Float tip shape

Jon Jagger · Apr 22, 2009

I was thinking about the opposing forces on a float tip - you want the tip to be as tiny as possible to increase sensitivity (since it's basically the volume of water that it has to displace that governs sensitivity) but you don't want to sacrifice visibility...

So how about a float where the tip is made from a stiff piece of plastic shaped in a tight spiral! Hard to explain, but imagine a pig's tail shape. Or to put it another way, imagine a regular hollow float tip and then drawing a rising spiral on the tip with a black pen, and then cutting out the black bit...

Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC) · Apr 22, 2009

You mean like a helical spring mate. Good idea.

I remember a float that had a tip like a length of drinking straw. It was about 3-4 mm dia. The top end was left open. At the base of the tip was a hole in the side - this allowed water to pass inside the float tip as it was pulled under. Don't think they took off though.

Mark Wintle · Apr 22, 2009

Although commercial versions were available, I've made hollow tipped wagglers for years and still use them when the light is bad and I want the sensitivity at range; last year's Keith Culley match was one occasion. A tip about 3mm thick but as sensitive as one 1mm thick yet highly visible. I don't think the spiral would be that visible at range even if it was sensitive. I've used various plastic tubes for the tips from drinking straws to sections of Drennan crystal floats.

Another means of doing this that was commercially available circa 1970 was a fluted X section tip made from plastic on trotting floats.

Quite often with waggler floats some residual bouyancy is useful to hold the float up against the tow.

Graham Whatmore · Apr 22, 2009

They weren't supposed to take off, they were supposed to sink doh!

captain carrott · Apr 22, 2009

<blockquote class=quoteheader>Graham Whatmore wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>They weren't supposed to take off, they were supposed to sink doh!</blockquote>
well they worked then

Ray Daywalker Clarke · Apr 22, 2009

When i make floats with insert tops, i use plastic straws for the insert

Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC) · Apr 23, 2009

Ray

If you use a straw as an insert then do you leave the top end open or do you plug it with glue?

Morespiders · Apr 23, 2009

Of course he plugs it you silly bugger, you get worse Corker/forum/smilies/nerd_smiley.gif

Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC) · Apr 23, 2009

Well then it's full of air and more boyant.

Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC) · Apr 23, 2009

<u>TOP TIP</u>

Use a waggler with a fine insert to register delicate bites, but tie an orangeballoon to the float tip so that you can easily locate it at distance in the event that you take your eye off it.

The Thinking Angler.

slime monster · Apr 23, 2009

Long nylon stiff brush bristles used as inserts and painted hi viz convert a long range waggler into a super sensitive float even with 3 inches of tip showing.

Tee-Cee · Apr 23, 2009

That sounds good to me Slime Monster-must give that a go when I make some more floats.....very roachy.......................

slime monster · Apr 23, 2009

<blockquote class=quoteheader>Tee-Cee wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>That sounds good to me Slime Monster-must give that a go when I make some more floats.....very roachy.......................</blockquote>
An extra bonus is you can push a little sight bob on the end and shot it down for unreal lift bites.

Ray Daywalker Clarke · Apr 23, 2009

<blockquote class=quoteheader>Matt Corker wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>

Ray

If you use a straw as an insert then do you leave the top end open or do you plug it with glue?</blockquote>

Yes Matt i plug it, but when I told Spider I plug it, he said he would try it out.

The result was a waggler float with a 3 pin 13 amp plug stuck on top,.......................... well he is from a funny part of the world.

slime monster · Apr 23, 2009

Is Spiders on the Carp circuit? ...coat!

Tee-Cee · Apr 24, 2009

Slime monster-you can't just say"push a little sight bob on the end "and not give the full detail of the sight bob itself.............it may be an extra bonus as you say,but I'm not that clever to work out what such a sight bob would have to be made of to remain effective...

............is it a small foam ball (what size and where are they available?) of some sort as anything else would seem to make it top heavy??

The success of this float must be in the detail............and I want to make some!!

ps Drennan used to make a 'Driftbeater float'with a sight bob and that was made from foam but sadly I could never locate them to use on my floats..........

Muffin · Apr 24, 2009

I might not be the most scientific, but surely the power required to pull under even a very large tipped float is minimal, so would having no resistance as a result of a spiral shaped float really make any difference to the number of fish landed?

Ray Daywalker Clarke · Apr 24, 2009

Tee-Cee,

If you want to make a bob for a driftbeater float, try using sheet insulation that is put in cavity walls. This can be cut to shape and sanded down, painted and varnished.

Muffin I agree with you, to methe sensitivity is in the set up,line, hook,shotingetc, in turn the float you are using, set's the weight. It's how you set the float, not the float tip.

Bob Paulley · Apr 26, 2009

Shapes and design to one side; in my researches into other issues, I found this supplier of fine fibre "paper", which ends itself to reasonably cheap, simple, lightweight fabrication.

http://www.ecfibreglasssupplies.co.uk/store/-c-42_85.html?osCsid=922712bd66a2d76abcc3fe2dd3fb7cf2

Mark Wintle · Apr 26, 2009

Simon,

For roach fishing at range on stillwater a hollow-tipped float with hole will show lift bites using much smaller dropper shot than a solid tip. This is a tremendous advantage. Read up Ivan Marks for sizes of drop shot because Ivan often used no. 1 or even BB to be able to see lift bites at long range. That sensitivity is important as is often demonstrated when pole fishing with very much finer float tips when previously unseen bites become visible.

An easy way to get a sight bob is to use a short piece of very thick peacock quill.

Float tip shape

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