"Float fishing is a little fish method!"

luremanmike · Jul 8, 2011

As the title suggests why is it that some anglers think that float fishing is a small fish method?. The way i've always seen it is bigger bait, hook and line equals bigger fish.

I've seen someone catch a 19lb carp on a sliding float rig at distance using 6lb main line and 4lb bottom, not really a small fish imo....

barbelboi · Jul 8, 2011

Not sure where you get that idea from. As you have mentioned carp - I have, as have many others, caught very large carp tight in the margins on very light float tackle. Don’t forget that a float is just a method of getting your bait from a-b with the shot providing the counter balance and free lining close in can be far more effective. IMO bigger bait does not always mean bigger fish (I have caught many carp over 20lb on 4mm pellets - it depends on the water) it means there is less chance of ‘nuisance’ fish attacking your bait.

Bob Hornegold · Jul 8, 2011

luremanmike said:
As the title suggests why is it that some anglers think that float fishing is a small fish method?. The way i've always seen it is bigger bait, hook and line equals bigger fish.

I've seen someone catch a 19lb carp on a sliding float rig at distance using 6lb main line and 4lb bottom, not really a small fish imo....

Yea, thats why they catch 40lb carp every year from Lake John, using Float rigs and Poles ?

Did you see that Perch Martin Bowler caught on a Float and Pole, was that not 5lbs.

And as my mate saids, R W always reckoned Perch were the Biggest of Fishes ?

Bob

chav professor · Jul 8, 2011

Floater fishing often nails the biggest fish in the lake when it comes to Carp! but that is an aside......

I am sure, for educated fish, the float would be something different and give anglers an edge. I like the idea of a line rising vertically - much more natural in the water world (reeds, weed stems etc) - must be better than the potential for sharp angles under water....

I do tend to catch bigger carp and tench when ledgering though....

luremanmike · Jul 9, 2011

must just be the anglers i meet then.... but i have had it said to me more than once that "big fish dont take baits on the float at distance in deep water because the line spooks them even with light gear, you should ledger instead." (Quoted from a bailiff)

when someone says that to me they are basicly saying float fishing is a small fish tactic at distance, which is not my view but one i have come across a few times.

Paul Boote · Jul 9, 2011

luremanmike said:
must just be the anglers i meet then.... but i have had it said to me more than once that "big fish dont take baits on the float at distance in deep water because the line spooks them even with light gear, you should ledger instead." (Quoted from a bailiff)

when someone says that to me they are basicly saying float fishing is a small fish tactic at distance, which is not my view but one i have come across a few times.

You might have been meeting, listening to and possibly believing the wrong sorts, then. If I had believed the dead-eyed and -brained Leger Only Cognoscenti as a Kid, I'd've given up fishing forty years ago and would now be World Tiddlywinks Champion...

uscarper · Jul 9, 2011

ive caught some large catfish here in the u.s. using a sliding float. i wade the river drifting this rig thru likely looking spots and caught cats upto 15lbs. in our dayticket lakes, mostly stocked with cats, from 1lb to 100lb, floats are used almost exclusivly. a sliding float perhaps 12inches long, most are weighted on bottom of float. this helps get distance on some large lakes. as far as the line above float, some wax 6 ft of it so it floats or they thread a peice of tubing stuck into a small styrofoam float so that it keeps line from sinking next to your float. bait is usually live fish, so if your line sinks next to float it often gets tangled with your bait. at night a glowstick is attached with black electrical tape.

Lord Paul of Sheffield · Jul 9, 2011

Possible that the view comes from carp angling when you need to cast 100 yards and you can't do that with a float

Not a pop at carp anglers

dezza · Jul 9, 2011

To say that float fishing is a method for small fish shows a lack of knowledge of basic angling techniques.

Float fishing is deadly for catching big tench for example. I have caught virtually all my tench over 7lbs on the float.

Float fishing is an extremely searching method for big chub on rivers. I believe that some of the biggest chub caught in England were on the float, It works especially well on mild days in winter when the river is running high. Some of my biggest chub on the Warwickshire Leam and Upper Ouse were taken using a Drennan Chubber and bread flake, trotted 40 yards downstream.

And more anglers are discovering just how effective trotting is for big barbel.

I caught two nice barbel from the Trent on float tackle last year. This year, I hope to catch a lot more.

chav professor · Jul 9, 2011

Ron thats my favourite big Chub method, much more action on the float than ledgering - no silly niggly raps on the quiver - it just buries, strike and you are in!

I agree that the method works best when the river is carrying a little colour...they are crafty bu@@ers.

dezza · Jul 9, 2011

Oh and I believe that most of Terry Lampard's big chub were taken on the float.

chav professor · Jul 9, 2011

luremanmike said:
must just be the anglers i meet then.... but i have had it said to me more than once that "big fish dont take baits on the float at distance in deep water because the line spooks them even with light gear, you should ledger instead." (Quoted from a bailiff)

when someone says that to me they are basicly saying float fishing is a small fish tactic at distance, which is not my view but one i have come across a few times.

To be fair, in open water it may spook - I have only float fished for carp against reeds in the margins or near lilly beds where their watery world is vertical.

