Quote Originally Posted by wicklundrh View Post
I purchase Thill floats with weights already on them. They have a small lead collar held on by a rubber "O" ring. Most of the time, I don't use sinkers but I'm also not throwing a slip float. I use a longer steelhead rod and have little issue casting a static float set 10 feet above the bait. Those weighted floats also help you cast further.

You can also do like one other said and wrap some coiled solder around your floats. I figure, why reinvent the wheel when someone already makes them. Wal-mart sells em pretty cheap.
I started out using the Thill weighted floats and found they did cast quite well. The down side they were weighted to only float vertical. I could not tell if my lure was on the bottom or detect a up biting fish as the float remained vertical. A float properly balanced will up set to a horizontal position indication up bites and bottom.
I my area twenty five percent of the crappie bites are up bites.