NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF A PUFFBALL! Leave a reply
By Robert Strong. "PUFFBALL! Who you calling a PUFFBALL?!" That's not a word typically used to describe the hardened steelheader types you might come across loitering the local streams around these parts! In fact you might want to refrain from using that word too loudly within earshot of any sleep deprived, crazy eyed, Rockstar'ed out, a-little-grumpy-from-the-last-hawg-that-just-come-unbuttoned-for-no-apparent-reason fisherman that you might come in contact with around here. No worries though, you might just want to keep this little gem all to yourself anyway.
For years drift fisherman have used every means possible to give their terminal tackle a little buoyancy. Okie drifters, Corkies, Cheaters, Rags, Spin Glos, earplugs, little cut up chunks of your mom's kitchen sponge. You name it, it's been tried! Onto the market in recent years came puffballs, little Styrofoam balls in all sorts of different colors. I didn't give them much credit at first but these babies pack a punch! A tiny little puffball is extremely buoyant and will float rather large baits quite well.
I began experimenting with them, coming up with several great uses for these little guys. First of all the trouble with most drift bobbers is that they are made of hard plastic. When a fish grabs your offering he immediately feels that hard plastic and wants to spit it out quickly. Puffballs are soft and a fish might be inclined to gnaw on that tasty morsel just a few precious seconds longer, giving you the chance you need to give that baby a lip piercing (kinda like your favorite Barista you stop at every morning…yeah you know the one…she’s kinda freaky but you like it). 
The second great use I've found for puffballs is their ability to help hold delicate baits such as sand shrimp onto a hook. Slide your sand shrimp tail, eggs or prawn meat onto the hook, slide the puffball on next , push it right up to the bait and presto! That bait is nice and secure and will last a heck of a lot longer. For all you Jig fisherman like me that like to tip your jigs with a little something extra, this works beautifully.
Last but most definitely not least is my favorite little feature of puffballs…they absorb scent! Clean out some old powerbait or salmon egg jars, fill them half full with some puffballs and soak them in your favorite scent. They will hold scent longer than just applying it to your lure and won’t interfere with the pulsating action of a jigs marabou. You can carry many different flavors in your bag with you! Puffies are extremely cost effective as well; a 100 pack is usually only a couple bucks.
So the next time you’re on the river and you are releasing your 5th or 6th fish of the day, and the guy downstream asks you “what in the heck are you using?” Just smile, reach in your pocket, pull out your jar of puffballs and gladly tell him the truth…Powerbait, man, Powerbait!
Robert Strong-Ruckus Outfitters