Smaller carp from pasty size to around 16lb regularly fall to my float presentation on one lake I fish. Anything bigger comes out on the ledger rod.

dezza · Jul 9, 2011

chav professor said:
Ron thats my favourite big Chub method, much more action on the float than ledgering - no silly niggly raps on the quiver - it just buries, strike and you are in!

Yes, set your float about 80% of the depth, 6lb straight through, no 6 Super specialist hook, bunch the shot about 12 to 18 inches from the hook, feed in several hand fulls of sloppy bread mixed with a bit of hemp, down goes the tackle using a Drennan Tench Float rod and near the end of the run down the float disappears.

Then you have the arm aching struggle of winding a nice chub back upstream.

Great fun!

chav professor · Jul 9, 2011

prefer 20ft of high modulus carbon fibre (aerospace grade probably) John Allerton Tri-cast - with a centre pin - as you would use........... lol

Bamboo is nasty stuff for trotting

I think this is what you were alluding too....

bit off subject here, but had 2 hours spare yesterday and went stalkin and caught 6 chub on free lined worms - you'd have a job doing that on the float -or any method for that matter!

dezza · Jul 9, 2011

chav professor said:
prefer 20ft of high modulus carbon fibre (aerospace grade probably) John Allerton Tri-cast - with a centre pin - as you would use........... lol

But I was only fishing little rivers when I used this technique.

You are quire right about cane being useless for trotting. Old **** used to have a 14 foot hollow glass rod he used for big fish trotting. Tag Barnes had a similar rod made and used it with great effect on the chub of the Swale.

I certainly wouldn't be able to wield 20 feet of carbon, or even cane for that matter. I have a Daiwa 15 footer which is quite powerful I intend to try for big barbel in the Trent next week.

chav professor · Jul 9, 2011

its perfect for running a float along the reed line of a particulr small river - for 20ft, quite light really for its length and gives good control over float and then fish.

13ft Daiwa Tournament X for everything else.

I'd like to know more about trotting for barbel...

there you can award me the 'black gaff' lol

dezza · Jul 9, 2011

You will certainly get the Black Gaff for using cane!

In the past I used a Drennan Tench Float rod for barbel trotting. It will handle lines up to 10 lb bs easily. I use 8 lbs bs Daiwa Sensor with a 7lb Incognito hook length. Hooks for maggots and casters are 16 and 14 Drennan Barbel hooks with 12 and 10s for other baits. Drennan Super Specialists are also good.

I use a Daiwa TDX 3012 which is one of the best reels of its type in the world. The drag is as smooth as silk, the roller rolls and it will outlive me be a long way.

For floats, a fairly big stick or Drennan crystal straight waggler that will hold a lot of shot will suffice,

The main thing is to have plenty bait at least 1/2 a gallon of maggots for a day's session.

Look for a nice steady swim with a gravel bottom and get that bait going in little and often. You will often catch roach, perch and chub, but in time the barbel will show.

flightliner · Jul 9, 2011

Some years ago there was a bolt rig ban on Sywell and it was float only -- didnt make a pennorth of differance as all the tench came just the same-- big and little, it was noticable that many didnt bother going at the time , my mate said it was on account of them not being any good with a float-- their loss I suppose.
Barbel on the float--- if you read Bob roberts blog he says its now much harder to take barbel on the float this year on the Trent on account of it being low and clear?.
Reels for float fishing for Trent barbel-- Centrepins are a bit to slow for my liking tho I do use one occasionally, The Mitchell 300 is superb for the task, often called coffee grinders but to be honest the one I used last week sounds more like a rock crusher. A guy on the other bank said if I came back the following morning could I make it at six AM as the reel I was using would act as an early morning alarm call -- Cheeky sod!!
Still think that that reel likely to have had more Barbel with float gear from the Trent than any other with the exception of perhaps one .

chav professor · Jul 10, 2011

Ron The Hat Clay said:
You will certainly get the Black Gaff for using cane!

In the past I used a Drennan Tench Float rod for barbel trotting. It will handle lines up to 10 lb bs easily. I use 8 lbs bs Daiwa Sensor with a 7lb Incognito hook length. Hooks for maggots and casters are 16 and 14 Drennan Barbel hooks with 12 and 10s for other baits. Drennan Super Specialists are also good.

I use a Daiwa TDX 3012 which is one of the best reels of its type in the world. The drag is as smooth as silk, the roller rolls and it will outlive me be a long way.

For floats, a fairly big stick or Drennan crystal straight waggler that will hold a lot of shot will suffice,

The main thing is to have plenty bait at least 1/2 a gallon of maggots for a day's session.

Look for a nice steady swim with a gravel bottom and get that bait going in little and often. You will often catch roach, perch and chub, but in time the barbel will show.

Cheers Ron! I will give it a go. the problem for me is I have to travel to fish for Barbel perhaps its folly, but I do like the Royalty. When I have maggot fished in the day, because the river is heaving with fish of all sizes, the float does not settle. In-deed the fry attack the float, the shot and any bl@@dy thing that hits the water. This is high summer mind.....

I suspect that maybe this would not be such a problem early or late in the day.......

I normally make them 3 day trips - perhaps a days trotting, a day ledgering and a day free-lining with cane! lol Each method fun in its own way - and well, time to chuck that old black gaff of yours away!!!!

"Float fishing is a little fish method!"

luremanmike

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