 Hi guys, thanks for the advice on getting a float fishing book. Today my Encyclopaedia of float fishing by Billy Lane and Colin Graham arrived. I have been reading through it for most of the day. The different floats he talks about are very interesting such as zoomer, mini-missile, missile and Trent trotter. Have you ever made yourself a float and still use it? And did you name it?
|
 |
I bought that same book years ago and the mechanics of each type of float still works as Billy Lane described although the materials are different - in answer to your question Wendy,I did make some long range loaded wagglers with a sight vane for long range fishing at Sywell when it was float only - a right sod to cast but the sight vanes made it easy to see at 50-60yds+ ,especially when an early start caught up with your eyelids - it never got an official name,usually it was that f***ing things tangled again
|
|
Pete, it's a really good book isn't it. It makes me laugh how he came up with his own inventions, especially the Trent Trotter and the trout trotter. I have read lots of different fishing books and never really took any of it in. But this book i can't put down, and it makes me want to have a go at making some myself. Maybe call it Wendy's Waggler 
|
|
Just be careful where you waggle it
|
|
 It's interesting that the floats you mention are some of the most specialised and least useful of the many varieties! The Trent Trotter (nearly said Tent Rotter - Barney in a Bivvy!) has some occasional use if you fish very shallow water - leave your centrepin at home though. I developed a balsa bleaker many years ago that was a godsend in tough winter leagues and the like for catching bleak at maximum catapult range. I'd persevere in getting the Ashurst World Class Match Fishing book if you can - it's cheap too, and a far better book in my opinion.
|
|
 You still using that Monster Pellet Waggler I made for you, Wendy?
|
|
Woody the Perry missile hahah....erm no Mark, i will have a look for that one now thank you. I don't know if the floats he made were any good, all i am saying is it is interesting how he came across them.
|
|
It is being confronted with a problem and working out a solution,much like Dick Walker with his carp & avon rods as he couldn't buy the piece of kit to do the job - make it yourself,the reward is when it works just as intended,I have never had the reason to use Billy Lanes Trent Trotter though,that shot hanging below the float trapping the line twice still seems very odd but with his match record who am I to argue ?
|
|
 Pete........there are anglers that see a problem and try to overcome it, and there are sheep......Billy and Dick weren't sheep?
|
| Edited: 18/09/07 21:25 |
Yes pete i saw how he had set up the Trent Trotter and wondered how the hell it would work. But like you said, with his match record who are we to criticize. It oviously worked for him.
|
|
.jpg) I used to use the Trent Trotter a fair bit on some really shallow stretches of the Stour and Avon, catching some fine dace and chub. It was the first time I ever used a "bottom end only" float on moving water. It cast a treat and was great to use in an upstream wind (not so good in a downstreamer tho!). Back in the 60's and 70's virtually all our floats were self made. I tried it many, many times but I was lucky (and lazy) in that my Uncles made some superb floats and even better boxes to keep them in (or rather to display them - as they were far too good to actually use!).
|
|
 Wendy,
The Trent Trotter, as both Mark and Neil say; is ideal for shallow water.
I've used them extensively for Dace and Grayling on the Hampshire Avon, and I think that Mark wrote a piece or two on FM about fishing with them.
I know that modesty prevents him noting this, but Mark does make exceedingly good floats, and some pretty good bread punches too, although he most likely forgot to send me a set.
Neil is quite right, in the 60's and 70's we did tend to make all out own floats as shop bought ones were (comparatively) too expensive. I still have a few of mine knocking about in the tackle room somewhere.
|
|
 "I still have a few of mine knocking about in the tackle room somewhere." You mean the warehouse don't you Peter. :0} A lot of the old floats were made redundant by the arrival of the waggler and later the stick floats which can be made to work in most conditions, in fact when you think about it you could manage quite happily with a stick, a waggler and a balsa, they will cover most types of fishing and conditions. I have never made my own floats mainly because I have been lucky enough to know chappies that could make a far better fist of it than I could or perhaps it was because I was too lazy, I have yet to find one that disappears every time it goes down the swim though thats for sure.
Benny Ashurst or Billy Lane, hmmm! interesting question, both innovative, both brilliant match fishermen and both very successful, perhaps there isn't an answer.
|
|
i have a Benny Ashurst and a Kevin Ashurst book on the way too I love reading these old books of how it used to be. I suppose the newer anglers coming into the sport don't know how lucky they really are! Floats have always confused me in fishing, and i'm hoping these books will sort me out Peter i've yet to come across a shallow river, but if i do i would certainly think about using something like his Trent trotter.
|
|
"I love reading these old books of how it used to be"
Cheeky young whipper-snapper
How it used to be indeed!
[insert daft smiling face: Here]
Wendy, fishing a river in shallow levels can be terrific fun, maybe I'm just lucky having the Hampshire Avon on my doorstep - well, across the road and through a neighbours garden to be honest.
Joking aside, many (if not all) of the techniques that you will read in the works of Lane, Ashurst etc will all work perfectly well today.
Graham,
Well, okay, Wharehouse then.
As to your problem of the float not disappearing every time it goes through your swim - ever thought of adding a little more shot, down the line?
[insert another daft smiling face]
|
|
You disappoint me Wendy. I thought you'd have given the Perry Air-Missile a go. It's a great float for taking mullet off the rocks if you ever get the chance.
Floats used to come in all different styles, sizes, and colours. Fluted floats, perch or grayling bobbers, and there were two sorts of zoomer, one being a broad topped stick float for trotting. The colours included red (was really a fluoro pink) and green and I even saw a few painted blue, unlike the standard orange and yellow you get now.
Putting on a nice float improves your confidence no end.
|
|
"Putting on a nice float improves your confidence no end"
It certainly does Jeff.
I do wonder though, just how many of those floats caught more 'anglers' than fish?
How about those lovely old sliding cork bodied floats that were painted in some (for the period) quite garish colours?
I have some lovely old Perch and Grayling bobbers in my collection and the skill that went into making and painting them is just amazing.
|
|
Peter hahahah, i didn't mean to be cheeky I'm not that young ya know. I meant how things were so different.... Ok i'm digging myself a great big hole here, i guess i better shut-up Woody, sorry to dissapoint you, i did try it out
|
|
 Tell the truth --- You told me you'd sold it on e-bay ...........
|
|
Shhhhhh Ed i didn't wanna upset my mate woodster 
|
|
