Foat fishing and missing fish?

hi guys ive been around, just never registered. im a big ice fisherman, when i do most my panfishing. but anyway i have a quetion... i have been using slip floats and reg clip on thill floats, but i have a hard time hooking fish. i miss over 50% of the bites. i dont know if this is due to the fish only taking half the bait or just me. can you guys offer any advice on when to set the hook, or tips on hooking up when using floats? im using either reg longshank hooks or jigs and tube tipped with waxies or maggots. thanks

I had the same problem a week ago fishing a float with a Berkley gulp waxie. I recently got a '4'6 intra lite rod and reel combo. I was fishing with a float and hook. I had problems hooking fish. Out of 5 hits, only one of them got a hook up. I switched to a 7'6 rod and I stopped missing all the hits. The softness of the rod tip also plays a part. A stiff rod tip will hook more fish. Otherwise, use a bass tye hookset for short, soft tipped rods.

Guys a lot of my problem when missing fish is that they are real small fish hitting,(bait stealers) I call em.That mey be some of your problem also.When pond fishing it isnt as bad but river or lake fishing for brim,,it seems that you catch way more small,throwback fish than keeper/eater sized ones.

Reduce the size of hook along with the size of the bait !! You are right about the bait stealers .

For panfish, I would not use larger than a #6. I usually use a #8.

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Originally Posted by Smoltz

hi guys ive been around, just never registered. im a big ice fisherman, when i do most my panfishing. but anyway i have a quetion... i have been using slip floats and reg clip on thill floats, but i have a hard time hooking fish. i miss over 50% of the bites. i dont know if this is due to the fish only taking half the bait or just me. can you guys offer any advice on when to set the hook, or tips on hooking up when using floats? im using either reg longshank hooks or jigs and tube tipped with waxies or maggots. thanks

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Most floats sold in the US (including the Thill clip ons) are not very sensitive. The Thill wagglers are much better floats. (Any waggler is a much better float.).

Try using wagglers and add enough shot so that only 1/4" of the tip is above the water. You will see many more bites and hook more fish.

Welcome from Alabama. A Waggler is a much more sensitive float.

i usually use size #8 hooks or smaller for bluegills,but occasionly still get em on bass poppers with bigger sized hooks.guess it depends on what body of water and how the fish are biting.

thanks for help guys, those waggle floats... how do you rig them? i know how to rig slp floats and clip ons but they look like a differant setup?

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Originally Posted by Smoltz

those waggle floats... how do you rig them?

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It's exactly like any other slip float with one exception: the waggler is attached to the line at the bottom only. So, you put a stop not on your line, add a bead, and then add the waggler.

Attach the waggler to the line using a swivel adaptor:

Attachment 63152

The swivel adaptor enables you to change floats quickly and it allows the float to slip up and down the line very easily.

You can order them here:

Thill Float Swivel Adapter

One of the easiest solutions I have found for that problem is to open the gap of the hook a bit. I open the gap on just about every jig I use. An old trick my grandfather passed on to me many years ago and it helps a lot.

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Originally Posted by deathb4disco

It's exactly like any other slip float with one exception: the waggler is attached to the line at the bottom only. So, you put a stop not on your line, add a bead, and then add the waggler.

Attach the waggler to the line using a swivel adaptor:

Attachment 63152


The swivel adaptor enables you to change floats quickly and it allows the float to slip up and down the line very easily.

You can order them here:

Thill Float Swivel Adapter

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This may be a dumb question, but why not a small snap swivel attached to the line, with the snap attached to the float ?? WOuldn't that work just as well ??

Just curious... Sorry if this is a noob question.. I'm still learning as far as float fishing goes...:o

Tux

As already mentioned, for live bait fishing a waggler is a must. And longer rods, are perfect for float fishing. I have two 8' UL steelhead rods, that make the perfect gill rod.

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Originally Posted by tuxdaddy

This may be a dumb question, but why not a small snap swivel attached to the line, with the snap attached to the float ?? WOuldn't that work just as well ??

Just curious... Sorry if this is a noob question.. I'm still learning as far as float fishing goes...:o

Tux

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Not a dumb question at all. You can use snap swivels, and they will work fine. I just prefer the adaptors because I think they're more tangle-proof, and it's easier to change floats with them. I have used snap swivels in the past, though, and caught a lot of fish with them.

Thanks DBD ... Greatly appreciated !!

I also use a snap swivel. When you remove the float you have a deep water rig. Keeps it simple. Put the float back on for shallow water.

Use 4 pound line, small hook, bait, no weight or float and cast it gently. You will catch
a lot more fish without a weight or float, if if if you can get it where you want it.
Just watch the line and you will catch them big or small.

John b.

My opinion is ditch the float and just slow roll a jig tipped with a waxie. youll catch a better quality of fish if they are there

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Originally Posted by foul hook

reduce the size of hook along with the size of the bait !! You are right about the bait stealers .

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x 2;)