Does the size of the float affect catching fish?
Printable View
Does the size of the float affect catching fish?
I feel it does. I want one just big enough to float. Less resistance to pull down and pops up like a nuclear sub on up bite.
Agree with huntinslabs. It absolutely makes a difference. The less the float sticks out of the water, the more bites you will see.
As long as its balanced right you can use a beachball as a float. The slightest tap from the fish should take it down.
Now typically i use the smallest I can get away with.
I use the smallest float I can get away with for the fishing situation. I usually use tiny floats fishing from the banks. The smaller, the better.
Boat fishing just depends on distance.
Not only the size, but the style can make a big difference as well. A large stick bobber is easier for fish to move or pull under than a smaller round bobber. A small orange and yellow stick bobber is easier for the fish to see in clear and shallow water than a larger clear bobber. And so on. Lot's of factors to consider, but for the most part, I believe, smaller is better when it comes to bobbers.
Small. I use a trout magnet float with up to 1/16 jig with the small end toward the jig. It at least gives me a warm fuzzy feeling.
Size matters!! The smallest/least resistant bobber = easier bite detection. I haven't noticed one color being better than another. I use whatever I can see the best in the light conditions at the time. I also think a bobber hitting the water on a cast does not spook fish in most cases. A lot of bites come just seconds after the bait hits the water.
I've been using a Thill shy bite float for the past few weeks. Seems the slightest tap from the fish starts to take it under, which I like .
Elkhunter, I've noticed that as well, if they're aggressive I've noticed the splash from the float seems to draw attention to the bait. I've had a few trips where if they didn't hit it after the first 5 seconds after the splash they weren't going to.
The Shy Bites are the most sensitive floats sold in America.Quote:
Originally Posted by RiverSlabber
I find that long floats telegraph much more of how the fish is interacting with the bait. Go overseas and our British brethren are fishing waters that have been over fished since the middle ages, and their float are long not short.
The only thing I've found more sensitive than long waggler-style floats is handline fishing. Nothing is more sensitive than your fingertips. That's why most fishing around the world is handline fishing.
Attachment 241392
Event a foam float that has a lead ring at the lower end where the line and bait are attached, are brought down easily by an aggressive fish no matter it's size. Of course crappie that take it down are usually over 6", along with perch, sunfish and other panfish. Some days soft plastics attached to jigheads work fine (depending on bait design); at other times live bait is needed.Quote:
Originally Posted by RiverSlabber
I only use the design pictured:
http://guideimg.alibaba.com/images/s...oat_778709.JPG
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spoonminnow
Right, thats what I was getting at when I said properly balanced.
I figured that's what you meant. The round plastic floats aren't balanced and allow to much resistance to being pulled under. Stick floats are good ones to use seeing as they go upright on the strike and straight down when pulled down by a fish. Another favorite of mine.
lets go into a bit more detail from the fishes point of view .....
from the fishes point of view resistance upon eating something generally equals something isn't right ....
and they will in many cases spit it out before you can set the hook !
so to best fool a fish less is always better ...
I match floats to jigs down to trimming a float to sit properly with the least resistance possible ....
quill type floats are the best in my opinion for almost all applications and species.....:ThumbsUp
Those weighted floats make casting a light jig easier but sure hides upbites. Dont care for them myself. Like Ketchin I will trim em down if necessary to get a very tiny bit showing.
I agree the weighted ones are bad at showing upbites. I do notice a little quiver or lift when the jig weight comes off the float but not much, you really have to pay attention. Any chop on the water and forget it.
Where do you guys get quill floats from? Id love to give one a try.
I make the float you saw in the photo. If you like I'm willing to send you one to try. Just private message.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RiverSlabber
I have to disagree. All my floats are weighted, and they show lift bites perfectly. Even my heaviest floats pop up like a jack-in-the-box.
disco is correct. I use Float'N Fly a lot for Smallies. You can buy those floats weighted to the size jig you use. If the fish moves up the float falls over.Quote:
Originally Posted by deathb4disco
Regards
Take a look at some Gapen floats......best I have seen.
