Solution thought ideas?

[dicky123]

So fishing yesterday in a gale on my local commercial water. I had the wind off my back, so casting was easy, but the fishing proved anything but. It was a gale honest, and when I cast out two rod length the float came back under my bank with undertow?

I'd set up a waggler 3aaa and was fishing just over depth, very fine, with a size 16s hook.

On each cast the float would come back under the bank, but I was catching some cracking roach to 8oz. Then two F1s one a lovely little scaled mirror of around 2lb.

Should I have gone just over depth with bigger shot on the bottom, or well over depth (12''15'') with a string of number 8s laying on.

I felt confident of the roach feeding, so fished over a ground-bait with maggots as hook-bait. Just felt that maybe laying on with a stick float would have done as good?? Thought what would you have done regarding the undertow. Rich.

 

[tigger]

Maybe a link leger or small bomb and float leger, the float wouldn't go anywhere using that method.
You could use any size of weight or even a feeder if you wished to.

 

[Paste paul]

Sounds like you was doing ok to me ?
It also sounds like the under tow was really bad....... so I’m not really sure how you could stop a float moving in those particular circumstances........
Maybe a thick topped float laying on the deck by a couple of foot and a string of small shots on the bottom to slow it up a bit but if it’s pulling that hard it would probably sink the float......
You would still get the same problem with a stick float as it was coming back towards you so I see no advantage in that......
Or a small bomb ledger with a short soft rod might have worked ?
Hope this helps

 

[dicky123]

Paul, Tigger.
My thoughts were if I go back this week and the wind is as bad, I'll use my ultra light Drennan feeder fished with a short helicopter hook-link 3". But I do love the float fishing, and roach on the float are like two on the feeder? Guess you know what I mean? I've never fished a place where the tow was that to be honest. I'll put some picture up tomorrow to show you the swim, fish and such.

 

[tigger]

Paul, Tigger.
My thoughts were if I go back this week and the wind is as bad, I'll use my ultra light Drennan feeder fished with a short helicopter hook-link 3". But I do love the float fishing, and roach on the float are like two on the feeder? Guess you know what I mean? I've never fished a place where the tow was that to be honest. I'll put some picture up tomorrow to show you the swim, fish and such.

Just float leger then, it's a very sensitive set up and you can make it a light fine set up if you wish to. I often use it even if it's perfect float fishing conditions.
I find it way more sensitive than any form of quivertip fishing.

 

[no-one in particular]

I would use whatever bunch shot was necessary to hold the bottom, a long thin float of some sort, maybe a large quill, d-grease the line, overcast to where I wanted the float to be and dip the rod tip, then sink the line and fish with the rod tip sunken under the water, adjust shot until I have held. This can be a bit un sensitive for roach, might have set all the shot on the end of the line and attached a hook link about a foot above the shot and make it about 1.5-2 foot long. This does not register lift bites but if the fish are taking it well, the float will move and the fish will move the float before they feel the weight of the shot.
I don't know if this is best but it is what I usually do if undertow/surface flow are a problem and I am the same; like to keep float fishing if i can..

 

[Aknib]

Regardless of the depth just set your float rig up as a slider rig with all the bulk shot right next to the hooklink, plumb up by using the bulk shot and not a plummet and set your bulk an inch or two off bottom and your float rig will not shift in the tow, I guarantee you.

I regularly fish some large, exposed waters well in excess of twenty acres and they are renowned for their exposure and I rarely even have to resort to a Driftbeater, let alone the tip.

This is actually quite a calm day but one where the float still shows up on the picture...



Don't worry either if you have to use a big float and bulk, the fish tend to be quite bold in these conditions and in any case will only feel a small fraction of the difference between a small and large float/bulk once negated by the balance and the buoyancy.

 

[108831]

Undertow can be a serious problem,but normally fish feed greedily in such conditions,here is my take on it,unless you ball in groundbait how do you know where your feed is landing,because that will be moving with the tow too,if you put say a swan shot on the deck it wont move,but you probably wont do very well,what i do,is fish overdepth,up to three feet(thats from the first shot above the hooklength,this shot would normally be a no.10 to start,but could be increased to 2/3 no.10's,8's,or even 6's,this is to slow the floats movement to a rate the fish will accept well,it takes a bit of working out sometimes and there are days you cant quite get there but it is the best method and is a very effective string to your bow.

 

[peter crabtree]

I’m not sure if your question regards fishing in a tow generally or your recent situation?

If it’s the latter, it seems fairly obvious the fish were under your feet because your ground bait and loose fed maggots were being washed into your bank by the tow.
That is why the fish were there?

 

[dicky123]

I’m not sure if your question regards fishing in a tow generally or your recent situation?

If it’s the latter, it seems fairly obvious the fish were under your feet because your ground bait and loose fed maggots were being washed into your bank by the tow.
That is why the fish were there?

Swear to God Peter, I did not think of that right away. Its why you're a good match angler I guess buddy.:w Joking thanks mate.