Simple question on fishing surface baits

[Alf James]

Hi there. With the hot weather now here I intend to fish with surface baits during the next few weeks but there's one small question that I can't get out of my mind.

Do you use a sinking line or floating line between the controller and the hook bait? All opinions welcome.

 

[Les Clark]

Alf , you are fishing on the top with a floating bait ,use a floating line right through from reel to bait .

 

[Big Rik]

apart from the last 6" next to the hook, which you'd ideally like to sink, so the fish don't see it......

 

[Ged]

Used floating baits last year for the first time. bought floating braid which I put on hook length and then bait, works quite well. Also tried bait controlers, with mono, got it all to work but no fish caught. some had a look, but that was all.

 

[Les Clark]

Ged ,did you put any baits out first before trying the hookbait ?

 

[Ged]

Yes. Used floating pellets. was first tryong to see if the pellets would sink, but as the fish came up for them, I decided to use them as hook bait and fish the surface.

 

[Les Clark]

Ged ,how where you useing the pellets as hookbaits ,on the hook ? useing a band or on a hair ?

 

[Ged]

On the hook, fortunately, they were soft enough.
If you have trouble keeping the hook lenght afloat, get some silicon muselin that fly fishermen use, will help keep the line floating. Don't take it too near the hook though, as this makes the line appear that bit thicker.

 

[paul williams 2]

Alf.....Rik can catch fish off the top....

 

[Les Clark]

I like to use the John Roberts bait bands ,comes in two sizes , it has a small flatish bit that you pierce with your hook and slide down the shank , I push it to just below the bend .
But for bigger floating baits you can use very small ruber bands .

 

[Ian Cloke]

Old tip to make parts of your line float. Rub your finger on the side(not INside,LOL) of your nose or behind your ear, then rub the line with your finger and it will float.
It's an old fashioned way but it does work.

 

[Les Clark]

Or vaseline not as cheap ,but good stuff .

 

[Cakey]

the suspender rig is good ................no line in water !

 

[Wolfman Woody]

Cakey, is that what they call the beachcatser method as well? Big weight and sliding pike float?

The grease on your nose etc is lanolin, very ecologically friendly and bio-degradable. If that's of interest.

 

[Cakey]

no its a float which I make using one of them sunken foam pike thingys and then I super glue in about 18" of rig tube ( the stiff stuff) all the way through the float so about 2" is sticking out one end and the rest out the other .it also helps if the tubing psses through the float on a slight angle.
then some silicon tubing is fitted to the long end of the tubing
then the line from your rod goes through a 2oz lead through the tubing (short end first) then tie on a 4" hooklink and push the swivel into the silicon tubing.
bait up and cast out
then tighten the line until the boom on the float just pops out the water leaving the bait in the water with no line round it ..............................

 

[Adrian Chubb]

I usually do not bother with a controller, use two presoaked chum mixers on a size ten or eight hook and as others have stressed, make sure they are feeding confidently before introducing a hook bait. Try to fish with the wind on your back, this helps to stop the line bowing and helps to carry your bait out to the feeding area. Loose feed at your feet so that the wind carries them to the feeding area rather than throwing them and causing disturbance. This also helps to get the fish feeding within casting range. Works for me.

 

[Alf James]

Thanks everyone for the tips. I'll be trying some floater fishing on Tuesday or Wednesday evening.