Which float for margin carp?

[Lord Paul of Sheffield]

What float do you use for margin fishing for carp?

 

[rubio]

A pole float sunk 2/3 inches under the surface can be good to cut down on liners. If you only strike when it pops clear you spook fewer feeding fish and prevent yourself throwing your rod into the reeds.
Of course that depends on getting them to feed head down in the first place.

 

[steph mckenzie]

I used to always use Drennan Carp Floats for when i used to do a bit of Carp Stalking, i always found them reliable.
Pole Floats can also be excellent when fishing really close in and i would recommend a Drennan Dibber float attached to the line with just Float Rubbers.

 

[dangermouse]

I either use a pole float or a small insert waggler.

 

[bennygesserit]

Depending on weather I use the smallest float I can, I went to Coppice last week and had well over 100 pounds of fish - a lot from the margins using a float that only needed 2 number 8 STOTTS and the bait to sink the main body of the float.

A baliff at coppice told me that the carp there had been caught so much that they can feel the resistance of a float and try to spit the bait out. The day he told me that I was fishing with a .5g float , switched to the lighter one and suddenly converted a lot more bites into fish.

 

[barbelboi]

Normally one of three methods
The Dibbler
The ‘lift method’ – piece of quill or small crystal waggler.
The sunken float method
Jerry

 

[dangermouse]

Normally one of three methods
The Dibbler

The sunken float method
Jerry

Could you explain those please Jerry? Why and how you use them. I`ve never heard of either of them.

Apologies M`lud I know I`m taking the thread slightly off topic.

 

[Sean Meeghan]

I normally use a one swan shot Drennan Loafer with two swan shot on the bottom and no other shot on the line. Top and bottom floats work better in my opinion as they don't get dragged under as much as a waggler.

If carp are spooked by the float or by the line going down to your bait then take the float off and just fish with the swan shot on the bottom and a gentle curve of line from your rod tip - ie very little tension. When fishing like this I tend not to strike until I get a positve indication (normally the rod top pulling round). I remember writing an article on this some years ago - I'll see if it's still readable.

---------- Post added at 14:00 ---------- Previous post was at 13:52 ----------

Here it is. Not much on float selection, but probably useful.

 

[barbelboi]

Could you explain those please Jerry? Why and how you use them. I`ve never heard of either of them.

Apologies M`lud I know I`m taking the thread slightly off topic.

Neil, a dibbler is a type of pole float

For the sunken float method have a look at this chap

John Hofgardner stalking carp - YouTube

Jerry

 

[sagalout]

A 20p 0.5g pole float spotted down.

 

[Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC)]

A home made cocktail stick dibber ( as described by Kevin Ashurst)

1 to 2" piece of peacock quill with a cocktail stick. Shoved in the bottom. Can be fished bottom only or top and bottom.

 

[bennygesserit]

I normally use a one swan shot Drennan Loafer with two swan shot on the bottom and no other shot on the line. Top and bottom floats work better in my opinion as they don't get dragged under as much as a waggler.

If carp are spooked by the float or by the line going down to your bait then take the float off and just fish with the swan shot on the bottom and a gentle curve of line from your rod tip - ie very little tension. When fishing like this I tend not to strike until I get a positve indication (normally the rod top pulling round). I remember writing an article on this some years ago - I'll see if it's still readable.

---------- Post added at 14:00 ---------- Previous post was at 13:52 ----------

Here it is. Not much on float selection, but probably useful.

This works very well but is banned on my local fishery - there has to be a float or a ledger - the baliff said this is tantamount to freelining and therefore is not allowed.

---------- Post added at 17:26 ---------- Previous post was at 17:24 ----------

Neil, a dibbler is a type of pole float

For the sunken float method have a look at this chap

John Hofgardner stalking carp - YouTube

Jerry

Isn't there much more resistance with this type of float as opposed to a very sensitive one - I am starting to think I am wrong about fishing so sensitively

 

[dangermouse]

Neil, a dibbler is a type of pole float

Ah I see. The only Dibbler I knew of was C.M.O.T Dibbler.

For the sunken float method have a look at this chap

John Hofgardner stalking carp - YouTube

Jerry

I remember seeing that before, it doesn`t really explain much though. Is it a variation on the lift method then? Float shotted enough to be just under the surface and a largish shot near to the hook so that when the bait is picked up the float pops out of the water.

 

[chub_on_the_block]

Pike bung self-hooking rig?

 

[bennygesserit]

Just watched that video - he doesn't play them for long does he ?

 

[bub81]

Pole or crystal insert waggler. Always crystal if clear. Always small as possible.

In the evenings I always use boilies if I'm not already. Do others?

I fish well over depth. 8" at least. Just to get the vertical line away from the bait and to have zero resistance until the fish moves away. Obviously this means you often dont register anything until it moves away. But you can often sense when there is a fish feeding. Any shot is up at the float, out of sight. Remember, if you put shot near a hook, the carp will see it move suspiciously when it moves the bait.

 

[bennygesserit]

Pole or crystal insert waggler. Always crystal if clear. Always small as possible.

In the evenings I always use boilies if I'm not already. Do others?

I fish well over depth. 8" at least. Just to get the vertical line away from the bait and to have zero resistance until the fish moves away. Obviously this means you often dont register anything until it moves away. But you can often sense when there is a fish feeding. Any shot is up at the float, out of sight. Remember, if you put shot near a hook, the carp will see it move suspiciously when it moves the bait.

That must be why freelinig them works so well! , I have had the same advice on other forums mate , they also said to keep the line as close to the bank as possible for the same reason.

 

[bub81]

oooh didn't think of that one. Cheers Benny!
I always think float fishing for sub 12lb and 12lb plus carp, is like chalk and cheese...(12lb-ish).

 

[bennygesserit]

oooh didn't think of that one. Cheers Benny!

Thanks for yours mate , not my idea though, it has worked for me in the past.

I reckon 80 percent of my carp have come from the margins , i usually fish a 12 foot rod rather than a pole now, same presentation.

Why are carp so spooky until about 3 o clock and then they come right in and feed at your feet.

 

[bub81]

It may not be the original reason, Benny, but my best bet is that it's now so many anglers throw so much bait in when they go home, from late afternoon onwards, the carp are in the habit of a free lunch. This may have the opposite effect on daytime catches, tho.

Also, if you have a tree-surrounded lake, birds come alive before they go up to roost and I wonder if they drop more from the trees and even knock things off the trees (although wind usually falls so that last bit might be far fetched).

Generally, though I think carp are more confident in low light when they can still use their sight, but feel much less visible to predators on the bank.

In short, I don't know!