European or American

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Originally Posted by shipahoy41

Many people just think of a float as a bobber to just suspend bait in front of a fish. I think of them as sensitive bite detectors. There are a lot of refinements in the "System" for delivering a bait to the fish. My question is do you prefer European or American floats? The best are the tiniest possiblewhich barely hold up your bait. Have you ever put "Fish oil" on the artificial bait you use?

My personal favorite is a "Waggler" floatation system.:D:D:D:D

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There's no comparison between American Bobbers to UK Floats or any other float regardless of its origin. I have met and fished with Mick Thill and consider him a friend and one of Americas Greatest Anglers.;) I prefer floats to bobbers, I don't own any bobbers, though I did use them when I was a kid and had tons of fun with them.

Here's some pics of my floats.

http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/o...l/Wagglers.jpghttp://i389.photobucket.com/albums/o...icWagglers.jpghttp://i389.photobucket.com/albums/o...dleChucker.jpghttp://i389.photobucket.com/albums/o...l/MP9Float.jpghttp://i389.photobucket.com/albums/o...issleFloat.jpghttp://i389.photobucket.com/albums/o...PoleFloats.jpg
http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/o...eFloatPack.jpghttp://i389.photobucket.com/albums/o...teH789H792.jpghttp://i389.photobucket.com/albums/o...sLollypops.jpg

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Originally Posted by BasicallyBluegill

I have met and fished with Mick Thill and consider him a friend

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Ditto. Most of what I know about float fishing I learned from Mick.

I bought a bunch of those european floats from a place in England. Most of them came with no way to attach line or use as a slip float. Were pretty, but junk as they came.
Now I use only one brand and size float. I use Carlisle #783 slip float. I get them in a box of 36 from Grizzly Jig Co. I use enough shot to balance them nicely.
I fish most all the time from a float tube and these floats haven't failed me yet.
ole Mike

Porcupine quills are good for shell crackers and other shy biters. Have had these for long time hard to find now days locally. These are 6"-8" long and 3/16"-1/4" dia.

yeah Illinoisgiller, I don't know how you would attach the line on some of those things, unless they are using a piece of plastic or rubber tubing slid over the top and or bottom of the float. I have taken cedar arrow shafts and made floats resembling a fat quill float, and used a wire eyelet on the bottom and a piece of rubber tubing on top. they worked exeedingly well but would foul in the line too much for my taste.

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Originally Posted by redear

yeah Illinoisgiller, I don't know how you would attach the line on some of those things, unless they are using a piece of plastic or rubber tubing slid over the top and or bottom of the float.

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That's exactly how some of the English floats work. In that case, you need the silicone to secure the float to the line.

Redear and Mike, you guys may have gotten the wrong the float for the job. There ARE a bunch of different types, but they can be broken down into a couple of basic groups:

1) Stillwater floats vs. river floats

2) Pole floats vs. "castable" floats

For most American fishing, however, all you really need is a waggler for lakes/ponds and an Avon-type float for rivers.

[QUOTE=deathb4disco;

For most American fishing, however, all you really need is a waggler for lakes/ponds and an Avon-type float for rivers.[/QUOTE]


Hey Db4D my friend,

You said a mouthful there my friend. That's pretty much all you need. You got me hooked on Wagglers about three years ago. I will use the small profile cigar float 40% of the time and a Waggler 60% of the time. It depends upon weather conditions and the type lure I am using on the dropper technique. http://www.crappie.com/crappie/main-...eep-photo.html

Disco, Looks like I just got the wrong dealer. If I was trying to promote european products for use in the US I wouldn't consider sending incomplete floats. All considered that type wouldn't work for most of my fishing anyway. I don't even own a 50 ft. hi tech. carbon rod. That was considered to be humor of course. lol I seen a Thill video one time.

Ship- Those wagglers do work! Especially on choppy water. I am just a little too set in my ways sometimes I guess. I have a couple in case I can't work my way around the chop. A lot of the time I just tightline with a soft rod when it's like that.
I may get a couple different sizes of them this spring as I want to play with the spoons from the float tube for aa change of pace. So many methods-so little time. ole Mike

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Originally Posted by Illinoisgiller

Disco, Looks like I just got the wrong dealer. If I was trying to promote european products for use in the US I wouldn't consider sending incomplete floats.

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Mike,

Not sure who you bought the floats from, but English/European floats typically do not come with the silicone included, and no English shop would think to ask if you wanted some. They would just assume you could buy it here in the US. If you ever decide to try again, PM me and I'll give you the name of some good English tackleshops.

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Originally Posted by Illinoisgiller

I don't even own a 50 ft. hi tech. carbon rod.

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I do! :D

It's not necessary, though. As I said before, most people would benefit just from learning the waggler.