You can use a slip bobber with a minnow. It works well. I sometimes will under hand it with a spinning reel to bluffs or points with no bobber, just a small sinker and minnow and stair step it down but I have had success with a slip bobber. Be sure to match your slip bobber to the size of your minnow and sinker, you don't want something oversized, or undersized. I went to Dale Monday and the bite was tough. I threw minnows, float and fly and several other lures and we only caught a few small ones. I use fantails and creek chubs a lot and have better luck with them in late fall and early spring, when the lake gets so cool there are artificial lures like the float and fly that will get more bites. I have taken minnows with me on the last several trips I have made to Dale just to bring them home because smaller artificial lures was out fishing them. I don't know if this will help but if I was going to Dale soon with all the rain I might look for some off colored water, up in the head of some of the creeks. Good luck.