It weighs only 2-1/2 ounces, including the 12-volt battery, and mounts on any fishing rod near the reel. It can be engaged or disengaged without handling the line. It has an audible alarm for daytime fishing and a lamp alarm for night. We use it for pier fishing but I can imagine it would be great for lakes, rivers, sandpits, ice fishing (I put it in the freezer and it still worked), etc.

This bobber can be attached to the line without breaking the line. It can be repositioned nearer or farther from the hook without removing it; can be partially filled with water to add casting weight;or with pebbles or BB's to make a rattling sound when jerked.

Before you get started you will need some plastic film cans, some GOOP adhesive, and some very small screw eyes (may be as small as 1/4" ring diameter). Kodak film cans are black with gray lids, and Fuji cans are translucent white. Get some of each free from your local film developing store.

Gap open the eye of half of your screw eyes just enough to pass a fishing line through the opening and into the eye (a pocket knife blade will work for this). Drill or puncture the center of all can bottoms and lids to allow threading the screw eyes in. Roughen the surface of each can or lid in the area immediately around the puncture, inside and out.

Start with an undoctored screw eye. Wrap the screw eye's thread with a small glob of GOOP, then screw the eye into the can's bottom from the outside. Using a long toothpick or something similar, wrap some goop around the screw threads where they come through on the inside of the can and against the can bottom. Repeat the process for the lid using one of the screw eyes that has a gap opening. After applying the GOOP pull a fishing line through the gap to clear any GOOP from it. Leave the parts sit for 24-72 hrs (with the lid off of the can) as solvents evaporate and the GOOP sets up.

Now, get some bright paint or 3M decorating tape and dress it up. A bright stripe around the can just below the lid looks good, and the gray lid of the black film cans should be painted or taped for better visibility. To tape them, try laying out some waxed paper; then sticking a piece of tape about 1-1/2" square on the paper. Trace a circle on the tape with the bottom of a film can; then cut out the circle. Use a paper punch to make a hole in the center. Peel off the waxed paper and stick the tape to the lid of the can with the screw eye in the hole you just made.
The white film cans need nothing on the lid because white gives the best visibility.

To put the bobber on the fishing line form a "U" shaped loop in the line and push the loop through the screw eye on the bottom of the can. Pull the loop over the entire can and pull it up tight at the screw eye. Now, thread the line that is going back to the fishing rod through the gap in the eye on the lid. Presto! you are hooked up. If your gap is too big to retain the line, wrap the line around the base of the eye and back into the gap a couple of times. You should still be able to slide the bobber up and down the line to change your fishing depth.

The bobber will lay on it's side in the water with the top facing you. You can change the attitude of the bobber in the water by adding or subtracting sinker weight at your leader. The more weight, the more upright (until you sink it). If you want it to stand upright without all of that sinker weight fill it about 1/3 full of water then add a small sinker to your leader in order to tip it up initially.

This bobber uses an exposed lamp mounted in the lid, providing a visible glow at night, for a minimum of 5 hours (at summer temperatures) on a single "N" size battery.

Use a Kodak black plastic film can for the housing. You can pick one up for free from your local film developer. You will need three Radio Shack parts: a 272-1139 lamp, a 23-023 battery, and a 270-405 battery holder. You will also need two very small screw eyes, (as small as 1/4" ring diameter).

Drill or puncture the center of the can bottom to allow threading the screw eye in. Roughen the surface of the can in the area immediately around the puncture, inside and out.

Wrap the screw eye's thread with a small glob of GOOP, then screw the eye into the can's bottom from the outside. Using a long toothpick or something similar, wrap some goop around the screw threads where they come through on the inside of the can and against the can bottom.

Gap open the eye of your remaining screw eye just enough to pass a fishing line through the opening and into the eye (a pocket knife blade will work for this). Drill a 3/16" hole in the center of the lid and an approx. 1/16" (match to your screw eye's requirements) hole off center, midway between the 3/16" hole and the inner sealing flange of the lid. It will be easier to locate if you drill from the inside of the lid. Roughen the surface of the lid near each penetration, inside and out.

Strip the ends of all wire leads about 3/8" from the end. Tin the bare wire ends with electrical solder. Prepare a screw eye with a gap as described in "Film-Can Bobber" above.

Using a toothpick, wrap a small glob of GOOP around the base of the lamp, reaching about 1/4 of the way up onto the glass bulb. Install the lamp from the outside of the lid, wires first. Shove it into the hole until 2/3 of it remains outside of the lid. Clean any GOOP from the upper 1/2 of the lamp bulb. Turn the lid over and wrap GOOP around the base of the lamp, and against the lid surface.

Using a toothpick wrap a small layer of GOOP around the threads of the gapped screw eye and thread it into the small hole (on the outside) of the lid with the gap next to the lamp bulb. Turn the lid over and wrap a larger glob of GOOP around the screw eye threads and against the lid surface. Leave a gap between the glue and the lid's sealing lip and clean any residue from the lip. Turn the lid over and pull a string through the gap in the screw eye to clear it of GOOP.

Let the GOOP dry for 24 to 72 hours.

Solder the black battery holder lead to one of the lamp leads. Insulate the connection with electrical tape or shrink tubing. There is no switch so when the remaining leads are connected the lamp will light. Since the wires are fragile, they should be connected to each other with a miniature removable connector that won't damage them. I have found that an RC (radio control) screw lock pushrod connector (not an electrical part) will work well. You can find it at your local hobby shop. Just slide both wires into the hole where the pushrod goes and thread the screw in until it clamps the wires. Bend the red battery holder lead wire (con't bend the wire from the lamp) after it passes through the connector so that it will not pull out when disconnecting. The connector is not insulated so you must tape it or tape the exposed metal parts of the battery holder (recommended)after installing the battery.

Tape the battery into the battery holder. Now, when you get ready to fish you just shove the battery and wiring into the can and put the lid on. To put the bobber on the fishing line form a "U" shaped loop in the line and push the loop through the screw eye on the bottom of the can. Pull the loop over the entire can and pull it up tight at the screw eye. Now, thread the line that is going back to the fishing rod through the gap in the eye on the lid and you are hooked up. If your gap is too big to retain the line, wrap the line around the base of the eye and back into the gap a couple of times. You should still be able to slide the bobber up and down the line to change your fishing depth.