plumbing the depth float fishing

[fishing_jamie]

Newb question - If i'm float fishing with bb weights and i plumb the depth do i also need a shot further down the line? or is two either side of the float enough for the line to sink and have the hook resting on the bottom.


thanks

 

[binka]

Are you confusing shotting patterns with plumbing up Jamie?

Ideally you would only need two small shot (or float stops) either side of a waggler (bottom end only) type of float as you don't want the float to cock... Best not putting any shot down the line at this stage.

Then, by using a plummet attached to the hook you will be able to find the different depths of water in front of you by adjusting the depth until the float tip sits as you would like it to.

Slightly different with a pole set up as you can shot that up fully and under set the depth and "feel" the difference to re-adjust to by lifting the tip before putting in and checking once adjusted.

 

[fishing_jamie]

Thanks for the reply Binka, I think i mean after i have plummed the depth do i keep my setup just the float and two shots or do i want to place one further down the line?

 

[binka]

Thanks for the reply Binka, I think i mean after i have plummed the depth do i keep my setup just the float and two shots or do i want to place one further down the line?

You're welcome

It depends... There are many different shotting patterns for different things.

As a rough, general guide you won't go far wrong with three small no.8 or no.10 shot evenly spaced over the bottom half of the depth, this will give you a fairly natural fall of the bait and you will see each shot registering on the float as it falls through the water so that you know, if the float takes longer than usual to settle, that a fish has taken your bait "on the drop".

You'll soon pick up how to keep the float in place in windy conditions by adding more depth so that you are fishing with a variable length of line on the bottom with a small shot or two to anchor it.

Just remember to deduct the amount of shot down the line from the capacity of the float when placing your bulk around it, so if you were using a 3BB float try placing 2BB and a no.1 bulk around it with the no.8's further down the line to sit the float down nicely.

 

[fishing_jamie]

Thanks again Binka for answering my question very helpful

I suppose it's just trial and error, I've recently been going to a lake and i haven't actually plummed the depth.. I've only just herd about this!

I've still caught but not many, So hopefully if i do this i should gain more fish and hopefully bigger ones.

 

[ciprinus]

what Binka is trying to say to you is, when you are plumbing your depth with a 2BB float you should just dot the float either side with a small shot IE a dust shot,,, do not attempt to cock the float at this stage.
clip on your plummet and then find the depth by raising or lowering the float till you find your float cocks where you want it, at this stage you gan then shot your float as you want it by either adding small shot down the line or just loading the bottom by the hook. the shotting patterns are nearly always a personal thing and you will soon find yours as you get the float to behave the way you want it to.
best of luck

 

[binka]

Thanks again Binka for answering my question very helpful

I suppose it's just trial and error, I've recently been going to a lake and i haven't actually plummed the depth.. I've only just herd about this!

I've still caught but not many, So hopefully if i do this i should gain more fish and hopefully bigger ones.

It's always good to experiment with depth, especially between a couple of inches off bottom and a few inches on and I'm sure you will see some good results by plumbing up first.

You can also look for features such as where the marginal shelf, always a good area to fish at the foot of, drops away and you may well find yourself catching far more at a closer range.

Good luck with it.

 

[fishing_jamie]

Thank to you also ciprinus

 

[ciprinus]

here is a short list of shot sizes and the equivalents you could use, you can see just by looking at the chart that a BB = 2 x No4 so if you wanted to spread that even further you could use 4 x No8s or to take it to the extreme you could even swap 1 x SSG for 16 x No6s (but thats just an example of how to use the chart)



Split shot size......Weight....................Shot equivalent
SSG....................1.60g .....................2 x AAA
AAA.....................0.80g.....................2 x BB
AB.......................0.60g.....................2 x No1
BB.......................0.40g.....................2 x No4
No1......................0.3g......................3 x No6
No3......................0.25g....................2 x No6
No4......................0.20g....................3 x No9
No5......................0.15g....................2 x No8
No6......................0.10g....................2 x No10
No8......................0.06g....................2 x No11
No9......................0.05g
No10....................0.04g....................2 x No12
No11....................0.03g
No12....................0.02g....................2 x No13
No13....................0.01

 

[Keith M]

Hi Jamie,

After you have plumbed up:

Here's a couple of standard shotting patterns for waters up to around 5 or 6ft deep that may help:



The two on the left are standard shotting patterns which are relatively tangle free on the cast; and the two on the right (with the bulk shot moved down into the undertow) will help you to combat any surface tow if your float starts to drift (and you don't want it to) placing one or more small shot on the bottom will also help to prevent surface drift.

Hope this helps

NB: These are for wagglers that are cast out on a float rod and not Pole floats which are often shotted differently.

Tight lines

Keith

 

[tigger]

I always shot up before plumbing, then I just remove the plumb weight and i'm away.

 

[Tee-Cee]

Always do lots of plumbing as its the only cheap and easy way of knowing the contours of the lake bed in front of you which in many cases is the best way of finding fish.
If you can find a deeper spot which shelves away from a shallower one you may well find better fish, but float fishing is all about searching a swim so do try different depths from laying on the bottom to fishing mid water - some good roach can sometimes be found just 2' deep below the surface, so it pays to search around if bites are not forthcoming or they have stopped.

I don't know if you have looked already, but the internet gives loads of information on float fishing in all sorts of situations so well worth a look....

If I was to offer one bit of advice it would be this ; Give one depth an hour and if no bites happening change by 6" and try again, and keep doing this. If nothing happens go back to the depth where you started and try again.

Obviously, lots of other factors such as different baits / groundbaiting are involved as well, but as I don't know how experienced you are I won't go into this.

I hope I haven't covered stuff you already know !!

Good luck !