Taking care of floats and hook lengths...

[Tee-Cee]

Not too sure if this is the correct place for this....

PART 1
I carry a number of longish floats which might be described as bodied wagglers and sliding peacock antennas. Anyway floats up to (say) 12" long all of which are home made.
I have a reasonable way of carrying them in my bag with other tackle but from time to time they become damaged and I'd like to avoid this if possible.

Does anyone have a failsafe method of transporting floats which MUST be simple and lightweight method for, (say) six floats? Being 'bodied' they are fairly bulky even if three of them face the opposite direction to the other three.
I know 'float tubes' are available and I will look at these. Years ago I had a float box for match fishing but this would be too big for my minimal type fishing these days...

PART 2
With winter coming on (and my fingers not as nimble as they once were!) I tend to tie a number of different hook lengths at home (with differing hook sizes) both to save time on the bank and because I do a better job sitting in my armchair!

As with the floats its again a case of keeping them in good nick and, most importantly, without kinks!
I imagine a match fisherman (or someone who fishes light much of the time for species such as roach) might hold the solution as they would have a need to tie on a hook length as quickly as possible and in perect condition!
I know wallets are available but any advice on 'best available' would be welcome...

All suggestions, shop bought or home made, would be of interest and cost not an issue for the best option.....

Thanks

 

[pellethead15]

preston innovations do hooklength boxes in varied sizes,have a look at them,only thing wrong with them is the gay blue colour.
for a float tube what about a cut down pole kit tube?.or a pringles box lol.

 

[ravey]

I still use a hooklength wallet. I have a stock of the paper packets to store them in, but do not know if they are still available. I find this the best way of storing pre-ties hooks. You can still get wallets; ebay have them.

 

[waggy]

Floats: Saw off length of 1 1/4" or 1 1/2" kitchen waste pipe to suit and fit end caps or bungs - easy.
Hook lengths: Chuck 'em and start with new ones each session - old ones are more trouble than a few pence are worth if you tie your own. Fasten by coiling from hook end around 3-4 fingers and fold looped end twice around gathered coils. Simply ease gently apart in both sets of fingers.

 

[sagalout]

Floats, I use a plastic bacon box, £1 from £1 shops. 10" long x 2" high x 3" wide.

Hooklinks I now use the preston hook link boxes.

 

[mick b]

Floats;
Use a suitable length of grey waste water pipe 1.5in diameter and glue an end stop onto one end and a screw cap fitting onto the other end, total cost approx £4.50.
All materials available from DIY stores like B&Q.
I stuff a bit of foam down to the bottom of the blanked out end and glue a similar sized peice into the screw end.
Remember to cut the tube + 1inch longer than your longest 'arrow'.

For your hooklengths;
Use an old plastic CD case and stick a length of magnetic tape along the inside end of one side of the open case and another peice of mag tape along the hinge end of the other side.
Thus the mag tapes are at the opposite (inside) ends when the case is closed.
Magnetic sticky (on one side) tape is available from those large hobbycraft stores who's name I cannot remember, its around £2.50 for an 18inch length.

When you've tied your hooklengths and coil them around three fingers finishing by tucking the tag end three times through the mono coil.
The hook is then held into the CD case by magnetism and the coiled leader hangs neatly coiled over the centre of the case.

When required for use hold the hook and with one finger inside the looped mono gently slide the coils out, a simple method which works down to 2.2lb mono.

The remaining mag tape can be used to convert an old plastic multi-compartment tackle box into mag hook case, saving yourself the £12.50 the tackle shop charges for their offering...:wh....which will please the wife no end

 

[mol]

I like to travel light and mobile, all my kit is kept to the minium.

To store hooklinks I use empty hook packets, I just add a bit of white card onto which I write the hooklink breaking strain and hooksize.

I use a homemade float tube and they work brillantly. I got my from the local tackle shop, he used to make 'em out off waste tube and if you bought so many floats and asked he'd make you one for nowt.

 

[Lord Paul of Sheffield]

I have a couple of float tubes - easy fit 1 foot long floats in them

 

[scottt]

A very simple idea is to wind your hooklengths onto pole winders, tuck the next hook into the previous hooklengths loop and keep going.
1 pole winder will hold dozen's of hooklengths and 3-4 pole winders will give you plenty of hooklengths and use each winder for a different sized hook/line, very easy to carry, take up very little space and no weight, handy for winter fishing when your not wanting to carry loads of gear or if your just taking the minimum to wander up and down a river.
Get the winders with the built in holders so you've no winder anchors to loose.

 

[little oik]

I use a korum rigbox perfect for hooklinks .
As for the floats if you are not into DIY there are available adjustable tubes out there like a float tube but for use with quiver tips .They extend out to about 20 inches and are just over an inch in diameter ..I use them for my sliders and big wagglers .The only problem is the colour,lime green with a pink cap.

 

[Wag]

For floats I use plastic tubes for artists brushes that I got from a local craft shop for about a pound each - about 12" long so even my largest floats fit.

Maver make expandable float tubes with screw/click system to adjust the length of the tube for about £4 - http://www.simplyfishingtackle.co.uk/maver-cylindrical-float-tube-38mm-p-3052.html.

 

[the indifferent crucian]

As you may know, I make and sell a few floats and I have found some perfectly good plastic float tubes on eBay.....at a pretty good price:

2x 7" GATOR CAPPED GREEN FLOAT TUBES POST FREE (GN) | eBay

He has them up to 11 1/2 inches..


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1x-11-5-G...tingGoods_FishingAcces_RL&hash=item35b71dd81b


I also managed to get some tubes and tops from a manufacturer in Yorkshire. These are great for long wagglers as they come in at 20 inches long....I just cut them down to suit.


To stop them rattling around I hold them centrally in the tubes with little circles of foam with a hole punched in the middle.

 

[Tee-Cee]

Thank you all very much for your advice/suggestions which gives me much to think on!

I haven't had time to go through all the post but it looks very interesting.....

Very much appreciated.

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

Maver make expandable float tubes with screw/click system to adjust the length of the tube for about £4

The Met police use a similar sort of thing for confiscated knives or knives required for evidence. You can obtain one by getting arrested and seeing if you can sneak into their storeroom and nicking one. (Only kidding , but they do use them, honest.)

 

[red creel]

A very simple idea is to wind your hooklengths onto pole winders, tuck the next hook into the previous hooklengths loop and keep going.
1 pole winder will hold dozen's of hooklengths and 3-4 pole winders will give you plenty of hooklengths and use each winder for a different sized hook/line, very easy to carry, take up very little space and no weight, handy for winter fishing when your not wanting to carry loads of gear or if your just taking the minimum to wander up and down a river.
Get the winders with the built in holders so you've no winder anchors to loose.

Thats the way i store my hooklengths as well.I could never get on with hooklength wallets even in my matchfishing days when i had to take absolutely everything with to the bankside.