Regards
Thanks guys I've always used a big float with out any thought on it figured if it didn't pull it down it was a little fish
But there is a HUGE difference in a properly weighted waggler vs those weighted Comal floats.Quote:
Originally Posted by deathb4disco
Agreed. Here's why:Quote:
Originally Posted by huntinslabs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wB2cm0hUpc
Agree completely!Quote:
Originally Posted by huntinslabs
Weighted floats do make casting easier. The biggest issue I have with them is if you want your bait just barely off the bottom you don't know if you are really there. Your bait could be sitting on bottom but the bobber still stands up.
elkhunter, that's why I designed my float the way I did. If any portion of the bait even grazes the bottom, the float will not cock upright. It will lay at an unnatural angle or lay down completely. They won;t stand up if the bait is on the bottom.
If fish hit bottom up, you know it. If the fish hit is from the side you now it because the float will suddenly tilt to on side. If they hit is and swim in circles you'll see the float move in circle around the balance point of the wine cork. The length of the float gives it its sensitivity. Most fish I catch, the float never goes under, but because I know what the fish is actually doing I know better when to set the hook.
By the time the float goes under you're already too late. A whole lot has gone by.
In fact I prefer handline fishing because I can feel what's going on even better than the float. By the time you see the float everything has already happened. You're almost looking back in time with a float. It's like turbo lag on a race engine.
Quote:
Originally Posted by elkhunter
You just need to plumb the depth. Here's how:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHLMecMvtFg
I'm with the weighted float group. The up bites, while they don't rise noticeably, do cause a very unnatural wobble that is easy to detect.
While I don't use them much, the traditional hollow plastic bobber is still useful for fishing a jig under. When reeled very slowly, they weave back and forth giving an action the fish sometimes prefer.
interesting reads yawl ....
Very interesting reads! During the mid to late 90's an English man by the name of
Mick Thill, was very involved in bringing this style (float fishing) here to the U.S.
He produced a couple of videos, " Fishing in Still Waters" & "Fishing in Running Waters".
If you can get your hands on those VHS tapes, he explains thoroughly, how to plumb
and shot your line. Loads of info regarding this style of fishing.
Mick is a friend of mine. Almost everything I know about float fishing came directly from him.Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveB40
His tapes are very good and very detailed.
was he the originator of the Thill float we see today ?
The Thill Gold Medal floats (TG) are all his design. These include the wagglers, center sliders, stealths, shy bites and the turbo master.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ketchn
He had nothing to do with the other Thill floats and is embarrassed his name is on them.
just wondered .....strange coincidence for sure ...or did someone steal his ideas ?
All of these floats:Quote:
Originally Posted by Ketchn
... are based on classic English floats. Mick just adapted them for the American market.Quote:
Originally Posted by deathb4disco
Yeah, that's what I noticed. The floats in the Wally World are for a general audience. The wagglers and other designed don't fit into the American way of thinking. I bet in order for them to make sales, they had to make a basic line of floats more accessible to a general audience. Most people look at British floats and don't get it. They rather buy the big red-and-white ball or cigar floats because that's what they're familiar with.
The floats I make, nearly everyone buys the short floats, but when they ask which float works the best, I always tell them the long ones work best because length determines sensitivity. It's just too different for most people. Other than the well informed people like here on Crappie.com, most people just don't get it no matter how many videos I put out on them.
It's funny really. They see me catching lots of fish with these, I demonstrate time after time how they work, yet they almost always buy the shorter versions. It's because it's easier to cram everything down into what you know verses learning something new.
This what I use most of the time tell me what you think? bluegill is about all I fish for
Fishing......location,location,location......prese ntation,presentation,presentation.
The devil is in the details.Different floats for different presentations and locations. I am going to use about six different sizes and styles of floats for specific applications.Learn the nuances of different ones by reading and experimenting. I will give you two instances.
If you are on the water on a windy March day.And the crappie are on a shallow flat spread out,over a shallow submerged grass bed,or on the shallow break of a point. And you need to stay back to not spook them but yet need to reach them in that wind.And the fish want you to reel it real slow. You need a bobber that rides through the waves steady and does not add a lot of pull resistance to you or the fish. The answer...a small round fluorescent bobber with the built on lead on the bottom. It cast,rides steady,and you can put a really small head under it if you want cause the bobber is giving you density,profile,and weight to hurl that thing.
Another thing is learning to weight a bobber when still fishing for light biting fish. Here a waggler style weighted so its just barely buoyant will detect the slightest bite.If you put the change of color line just below the surface,if that line becomes visible you know its a lift bite.
Their is an art to bobber fishing just like all other types of fishing....if you want to learn it