I started fishing with rods with soft tips like a Jason Mitchell Meat Stick or a limber rod with a spring bobber in rod holders for dead rods a few years back and rarely use bobbers anymore. It works well for me. The only drawback, if there is one, is that you have to set your depth with your depthfinder every time you drop it down to know exactly where you are at in relation to the bottom. One key to it is that whatever you use for a jig or hook, etc., use something that is heavy enough to put slight bend in the end of your rod or your spring bobber so that if a fish takes your bait and comes up with it, the bend goes out and you can see it.