Help stopping line drift

[chrissh]

I was fishing a still water pond max depth is 9ft with a pellet waggler last week and was have problems with drift, the depth I was fishing 2-3ft under the float using a 4g Drennan loaded pellet waggler, then I change to a 6g Drennan shorty pellet waggler fishing about 25-30ft out from the rod tip , I have tried feathering the cast just before the float hits the water to take up the slack line then putting the rod tip under the water to sink the line and keeping the tip under water when in the rod is in the rest, I put some mucilin quick sink on the line but still getting a bow that coursing the drift, I’m using new 6lb mono maxima line only re-spooled 2 weeks ago and 4lb 20” hook length no shoot just a loaded float. There was no wind or very little on the day so the water was calm … Could it be the line causing the problem or the rod to short?

The rod is a shimano 10ft Beastmaster commercial float

I been searching google for answers but coming up with nothing … any ideas or help please

 

[108831]

There is probably a 'tow',which you will not stop and as the belly in your line grows will accelerate unfortunately.

 

[binka]

I agree with whitty on the tow, even when there's no wind a lake can really start to push around as air warms and rises during the day which in turn causes the movement on an otherwise still looking surface.

Your limited to what you can do when fishing shallow, the usual fix of bulking shot low down or laying on a bit are out of the window and you've addressed the line sink already.

I'm thinking you're fishing for carp with the pellet waggler, would it be worth trying a stepped down zig rig to keep the bait at the desired depth without drifting?

Probably not an ideal solution I appreciate but it would present the bait at the depth you require and keep it there.

 

[jasonbean1]

I had a similar problem fishing a waggler on the bottom in a gravel pit. The depth was 10ft, little wind and I was only fishing 10 meters out.

Even with a heavy waggler with a bulk down I could not stop the float moving left to right. It was like trotting on a river.

I tried putting weight on the bottom to stop it which it did but it just dragged the float under. Other than put a pike float on all I could do was switch to the feeder.

Sometimes you have to accept the conditions are not right for your method.

To be honest I often see anglers trying to fish a pellet waggler on my local pit when the conditions are not right simply because they believe it's the method to catch on.

 

[103841]

I thought the pellet waggler method requires casting every 15-30 seconds, tow wouldn't be an issue surely?

 

[jasonbean1]

even in that short time if it starts moving it can be difficult to get bites

 

[john step]

Chriss do you have a pole. if so one way is to use a longer line than usual with a a pole ,say 2 feet from the pole tip and use a small top and bottom dibber.

Let the float drift to where it wants to go on the end of the line/run and hold back and feed at this point.

 

[rayner]

I rarely fish pellet waggler now because of my limitations but on the occasions I do the float is rarely still, what with casting, feeding and twitching the float is generally only in a position where it could drift for 15 seconds.
If there is only a light breeze or better still none at all that gives me a chance. Any kind of a blow at all then waggler is out for me.
In your case if tow is so bad it causes presentation problems that would also prevent me from fishing the waggler.
There are times when a slow sinker will out fish a waggler. If the tow is surface tow the slow sinker may well be a better way to go.

 

[peter crabtree]

I find most bites on a pellet wagg are on the drop. You say you put the rod in the rest, doing that will exacerbate your drift problem. Try using a much heavier float, 12/15gr for instance. Try using a much longer line down to your hook so it spends longer dropping, finally hold the rod and keep the rod tip pointing at or even beyond the float to combat the line towing so quickly.
Whilst on the drop the bait will look more natural as it moves along but once it reaches full depth and hangs in the water it will look unnatural, if you get my driftmg:

Rayner also has a point with the slow sinker, keep adding small shot at the base of your waggler until it sinks very slowly, try it in the margin after throwing a pellet in to see how slowly/ fast it sinks, then try to mimic that sinking speed with your float.

Personally I never put the rod down using either method as the bites are generally fierce and can result in lost tackle....

 

[Wilko]

How about fishing a swan shot paternoster to combat the tow?

 

[chrissh]

been out today fished the same set up and had no problems with drift so i think it was tow due to the hot day.
Thank you for all your help

---------- Post added at 22:11 ---------- Previous post was at 22:05 ----------

Chriss do you have a pole. if so one way is to use a longer line than usual with a a pole ,say 2 feet from the pole tip and use a small top and bottom dibber.

Let the float drift to where it wants to go on the end of the line/run and hold back and feed at this point.

Hi john no I don’t have a pole, I did but gave it away last year just couldn’t get on with it. Thanks for your help

 

[108831]

I had a similar problem fishing a waggler on the bottom in a gravel pit. The depth was 10ft, little wind and I was only fishing 10 meters out.

Even with a heavy waggler with a bulk down I could not stop the float moving left to right. It was like trotting on a river.

I tried putting weight on the bottom to stop it which it did but it just dragged the float under. Other than put a pike float on all I could do was switch to the feeder.

Sometimes you have to accept the conditions are not right for your method.

To be honest I often see anglers trying to fish a pellet waggler on my local pit when the conditions are not right simply because they believe it's the method to catch on.

I have always found in the scenario above is that your feed is also travelling with said tow,even balls of groundbait,so I want my float to go with the tow,the biggest issue is slowing it down enough to get bites as the bow that forms accelerates your float,my way round is to increase depth(up to 3ft sometimes)and put more shot on the deck,but it has to be just right.