Loc slide and Polaris floats.

[Ray Roberts]

I have fished many deep lakes in the past and my current club lakes are deep irrigation reservoirs.

I have always legered or used a sliding float. Legering is fine but as the contour of the lake bed is bowl shaped hitting exactly the same spot is critical, too close and you are over depth, too short and you are fishing up in the water.

I considered using Loc slides or Polaris floats but they seem to my mind at least to be extremely insensitive. Surely to show a bite, either the feeder/bomb would need to be moved by the biting fish or the entire buoyancy of the float (Up-thrust, if you like) would need to be overcome. Or, does this resistance cause a self hooking effect like a bolt rig.

I would like to hear your experiences and thoughts on this topic as I just can't bring myself to use a method whose faults seem so clearly apparent.

 

[The fishing coach]

The way I see it is the biting fish only has to overcome the bouyancy of the amount of float you have left showing above the surface, the weight of the feeder or lead does the rest when you tighten down to it.

But then what do I know about applied mechanics.

 

[Rodney Wrestt]

Hi Ray,
I would suggest you used a paternoster rig with a Polaris, that way the feeder doesn't have to move at all and the float is sensitive enough to show sail away bites, as you mention the feeder or weight will act as a bolt rig eventually but it's not a necessity.

 

[Ray Roberts]

the weight of the feeder or lead does the rest when you tighten down to it.

Er, don't think so martin. The float is anchored by the weight/feeder. The float would have to suspend the weight for the buoyancy to be overcome. A soon as the float dips the fish would feel the buoyancy of the float or the weight of the feeder and proberbly a combination of the two. At the least, if the fish gave a lift bite then the fish would feel the portion of the weight of the weight/feeder not counteracted by the float's buoyancy.

Or am I missing something here.

---------- Post added at 14:10 ---------- Previous post was at 14:09 ----------

Sorry Rodney we passed like ships in the night.

 

[the indifferent crucian]

Dave Thomas' Loc-Slide floats have to have shot of a certain capacity near the hook...I'm afraid I can't recall the ammount for each of the sizes available. I believe this is to give a taught line between shot and float so that the float may run to the surface and to separate the float from the hooklength when casting. You wind down with your reel to lower the float down into the water, once it has surfaced.

I possess some but have never used them, feeling like you, that they must be too insensitive. However I have watched Matt Hayes use one with deadly effect for bream at distance, so it can be done.

 

[Rodney Wrestt]

The indicated weight is required to cock the float accurately but the float isn't locked on the line until an angle is created inside the line tubes on the float's base by tightening up the line, this creates an angle between where the float is in relation to where the feeder and hook is settled and the rod tip. That's why it only takes a slight movement of the handle to either sink or raise the float tip and the bait remains stationary.

 

[The Sogster]

I have used the polaris floats for years on canals, rivers and stillwaters.
I have always found them to be very sensitive when using either a semi-fixed or running leger.
I think that the float really only has to overcome the weight of the line between itself and the hook due to the way the polaris floats lock onto the line. It is only the tension in the line which 'locks' the float at depth. This means that with little resistance from the lead (use a large run ring) a fish can pull the float under easily against the tension of the rod tip/ slack clutch/ baitrunner, similarly a fish releasing tension on the line causes the float to rise and lay flat.

 

[The fishing coach]

Works on the same principle as the old lift method as used by Fred Taylor and Walker for tench.

 

[Rodney Wrestt]

Works on the same principle as the old lift method as used by Fred Taylor and Walker for tench.

Yup, except it finds the correct depth itself.

 

[Ray Daywalker Clarke]

Ray,

I like to use the Loc slide float, when fishing at distance, i find them better than the polaris.

Use a running feeder or lead, and tighten up the line as required. I have found the bite indication to be fine.

I use a swivel at the end of the main line and a bead, when you tighten up the feeder/lead hits the bead, there is no need for any shot at all, the weight comes from the feeder/lead.

Lift bites show up very well, but I have never found this way of fishing to be like a bolt rig.

 

[Ray Roberts]

Lift bites show up very well, but I have never found this way of fishing to be like a bolt rig.

This surprises me Ray, No negative responses, which to be honest I hadn't expected. I will buy a couple and give them a try.

 

[Graham Whatmore]

The Polaris float does exactly what it says on the tin, the art is in the casting ensuring the float is directly over the feeder. One of the problems with it is the float riding back up the line during the cast and although it will still lock when it is tensioned too much of an angle twixt float and feeder is created. The cast should be feathered to maintain a straight line, and the the tip of the rod should be buried slightly as the feeder hits the water, give it plenty of line to allow the float to surface directly over the feeder then tighten up.

The bites are just the same as any waggler except you don't get a lift bite because the float is tensioned against the feeder but not supporting it in any way much as when using a feeder normally. The advantage of the float means there is less distance before the bite is registered the disadvantage is that high winds and tow can make it almost impossible to keep the float visible.

 

[stravic]

Look at Ultra Floats : For the Polaris range of leger floats, ultra sensitive bite detection to suit just about every situation - still water, running water, specimen fishing. We have it covered for further Polaris information.
Also Locslideremier float Catalogue Locslide Leger floats.

 

[Andy M]

Another point to keep in mind is that if you use high tech low diameter line the running back up the line mentioned by Graham becomes serious and ruins the presentation.

 

[Ray Daywalker Clarke]

This is the reason I prefer Loc slide floats to the polaris.

With the loc slide the float doesn.t seem to slide back up the line as much as the Polaris, I think this is due to the angle of the Locking bend at the base of the float, where as the Polaris is just straight.

 

[quickcedo]

As it's not been mentioned.. I have used the polaris but not the loc slide. The polaris (I think I've owned 3 or 4) have all worn a small groove after a while which the line snagged in causing it to snag and therefor not slide back down the line. A bit annoying when you're fishing in 20ft of water with a 12ft rod and trying to land a fish. On a few occasions the float failed to rise as the line had been caught in this small groove. Floats now in bin. Will try the Loc slide though.

 

[Ray Daywalker Clarke]

I find it strange that some say they don't get lift bites when using these floats, cos I do.

The fish can move the feeder or lead just as they do when your ledgering, when this happens the rod tip goes straight from having a little curve in it, just as a drop back bite.
Once the feeder/lead is moved, the pressure is released and the float lifts up in the water.