Least visible shot the better... ?

[laguna]

I think there's certain advantages using less shot, the main advantage I think is having less resistance, plus you get to break water faster (less time setting up), also the cast becomes more streamlined and less prone to tangles.

I rarely use shirt button shotting patterns and prefer a waggler over a pole float using two BB's and a dropper shot 4" above the hook. This is as simple as it gets - except perhaps if fishing on the drop in the top layers, in which case I sometimes omit the dropper.

From a presentational point of view; I think the least visible shot on the line the better. Does it even matter all that much, if at all? I think so. Its probably just as important as when scaling it all down, fishing with thin diameter and fluorocarbon lines and the smallest hooks possible - for a bit of finesse.

We can't always go 'light' so how to reduce visible shot?
One way is to use a loaded waggler like these (which I'm not too keen on due to their bulk)

Another way is to make your own loaded float adapters - using a bit of silicone tubing with a small swivel stuffed in the bottom!

How simple is that?

 

[ken more]

Is the casting weight the swivel and the silicone float tube bit.

 

[thames mudlarker]

Is the casting weight the swivel and the silicone float tube bit.

No mate, to be honest those float adaptors you can literally buy from any tackle shops in packs of about 5,
All there basically for is just so you can change yer float from whatever size or colour without having to break yer rig down and start again,

You want to change the float, simply pull out of silicon tube and then push another float in place,

Simples

 

[laguna]

Is the casting weight the swivel and the silicone float tube bit.

The weight from the swivel means you need less shot down the line (or ether side of a waggler).. and even less if you squeeze the air out of the tubing!

 

[trotter2]

Regarding shot being invisible yes it would be an advantage.
Shot down the line or built into the float not really comparable as they both offer different form of presentation .

 

[rayner]

I've never been afraid of using lead down the line, 8s and below of course.
I use droppers as everyone but the final three are styles on still waters, flowing water unfortunately out for me now.
Bottom three style droppers are generally No8s but will go bigger, so long as I can see them settle.
I really can't say it's because they are less visible, it's just the way I have always fished.
Fishing a slider the final dropper is a No1 shot solely to register on the float, I know it's a deep water rig but still it doesn't put even small fish off.

 

[peter crabtree]

I don't believe fish have the intelligence to know what shot is, or line or hooks come to that... If they did we'd never catch them.

 

[john step]

I don't believe fish have the intelligence to know what shot is, or line or hooks come to that... If they did we'd never catch them.

I agree to a point but... There is a lake with a sandy bottom that I fish. You cannot get many takes when using conventional green braid hooklinks but change to that Drennan sink braid in a sandy colour and the results are electric.

Now I realise that shot may be different but I feel fish can spot things that don't look right.

There was a thread on here a while ago where the perch were difficult giving tiny very missable bites when they could see a line hanging vertically and that laying line on the bottom by ledgering made all the difference.

Water colour and visibility may be the key here?

 

[chub_on_the_block]

I started a thread about fish intelligence a few years back.

General conclusion was that they are sufficiently intelligent to outwit anglers most of the time.

http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/...6-what-most-intelligent-fish.html#post1056710

 

[S-Kippy]

I started a thread about fish intelligence a few years back.

General conclusion was that they are sufficiently intelligent to outwit anglers most of the time.

http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/...6-what-most-intelligent-fish.html#post1056710

They are certainly sufficiently intelligent to outwit me most of the time !

I think we do them a bit of a disservice at times....and on other occasions afford them too much intelligence. Brim excepted of course

 

[binka]

There was a thread on here a while ago where the perch were difficult giving tiny very missable bites when they could see a line hanging vertically and that laying line on the bottom by ledgering made all the difference.

I think that was me John, following my experiences on a clear gravel pit.

 

[robtherake]

There are always instances that have you scratching your head. I was catching tench in one of last summer's sessions, on floatfished prawn. With a single number 6 dropper on I couldn't buy a strikeable bite. Removing it made all the difference, but the fish weren't taking the bait until it had hit bottom and there was no appreciable wind drift, so what gives?

 

[Neil Maidment]

I can't remember when I last fished a stillwater other than for carp off the top with a variation of methods none of which involve shot!

But, on my local moving stuff, I have no doubt even ravenous chub can become "shot shy". I was indebted to Andy Little at the back end of last year for a reminder about bulked shot.

My very effective default attack on the Stour is to fish an 8grm/10grm balsa with a bulk and maybe a no:1 or BB as a dropper. Even when a swim can appear to be full of chub they will back off and tinkering around with shotting patterns and depth helps to keep them coming. But, in the right swim and conditions, switching to a dumpy waggler with virtually no shot down, can be an absolute game winner, previously relatively wary chub will often respond with complete abandon!

 

[chub_on_the_block]

I generally aim to have as little shot down the line as possible. I remember many sessions on many waters, such as the the slow moving Thames at Tadpole and quite a few lakes, where the killer method was to have a single No6 or No8 dropper and nothing else. Exceptions are deep swims, swims with hordes of small fish in mid-water, swims with currents etc etc where bulk shot is needed to get the bait down.

 

[thames mudlarker]

I generally aim to have as little shot down the line as possible. I remember many sessions on many waters, such as the the slow moving Thames at Tadpole and quite a few lakes, where the killer method was to have a single No6 or No8 dropper and nothing else. Exceptions are deep swims, swims with hordes of small fish in mid-water, swims with currents etc etc where bulk shot is needed to get the bait down.

That's exactly what I do now, in fact I often fish a stick float completely different to what a lot of others may generally use, I use AAA shot directly under the stick, this is normally only 1 or 2 shots to take the weight I then just use a single or sometimes 2 X no: 6 shot just above me hook length as me dropper shot, I've often fished this way for years and with no problems whatsoever,

If I need to deepen or shallow me rig I've now only gotta move 1-2 AAA shot from under the float to quickly slide up or down the line as aposed to a whole length of shirt button shot

I don't really like using bulk shot to often unless it's really essential in deep swims IE 8 ft plus because I really feel that fish quite often see this moving through the water when trotting and reckon in my eyes that it definitely looks unnatural as the element of finesse seems to be somewhat lost

I know we all catch at times using the bulk shot but I really feel that less is actually more if one gets me jist :thumbs:

 

[rayner]

I don't believe fish have the intelligence to know what shot is, or line or hooks come to that... If they did we'd never catch them.

I'm sure you're right but after being caught they become to learn when something is dangerous, lighter lines are definitely better for tricking wary fish.