, remember what makes hand reel fishing so engaging: that direct connection to your line and your fish. With a bubble bobber setup, you maintain all the sensitivity and control that makes hand reel fishing addictive while adding the presentation advantages of fly fishing.
Every take transmits directly to your fingertips. Every movement of your fly registers through the line. It's the best of both worlds – the portability and simplicity of hand reel fishing combined with the effectiveness of properly presented flies.
Getting Started
Ready to try bubble bobber fly fishing with your GoReel? Start simple:
- Get an A-Just-A-Bubble bobber (they're available at most tackle shops)
- Tie up the basic setup described above
- Head to familiar water where you can focus on technique
- Bring a few versatile flies – woolly buggers and adams patterns cover most situations
- Give yourself time to find the rhythm
The first fish you catch this way will convince you that sometimes the most effective innovations are just new applications of time-tested techniques.
Final Thoughts
Fly fishing with a hand reel and bubble bobber isn't about replacing traditional fly fishing – it's about expanding your options. Some days call for the full fly rod experience. Other days, you want to travel light and fish spontaneously.
This setup gives you that flexibility. It's fly fishing that fits in your pocket, travels anywhere, and works when other methods feel like too much effort or too much gear.
The ancient art of hand reel fishing meets the effectiveness of fly presentation. It's a combination that opens up new water, enables new adventures, and proves once again that the simplest solutions are often the most elegant ones.
Your next fly fishing adventure is as close as your pocket. Where will you take it?
