New to pole fishing

[magellan]

I’ve taken the plunge and bought an 8.5 m margin pole, but I’m a bit confused about pole floats. I don’t want to be buying floats that will never see the light of day, but also, I need to cover a wide range of conditions, sizes and weights. I fish mostly on my club waters, plus two or three commercials in the greater Manchester area and it’s the float sizes that confuse me most. A common range is 4x10 to 4x18, which end of the spectrum would best meet my needs? Or should I buy alternate sizes to cover as wide a range possible to start with? I’m looking to buy a few floats to cover fishing on the bottom and up in the water out towards the middle, and shallow in the margins.

Cheers
Mike

 

[john step]

I will now get shot down by the pole elite but I think all those myriad of designs and sizes are to catch anglers.
I reckon for your type of fishing you need maybe a couple of dibbers for close in and one or two carp (strong) pole floats to start with. After a couple of outings you will soon know if they are the right size and sensitivity. You wont need light canal type floats.( real canals not snakes)
Presumably up in the water means supporting the weight of a pellet.
Is up in the water about to get harder with the onset of colder water?

 

[magellan]

Thanks John, at one point I was looking at the Des Shipp range from Prestons but there were 13 floats in the range, which confused the hell out of me. Whilst I was reading your reply this morning, I noticed a new Prestons film on YouTube which coincidently was announcing a new, much simplified, range of 5 floats. I’m thinking three of the five plus a dibber would be a good starter kit.

Mike

 

[markcw]

You said you bought a margin pole, is it just for margin fishing,? If its for mixed species, match your elastic to line bs, I would go in the tackle shop and buy a few ready made rigs, Drennan and Preston both do a good variety and are very good, I would double up on the rigs you buy, because if you happen to trash one it is a simple job of replacing it with same rig on the bank, this is more for a match situatio than pleasure fishing, What commercials in greater manchester,? I have fished a few around there.

 

[magellan]

Hi Mark, I'm a member of Todmorden angling and I mainly fish their club waters. I've fished at Bradshaws and at Partridge lakes. On the elastic front I bought a short stop one piece top and four power top kits, I bought four with a view to changing one to a potting kit but I've decided to see how I get along using the pots that just slide over for now. I like the Prestons DS rigs, it was just deciding which ones to start with which was the reason for my post.

Mike

 

[markcw]

Not fished Bradshaws for some time, Partridge is good, It sounds as if you got the PI monster edge margin,? i would elasticate from say a six upto a fourteen going by venues you fish, the cad pots are fine for potting in, as for a cupping kit, i would leave it for now only because at eight metres you should be able to throw at that distance, as for floats the ds range is good.

 

[markcw]

A couple of dibbers and either carbon or wire stem F1 style floats would suffice.

 

[magellan]

Thanks for the replies, sorry for going awol been tied up at work. Bought some dibber rigs and a selection of F1, chianti and carp pellet from DS range. The dibbers are ready made rigs but the rest are loose floats I need to make up into rigs. Watching YouTube films is ok, but they are so biased towards match fishing which I don’t do. Is there a generic shotting pattern to cover most pleasure fishing? I’m thinking a couple of each float with bulk at the bottom and couple spread out over the bottom half, for fishing up in the water??

 

[markcw]

Shotting pattern sounds fine, you could also try a shirt button style on a rig for fishing on the drop. As for bulk and couple of droppers , put bulk below half depth then dropper shots,

 

[magellan]

Hi guys it’s me again, hope you’re all keeping well! On this here pole I’ve got 4 power top kits and a one piece short stop, where in the elastic range does the short stop fit? At the light end or the heavier end.

Mike

 

[markcw]

Your short stop would be mainly for F1s, I would put 8-10 in it, with it being shorter they will surface quicker can be netted more quickly.
What pole is it ,?
MAP do a shallow topkit, Tricast do a short topkit and Preston innovations did one. Daiwa do one but not sure for margin pole

 

[magellan]

Thanks Mark, that fits in with what I was thinking. I bought a Preston edge monster 8.5m, it came with two power tops kits and I bought two more plus the short stop. No less than Jamie Hughes advised me to load the power top kits, with 12/14 and 14/16 (2 of each) on one of Q&As they are doing during the lockdown.

As you say loading the shortstop lighter will allow it to load up that bit quicker giving another option. I’ve been putting together all the bits I need to tie my rigs, and I’m going to give tying my own hook lengths a go, both for the pole and my feeders. I feel everything could be just a bit lighter than all the pre tied stuff available.

Mike

 

[markcw]

Check the Guru pretied hooklengths, various sized hooks to various sized line, some plain hook others banded, Preston's are the same, plus they do quick stops as well. All the above are mainly 6" hooklenghts. You can get 12" hooklengths as well in various sizes. I use pretied for nearly all my fishing, even ready made rigs are used . If I dont like the hook on ready made rig I will change it for one I think is more suitable for my situations, Do this mainly on Drennan ready made rigs.

 

[magellan]

Cheers Mark, I’ve decided to stick with the pre tied hooks I already use on my method feeders. Where I get confused is when watching the people on you tube advise using mainlines that are lighter than pre tied hooks, and when they tie their own its on lighter line.

I’m trying to use this lockdown time to streamline and simplify everything, hooks, line, floats, feeder etc. I was like a chicken with no head when I came back to fishing, splashing out bits of all sorts with no plan, my tackle bag is like Steptoes yard.


Mike